European Football Championship: Fans to breweries: The mood 100 days before the European Championship

The European Football Championship starts in Germany in 100 days – but there is little sense of euphoria. That was no different just before the 2006 World Cup, when bad weather, an economic downturn and poor results from the national team dampened the mood.

The end is known: A summer fairy tale enchanted the (football) world. This is one of the reasons why there is still great optimism among organizers and in the economic and cultural sectors. Only the fans are rather skeptical. The German Press Agency paints a picture of the mood.

Organizers

Philipp Lahm is not worried. “There is enthusiasm for the tournament – in Germany, but also worldwide,” said the head of the organizing committee. Especially with the group draw in December, “the anticipation became even greater because it simply became more tangible.” But the 2014 World Cup captain also knows that it would “of course be helpful” if the German national team “played more successful football again.”

Then from June 14th to July 14th a football festival similar to that at the 2006 home World Cup could take place. This is particularly necessary in these socio-politically difficult times, said Lahm. Such a tournament could help “to come together and spark a feeling of togetherness.”

Fan festivals

There is a “calm before the storm”, which is currently very welcome, “because it means we still have time to make all the preparations,” said managing director Moritz van Dülmen of “Kulturprojekte Berlin”, which is responsible for the planning and implementation of the Fanfest at the Brandenburg Gate is responsible. An oversized goal directly in front of the capital’s most important landmark and a pitch rolled out there are intended to create football flair.

According to van Dülmen, 2.5 million fans from all over the world are expected in Berlin. The fan mile, which contributed to the huge success of the 2006 World Cup, will also be well filled on the 31 days of the European Championship. Spokesman Tobias Kohler from the Munich Olympic Park, where all 51 European Championship games are shown live on three large screens, is also “very confident”. “We can look forward to a great celebration from the start of the European Championships at the latest,” he said.

Breweries

“Beer and football have always belonged together,” said CEO Holger Eichele of the German Brewers Association. That’s why the EM offers “great potential” for his industry. Millions of fans in the stadiums, at public viewings, in bars, restaurants or living rooms at home are likely to generate additional sales this time too. In 2006, around five percent more beer was sold before and during the World Cup than usual in the summer weeks. “In any case, the breweries are well prepared and are looking forward to kick-off,” said Eichele: “But it will only be a summer fairy tale if the weather cooperates and our national team is successful.”

tourism

For the tourism industry, the German team’s achievements are of secondary importance; they rely primarily on many fans from abroad who love to travel, good weather – and positive images. “Bringing hospitable togetherness to the world in the stadium, in the pedestrian zone or via the screen would be an invaluable positive effect for the entire travel destination Germany,” said managing director Norbert Kunz of the German Tourism Association.

Managing director Ingrid Hartges of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association also hopes for a “positive image effect and sustainable impulses for Germany as a tourism location” – like after 2006. Specific economic sales effects are difficult to name and depend on a variety of factors, says Hartges .

Managing Director Markus Luthe of the German Hotel Association promises that German hoteliers will present themselves as “open, warm and professional hosts”. Across Germany they would have over 30,000 hotels, bed and breakfast hotels, inns and guesthouses with around 1,000,000 guest rooms.

fans

Summer fairy tale 2.0? Very few football fans believe that. In a representative survey by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the German Press Agency at the beginning of December, only five percent of those surveyed said “yes, definitely” that they expected a similar high spirit. Twelve percent could partially imagine this.

According to the fan organization Our Curve, which comes from club football, “the big fever has not yet broken out”. There are several reasons for this, “the extremely high admission prices” for the European Championship games being one of them, said board member Markus Sotirianos. But there is also reason for hope: “With the approval of independent fan clubs, something is created in the background, but it still has to grow and can be expanded.”