Although they have been ordered to play Sunday's German second division game against Dynamo Dresden behind closed doors after crowd violence, Hansa Rostock are still hoping to sell-out the match.
The terraces at Rostock's 29,000-capacity DKB-Arena stadium will be empty for the game after the German Football Federation (DFB) imposed a spectator ban on the match after trouble flared last month.
More than 30 people were arrested, while eight police officers and two fans were injured during rioting which marred Rostock's 3-1 home defeat to St Pauli on November 19.
But the north German club has reacted to the DFB ban by selling tickets for the game regardless and fans are snapping them up in solidarity in a bid to make sure ticket revenue is not lost.
T-shirts and stickers are also on sale to market the game and the club hope to sell out of tickets, even though not a single fan will be allowed to set foot in the stadium.
"In the first few days, we sold over 2,000 tickets, many more have been ordered," Rostock's director of sport Stefan Beinlich told football Magazine 11Freunde.
"With the sale of the tickets, we want to limit the economic damage to the club and we want to get the fans on board."
Tickets ranging in price from five up to 19.95 euros are on sale until Sunday.
Source: AFP
