2020/21 Bundesliga to debut in front of 7,500 live fans
As predicted, it has been an exceedingly hectic 24 hours. Once the German Bundesrepublik unexpectedly cleared a federally sanctioned path for the return of Bundesliga fans this very weekend, anxious clubs began announcing their plans.
Much has happened today. Much more will happen tomorrow. Here's the lowdown thus far.
Much has happened today. Much more will happen tomorrow. Here's the lowdown thus far.
| Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
In a development that would have been unthinkable a scant few days ago, the 2020/21 Bundesliga season will kick off with 7,500 spectators in the Allianz Arena. Just twelve days ago it was thought that Bayern would be the last club to welcome fans back for a league match. As it turns out now, they will be the first.
The Bavarians still play it conservatively. The Bundesrepublik allows for 20 percent stadium capacity. Bayern will aim for 10 percent. This actually constitutes the first compromise of the new political initiative. Münich's current running seven-day-infection rate of 45 per 100,000 inhabitants exceeds the Robin Koch Institute's recommendation of 35. The Bundesrepublik could legally shut down the plan, but accepted the lower target instead.
Details of the specific hygiene concept are yet to be released, but it stands to reason that the club will have a detailed one tomorrow.
Other matches scheduled to take place in front of limited supporters – in Bremen, Köln, Berlin, Frankfurt, and Leipzig – are now permitted to up their numbers in accordance with the 20-percent-capacity quota. Early indications are that all clubs will do so.
In addition, Bielefeld, Gladbach, and Augsburg have already announced that they will begin selling tickets for their own home openers (to take place next weekend) on Thursday. All three will aim for the full 20-percent quota.
As of yet, there is no news that the three remaining clubs scheduled to host fixtures this weekend – Stuttgart, Dortmund, and Wolfsburg – will organize quick admission concepts. The possibility that they might be able to pull something in place over the next 48 hours remains.