New nationwide viewer rule
Up to 10,000 fans are allowed back into the stadium
02/02/2022, 6:30 p.m
Several Bundesliga clubs are having the spectator regulations checked by a court – but a new regulation should cushion some complaints. The state governments agree on how many fans are allowed in stadiums and halls – with a nationwide specification.
The patchwork quilt has had its day, a little atmosphere is returning to all arenas: the spectator specifications for the stadiums and halls of the professional leagues should in future be uniformly regulated nationwide, as required by sport. The state governments have agreed that the capacity outdoors may be used up to a maximum of 50 percent – albeit capped at 10,000 visitors. A maximum of 30 percent is permitted in halls, with a maximum of 4000 spectators.
With this decision, the federal states are implementing the requirements of their summit on the corona pandemic with the federal government on January 24th. At that time it was stated that a uniform regulation should be made by February 9th. Most recently, numerous countries had already passed resolutions that came very close to the uniform regulation now in force. North Rhine-Westphalia was not one of them, which is why three Bundesliga clubs (Borussia Dortmund, 1. FC Köln, Arminia Bielefeld) had the previous upper limit of 750 spectators checked by a court. The Higher Administrative Court of Münster wanted to make a decision before the match day at the weekend.
Although the incidence has now climbed above the 1200 mark and experts warn against easing the restrictions too quickly, professional sport has reached an important milestone with the binding decision of the State and Senate Chancellery.
Concepts prepared for almost all scenarios
After all, a homogeneous approach by politicians has recently been massively demanded. “We need this uniform regulation. If there is a different rule in every federal state, that’s crazy,” said Sporting Director Fredi Bobic of Hertha BSC, for example: “We have worked hard to regulate capacity on a percentage basis should.” The new DFL boss Donata Hopfen had called for “solution steps” and “very clear solution scenarios that can be implemented and practicable” from politicians: “We need a solution that everyone can use as a guide.”
Professional sport reacted positively to the decision. “Above all there is the joy that the topic of ‘ghost games’ is probably off the table,” said managing director Viktor Szilagyi from the handball record champion THW Kiel: “In the past two years we have already had concepts for a maximum capacity of 25, 50 and almost 100 percent set up and safely implemented, we will now find a solution for 30 percent.”
Larger numbers of viewers have recently been recorded in Saxony-Anhalt (50 percent of the capacity), Bavaria (25 percent with a maximum of 10,000), Baden-Württemberg (50 percent with a maximum of 6,000), Rhineland-Palatinate (20 percent), Saxony (25 percent) and Bremen (10,000) admitted.
Not only rights, but also obligations
However, the regulations now in force also entail obligations. Wearing “at least one medical mask” is mandatory. In addition, “based on the respective state regulations, specifications for protection and hygiene concepts, admission management and distance regulations and, if necessary, further protective measures” should be taken.
At the same time, it remains to be seen how long professional sport will agree to the new requirement. RB Leipzig did not completely agree with the regulation in Saxony on Tuesday, which was almost equivalent for the club. RB had described the decision as an “improvement”, but the club was “not satisfied with the cabinet’s decision”.
In addition, it became clear once again that there is no absolute agreement among the countries. Bavaria, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt announced in a protocol statement that they would “deviate slightly within the framework of their regulations”. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania supported the decision, but is of the opinion “that the planned framework should not be exhausted in the current phase of the pandemic”.