60 years “the current gym”
An emperor was the most frequent guest
“The current sports studio” (from right): Franz Beckerbauer, Mario Götze, Michael Steinbrecher, Rudi Völler and Günter Netzer – on the screen behind: Franz Beckenbauer, Rudi Völler, Günter Netzer.
© imago sport photo service
“the current sports studio” celebrates its 60th anniversary. Ex-soccer star Franz Beckerbauer was a guest 56 times. More amazing facts and figures.
Following the broadcast of the DFB Cup final (from 7:25 p.m.), ZDF will be showing the anniversary program “das aktuell sportstudio 60 Jahre Stories, Stars und Sternstunden” this Saturday (June 3) from 10:45 p.m. The first broadcast flickered across screens on August 23, 1963, just in time for the start of the then new Bundesliga. Here are a few exciting facts and figures about this piece of television history, which began on Lerchenberg in Mainz.
The moderators
These moderators are currently leading through the “Sportstudio”: Katrin Müller-Hohenstein since 2006, Sven Voss since 2011 and Jochen Breyer since 2013.
Of the former moderators, these made it to the most programs: Dieter Kürten hosted 375 programs from 1967 to 2000. Michael Steinbrecher moderated a total of 320 programs from 1992 to 2013 and Harry Valérien from 1963 to 1988 at least 283 programs.
The first presenter was Heribert Meisel from 1963 to 1964. The best-known ex-moderators are Wolf-Dieter Poschmann, Wim Thoelke, Günther Jauch, Johannes B. Kerner, Rudi Cerne and Dunja Hayali, who only took off her hat in May. Also prominent were some guest presenters who led through the show over the course of the long “sportstudio” history, as if there were Dieter-Thomas Heck and Frank Elstner.
The record guests
“Interesting guests from the world of sport, entertainment and politics are an integral part of the program’s concept. The guest list reads like the ‘Who’s Who’ of international sport,” says ZDF about its sports program. Legends such as Muhammad Ali, Pelé, Roger Federer, Emil Zátopek and Max Schmeling will be there, as well as current stars from the Bundesliga and top athletes from other disciplines.
Franz Beckenbauer was the most frequent guest. He made the first of 56 appearances in the “sportstudio” on September 11, 1965, his 20th birthday. The list of the most frequent guests after Beckenbauer is as follows: Rudi Völler (40 times), Felix Magath (35 times), Otto Rehhagel (35 times), Erich Ribbeck (30 times), Uli Hoeneß (27 times), Jürgen Klinsmann (26 times), Christoph Daum (25 times), Ottmar Hitzfeld (22 times), Matthias Sammer (21 times) and Jupp Heynckes (20 times).
Welcome guests were also international artists, politicians and important personalities who feel a special obligation to sport, such as Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Harald of Norway, Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, former Chancellor Willy Brandt, actor Heinz Rühmann, top model Cindy Crawford , publicist Alice Schwarzer, football fan Elton John, rock star Gianna Nannini or pop singer Costa Cordalis, who wanted to start as a cross-country skier for the Greek Olympic team.
Trademark Torwand
The goal wall at which the studio guests shoot a soccer ball at the end of the show is one of the trademarks of the “sportstudio”. The challenge of shooting from a distance of seven meters at the 2.70 meter wide and 1.83 meter high wall with two 55 centimeter holes was faced by many footballers in particular. “Football greats like Pelé, Marco van Basten and Eusébio, on the other hand, were unable to demonstrate their footballing extra class on the goal wall – result: zero goals,” the broadcaster said.
But there were also many who met. According to the broadcaster, the list of the best goal wall scorers with five goals each is shared to date: Günter Netzer, Rudi Völler, Günter Hermann, Reinhard Saftig, Matthias Becker, Rolf Fringer, Frank Pagelsdorf and Frank Rost. This was last achieved in 2019 by ex-national player Inka Grings.
ZDF also recalls a number of extraordinary hits, including this one: Comedy star Mike Krüger scored four hits in 1984. Franz Beckenbauer, then coach of FC Bayern Munich, scored two goals during his visit to the “sportstudio” in 1994. In one of them the ball was on a wheat beer glass. Tennis coach Niki Pilic scored six times with tennis balls in 1994. Patrick Dempsey, actor and automobile sportsman, tried it barefoot from the second attempt in 2014.