Saturday, October 16, 2021
Extended break with a show
Will the Helene Fischer halftime become normal?
First half, then a 15-minute break to go to the toilet or to the drinks stand: this is how a football game has been going on for fans in Germany for decades. That could soon be over. An extension of the half-time including show elements is discussed. There are already first attempts.
The ball is round, a game lasts 90, each half 45 minutes and in between there is a 15-minute break: As unpredictable as a soccer game is, some cherished rules are set in stone – or are they?
The soccer dogma that a half-time break lasts 15 minutes could soon be a thing of the past. The rulers of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) will discuss an extension of the time-out from 15 to 25 minutes on October 27.
The stumbling block is a move by the South American Association. CONMNEBOL boss Alejandro Domínguez last wrote a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, suggesting that the break between the two parts of the game should be extended. The IFAB will now check this entry. Specifically, it’s about finals for the time being. This should give the opportunity to stage more impressive halftime shows.
The final of the Copa Libertadores between the two Brazilian top clubs Palmeiras and Flamengo on November 27 will serve as a test balloon. The new rule should also apply to other international finals.
The model for the advance is likely to be the legendary half-time show of the Super Bowl. The halftime break is also longer than usual when the best teams of the NFL season battle for the title. The biggest stars of the show scene vie to showcase their skills to the audience during what is arguably the most iconic break in sports history.
In 2022, the NFL plans to partner with Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige send five absolute superstars of the music business onto the stage together. Together they have won 43 Grammy trophies. “12 minutes of unforgettable awesomeness” can be expected from them in the halftime show, according to a statement from the Football League.
At least in German football, the attempt to emulate this spectacle has so far aroused little enthusiasm. When the DFB sent Helene Fischer onto the lawn during the half-time break of the 2017 DFB Cup final, the audience reacted with little enthusiasm.