"Largest public viewing in southern Germany" completely flops in the Germany game
Created: 11/24/2022, 2:38 p.m
By: Julia Hawener
Many seats on the beer benches at the public viewing in Reutlingen remained empty for the Germany game on Wednesday.
© Screenshot Instagram/ooonuur (photomontage: BW24)
More than 2,500 football fans can follow the games of the 2022 World Cup at the public viewing in Reutlingen.
However, the attendance figures for Germany's first game against Japan on Wednesday were disappointing.
Reutlingen – Cheering packs, bratwurst and liters of beer: that's what many football fans associate with the World Cup.
For many friends of ball sports, watching packs is part of the World Cup.
Especially when your favorite team puts their skills to the test.
This year, however, things are different.
For the first time, a World Cup will take place in winter.
Bratwurst and beer are exchanged for mulled wine and speculoos.
The many discussions about the host country Qatar and the unfavorable seasons make matters worse.
All reasons why some pubs in Germany and also in Stuttgart are completely boycotting this year's World Cup.
Others, such as an event caterer from Reutlingen, want to stick to the tradition of "public viewing" - with less success than expected, as the first Germany game showed,
BW24
.
"Largest public viewing in southern Germany" flops: organizers expected more visitors
The 2022 World Cup was ill-fated from the start: There are constant new allegations of corruption surrounding Qatar as the venue.
In addition, the Arabian Peninsula is heavily criticized for human rights violations during the construction of the stadiums and the organization.
Despite all this, Onur Sönmez organizes what he believes to be “the largest public viewing in southern Germany” in Reutlingen.
To do this, he procured two 32 square meter LED walls and five additional screens, which are now broadcasting the games in a former hardware store building.
Theoretically, around 2,500 football fans would have room there.
However, many seats remained empty for the first Germany game of the 2022 World Cup on Wednesday afternoon: only about 150 fans came to watch the game against Japan, as reported by
SWR
.
World Cup public viewing in Reutlingen: Rental and GEMA fees could become a problem
Event restaurateur Sönmez, who runs and organizes the public viewing event in Reutlingen, would have expected significantly more spectators.
In the former hardware store building, in addition to the live broadcast of the games, there is also typical football food such as currywurst or fries and beer at a 30-metre-long drinks counter.
Around 2,500 visitors can watch the games there from 5 p.m. on beer benches.
When the German team is at the start, the Rudelguck event in the former Bauhaus area on Emil-Adolff-Strasse opens earlier.
Before the start of the World Cup, the Reutlingen organizer expressed
optimism about his event to the
Südwest Presse .
He believes that the more talk there is of a boycott, the more likely it is that the public viewing will be a success.
The Stuttgart beer brewer Dinkelacker also believes in fans "who don't let their enthusiasm for football spoil them".
However, attendance figures on Wednesday showed a different reality.
And if more spectators don't come in the upcoming games, this could become a financial problem for the event caterer due to rental and GEMA fees.
World Cup 2022 in Qatar: the public viewing organizer cannot understand the boycott
According to
SWR
, Sönmez ca n't quite understand why some are boycotting the games.
After all, FIFA allowed the World Cup in Qatar.
So you can't blame anyone who wants to watch the World Cup.
Diversity expert Tatjana Eggeling sees things differently, saying that one must stop "pretending that sport is not political".
Former German international Timo Hildebrand also has a clear stance on the subject and thinks, “You
can boycott the World Cup in Qatar”.
