By Redmann • Update June 10th 2008 • Category: Match/League Reviews

In Germany the past five years have seen the Bundesliga, Zwei Bundesliga (2nd Division) and the Regional leagues grow enormously in terms of popularity and in the case of the Bundesliga its prestige. The recent relegation of traditional clubs FC Kaiserslautern, TSV 1860 Munchen and 'yo-yo club' 1.F.C Koln to the second rung of German football has also meant that the overall strength of German 'Fussbal'  similar to the case of The Championship in England, has increased dramatically.  

As is the case with traditional English sleeping giants Nottingham Forest and Leeds United now playing within the lower confines of the English leagues, Germany can similarly point towards clubs such as Fortuna Dusseldorf and former East German champions Dynamo Berlin as sides now languishing in lower division football yet who still attract fans through the gates and maintain a distinct football fan base.

Whilst envy can be glanced towards an enlightened 'football administration' in Germany particularly amongst the Bundesliga administrators and at DeutchnationalMannschaft level (witness the pre-match displays organised by members of the national team fanklub at Euro 2008) it is no coincidence that  average crowds in Germany are now the highest in Europe providing a passionate and financially lucrative fan culture that extends throughout the leagues.  Germany has be fortunate in that there was - unlike the UK - no Taylor Report that so eroded the terrace culture born in the UK and neither has there ever been any call for a such a report in Germany.  This has ultimately meant that despite  the creation of numerous corporate 'super stadia' for the WM 2006 World Cup in Germany  most of the grounds still have traditional standing areas which has assisted in the creation of a big match day colorful atmosphere even for smaller ties between clubs such as Armenia Bielefeld, TSV Mainz, Bochum and Energie Cottbus.   Outwith the super stadia clubs such as Wolfburg, Monchengladbach and Hansa Rostock have developed statia benefitting the title classy.  

Even where Germany's stadiums are located slightly out of the center of town, transportation links are invariably excellent whilst facilities inside are also of a higher standard when compared to those in other major European nations.  A match day ticket in Germany will also lead to free transportation on local area U-Bahn/S-Bahn networks and tramways with the vicinity of the stadiums.  Moreover, match day programmes will be published in a cost effective and inexpensive way.  A Programme may costs a fan around £5 at Stamford Bridge but a similar magazine at the Allianz stadium in Munich may only set the supporter back around 1 euro.    Prior to games in Germany an American 'Super bowl' like atmosphere is often generated with a local radio 'personality' taking to the field with microphone in hand and providing the emerging crowds with team news serving to assisting building rapport in the standing areas.  This interactive approach builds further when the actual team sheet becomes available, then only the first name of the player will be read out with the crowd, in response, bellowing out the surname.   Indeed this pre-match ritual is followed further with similar announcements during the game for subs and goals.   FC Bayern Munchen...ZWEI!!! VFB Stuttgart...NULL!  Danke.

The Bundesliga consists overall of two divisions with the absence of play-offs as has become the norm in England.  Below the top two leagues has recently come a third tier as well as Regionalligen based on geographical zones which make up an overall third tier.  This level includes some semi-professional clubs, amatuer sides and the reserve teams of the larger Bundesliga sides.  One glance at the lower league tables in Germany will see Bayern Munchen amatuers competing against other more traditional sides.  Its not unheard of that a reserve side reaches the final of the national cup competition.  Amongst these leagues also are past giant traditional sides such as the aforementioned Fortuna Dusseldorf, Dynamo Dresden, Rot Weiss Essen and the alternative club St.Pauli of Hamburg.

Ticket prices and season ticket purchases tend to offer good value for the Euro in Germany depending of course which area fans wish to watch the game from.  Fans can easily choose to pay over 250,000 euros a year for a box at the Allianz Arena in Munich but alternatively pay 15 euros to stand behind the goal.  These areas behind goals are Kurve, such as the 'Canstatter Kurve' at VfB Stuttgart, whilst each stand (Tribune) is normally named according to location - Sud Tribune in the south stand and likewise Ost Tribune in the East.  These areas offer reasonably priced (compared to UK prices) match day tickets with season tickets purchased at reasonable prices.  Moreover, beer is an essential part of the German football experience with low alcohol on sale inside many stadia and allowed inside the ground unlike in England.    With many clubs in the United Kingdom not having any sort of dialogue with fans, nowhere is the German attitude to football as a social experience better illustrated than in the clubs relationship with its fans. 

With one eye on local social responsibilities and another on sensible 'public relations' most German clubs will have 'Fan Projekts' such as that at 1.F.C Koln which will be an overall coalition of supporters groups, a nominated 'fan spokesmen' or fan figureheads and local authority organizations.  Club directors will then hold regular meetings with the 'Fan Projekts' attached to the club as a means of open discussion and involvement at grassroots level.   Most clubs in any of the leagues have numerous Ultra fan type groupings with many clubs, as is the case with FC Bayern, 1FC Koln, SV Hamburg and Schalke 04 having two, three or even four Ultra groupings all fighting for space on the tribune areas to display flags,banners and match day chants.  A 'leader' type figure will often be seen conducting the fan groups with megaphone in hand from a stantion with his back to the action.   Team captains at clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen are also known after games to take the megaphone in hand and thank fan for the support during games with  a serious of chants.  Another good example of fan-player-club interaction extending even after the final whistle.
 
Many of these groups, even at lower league level, have also in  recent  times attempted to create a more latin feel to match day 'displays' but increasing inner stadium security has meant that smoke bombs and flares are rarely permitted.   In  the  lower leagues some match day hooliganism still exists but has almost all been banished at Bundesliga level.   Trouble will now only really occurs at matches involving sides from the former GDR with ties between the likes of FC Magdeburg and Dynamo Dresden having earlier kick offs such as a Leeds Utd v Manchester United game would.  Lower leagues will also see smaller clubs located within larger cities playing games such Spvgg Unterhaching in Munich or Stuttgart Kickers in Stuttgart, the lesser neighbour of the much larger VfB Stuttgart.  Across all of these clubs whether small or  large there is also a distinctly 1970's feel to many of the fans who follow football in Germany with the most committed of fans eager to express their commitment and passion with an array of sew-on-patches and pin badges attached to sleeveless denim jackets.  This uniform is often completed with layers of match day scarves wrapped around each wrist.

Overall, there are lessens for the British game administration to be learned from within the German Football model.  The commitment to match day entertainment, fan projekts and a thriving Ultras scene has meant that stadiums at Bundesliga level are often always full.    Moreover hooliganism or stand segregation within stadiums is largely un-noticeable despite large travelling supports in attendance at all Bundesliga games.    Many fans in Germany - particularly amongst Ultras groupings will dispute that a modernist uber-corporate element lurks increasingly amongst the games administrators and club figureheads particularly amongst those at FC Bayern where the ever contraversial Uli Hoeness has caused anger with outspoken comments towards grassroots fans.  This has been perceived to endanger the distinct cross supporter fabric that has been woven.  This has also been highlighted with the appearance in many grounds of banners displaying the slogan 'gegen modernen Fußball' - against modern football.

So yes, there are problems and issues between clubs and fan groups in Germany but a dialogue is evident unlike in many other nations.   Ultimately, it is the ability of the various fan cultures, whether corporate or Ultra, to exist 'side by side' and to tolerate one another that makes the German football model the  thriving success it is.