Five pros and cons of the Bundesliga

25 November 2015 05:00

PROS:

1 BEER. Unlike the Premier League, where fans are banned from drinking alcohol within sight of the pitch, gallons of beer are freely glugged during matches in the Bundesliga - and at around four euros a pint, it isn't going to break the bank.

2 TICKET PRICE. The cheapest season ticket in the Bundesliga is a mere 130 euros at Wolfsburg. At Cologne, matchday ticket prices start at 16 euros for the standing section - usually snapped up by members - and 29 euros for the cheapest seats.

3 FREE TRAVEL. The majority of Bundesliga clubs work closely with the local authorities and subsidise free travel to and from the match as part of the price of the match ticket. They also often work with fans' groups to make the cost of away travel cheaper.

4 ATMOSPHERE. The sight of standing sections for both home and away fans not only evokes memories of English terraces, but also serves as a stark reminder of how it can create a better atmosphere than the often sterile Premier League environment.

5 FAN-OWNED. The Bundesliga's "50+1" rule means all clubs must remain majority-owned by their members - giving fans a stronger voice. Only after 20 years of solid investment can an outside entity (ie. Bayer at Bayern Munich) assume a controlling interest.

CONS:

1 QUALITY. The fan ownership model means oligarch-level investment is not going to happen, thus players with oligarch-level wages will stay away. Outside Munich, few of the leading Bundesliga clubs boast major international names.

2 DOMINANCE. The fact is only one club is likely to win the Bundesliga title. Bayern Munich have taken the crown in the last three seasons, and are almost certain to make it four in a row this year, having won 12 of their first 13 games.

3 HOOLIGANISM. Let's not sugar-coat things too much here: the Bundesliga is afflicted by the same problems as elsewhere. On Saturday, there were reported violent incidents involving fans of Hanover, Werder Bremen and Bayern.

4 SELL-OUTS. There's no denying the cheapness of the tickets but getting hold of them is another matter. Most Bundesliga games stretch towards sell-outs, and the much-publicised standing tickets are almost always snapped up by members.

5 SAUSAGES. There's no such thing as a balti pie in the Bundesliga, which ought to count as a massive black mark in anyone's book. And if you don't like sausages, you're likely to go hungry - and have to hang on for the post-match bierkeller.

Source: PA-WIRE