Berlin – A bit of “atmosphere” remains: German professional sport has been spared the specter of nationwide ghost games, but has to cope with severe spectator restrictions. For the time being, the Bundesliga stadiums may only be used to capacity up to 50 percent – but capped at a maximum of 15,000 fans. The same percentage rule applies to indoor sports with a maximum of 5000 spectators.
However, as expected, the results of the federal-state consultations on Thursday on the acute corona situation are not uniformly valid across Germany. Because in addition to these “minimum standards”, the federal states are also entitled to more stringent measures such as games in front of empty ranks – which Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Saxony, among others, are likely to implement. And Berlin’s Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) had already announced a reduction in the number this week, appealing on Thursday to the football clubs to voluntarily decide to reduce the number of viewers in dialogue with their fans. “It is not forbidden for a football club to take such an initiative,” said Müller.
He had 5,000 spectators for the two Bundesliga teams and a limit of 2,500 for the teams under the hall roof. The BR Volleys, Eisbären, Füchsen and Alba Berlin had apparently already come to terms with this regulation. Also with the fact that it would apply from this weekend. “We as BR Volleys can live with it, although we would have had the chance to attract over 3000 spectators against Friedrichshafen on Saturday, as the advance sales have been so far,” said Volleys manager Kaweh Niroomand.
In the past few weeks he has noticed that people have become more cautious, which can also be seen in the city’s restaurants. At home volleyball games, the 2G plus rule already applies, i.e. additional mask and distance. The Volleys also recommend corona tests before the games, there is a test center 200 meters in front of the hall. However, it is not the ideal situation. “If there hadn’t been these stupid individual examples like at 1. FC Köln, not everyone in sport would have had to suffer from them now. They can make ordinances and issue guidelines any way they want if afterward people fail to do so. The greatest responsibility lies in the individual behavior of people. We have to vaccinate ourselves and we have to respond to the pandemic, ”said Niroomand.
After Thursday’s conference, however, he may have to reassess the situation. Just like the polar bears who stopped selling tickets for the home games in December and wanted to wait for the decision.