Prem v Bundesliga - Are we doing something wrong?

[NeilH]

In view of the poor attendances at the weekend and the fact that a number of Premiership clubs have falling season ticket sales. I thought I’d take a look at the statistics in the Bundesliga to see what average attendances are like (2010-11 season) and its quite startling. Even if you put aside the high average attendances, what strikes you is that most of the clubs in the Bundesliga are virtually filling their stadiums week in week out.... e.g. Freiburg with an average attendance of 23k in a 25k stadium

So the question is, knowing how the Bundesliga works, what has the Premiership done wrong and is there any way we can retrieve the situation?

Team                    Average Borussia Dortmund    79,250 Bayern Munich           69,000 Schalke 04           61,248 Hamburg SV           54,445 FC Cologne           47,752 Eintracht Frankfurt   47,335 Kaiserslautern     46,378 Borussia Monchen   45,676 Hannover 96           43,948 Nurnberg                   42,019 VfB Stuttgart           38,847 Werder Bremen   37,464 TSG Hoffenheim   29,858 VfL Wolfsburg           28,909 Bayer Leverkusen   28,627 St Pauli                 24,274 SC Freiburg           23,047 Mainz                   20,17

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[pauliewalnuts]

Ticket prices are the main thing.

I'd love it if one PL club had the balls to give it a go. Not just the occasional two adults for 40 quid style thing we see, but the whole season, saying "right, these are the prices" and cutting them to the bone.

I'm sure the bigwigs at the PL would point to how well English clubs do in the CL as proof our ticket prices have a positive outcome in their role in money in the game, but bar the four champions league clubs, nobody else gets anything out of it.

[UsualSuspect]

I heard on the radio the other day that if you have a ticket for say a bayern home game then your match ticket means you get free transport in the city for the day

[pestria]

4 different champions in last 5 seasons including 2 'lesser' clubs (as determined by lower attendances).

Lower ticket prices.

Standing.

[Mazrim]

The sad truth is that the Germans do most things better than everybody else and wont have the piss taken out of them.
They may not have the top stars in football (although the standard is good or very good) but the Bundesliga is still about the fans and hasn't disappeared up its own bloated arsehole.

Definitely an example to follow.

[spk]

Its not only the pricing,the bundesliga is a lot more competative and not dominated by one club,also most of the stadia have standing areas that are converted to seats for uefa matches,the whole outfit is better ran.

[spk]

4 different champions in last 5 seasons including 2 'lesser' clubs (as determined by lower attendances).

Lower ticket prices.

Standing.

sorry pestria,we said the same thing at the same time

[Nev]

4 different champions in last 5 seasons including 2 'lesser' clubs (as determined by lower attendances).

Lower ticket prices.

Standing.

In a nod to my post elswhere, increased competition restores hope and the fans return.

[UsualSuspect]

Agree with most of this

People will come and watch us if:

It is reasonably priced
We are successful
We play good exciting football

i read all the bollocks last week as to why we don't get a greater diversity of ethicities through the gates, well if we won something and built on that success we would.

[glasses]

We are charging the fans, and paying the players far too much, in a nutshell

[taylorsworkrate]

Tickets for Bundesliga games are reasonably priced, and more in line with what the average person would set aside part of their disposable income for.

Add to that the travel concessions and safe standing areas, and the value for money is so much greater than Premier league games.

[Blackcountry Villa]

Cheaper tickets.
Terracing at all grounds.
Both of which lead to a better atmosphere which people want to be a part of. The atmosphere at VP is non-existant which will put a lot of people off.

[Fergal]

Agree with most of this

People will come and watch us if:

It is reasonably priced
We are successful
We play good exciting football

i read all the bollocks last week as to why we don't get a greater diversity of ethicities through the gates, well if we won something and built on that success we would.

 we were.

If I could afford it I would come regardless of how successful we are.

[NeilH]

We get a lot of Bundesliga football here and this topic was kicked off after I watched the Freiburg vs Stuttgart match at the weekend. It was played to a packed stadium with a fantastic atmosphere and in a great, well built, atmospheric ground with standing room. I contrasted this with the rows upon rows of empty seats at the Sunderland vs Stoke game and all I could think was ‘what the hell is going on!’

For all the bluster and pomp of the ‘best league in the world’ it was plain to see that when two average teams play each other there really is only one winner when it comes to the traditional football experience.

[PeterWithe]

I'm surprised that the German clubs are not financially stronger, it is one of the richest nations in the world but I take it their TV deal is a lot less than that of the English Clubs?