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Photo: Michael Regan / FIFA / GETTY IMAGES
During the European football championship next year, the national team will move into quarters in Herzogenaurach.
From there the team commutes to the three preliminary round matches in Munich.
200 kilometers there, 200 kilometers back.
But in which mode of transport?
Yes, such details have become important lately.
Oliver Bierhoff, 52, Director of the German Football Association (DFB), did not hesitate to answer when asked about travel plans during an interview with SPIEGEL.
He says: "We're going by bus."
Four weeks ago the national team got into a shit storm because the team flew from Stuttgart to Basel for an international match against Switzerland.
174 kilometers as the crow flies.
Footballers have been accused of ignoring climate change.
The reactions showed how critically fans and observers are now looking at the national team six years after the success at the World Cup in Brazil.
The agency PR Marketing from Rheine, which prepares market analyzes for clubs and associations, has examined the development of marketing at the DFB.
The result (see graphic) shows the loss of importance of the national teams.
In 2013, the Löw-Elf played at home with an average of 50,000 spectators.
In 2019 there were only 37,000. In 2014, the DFB earned 34.5 million euros from the merchandising of its elite team.
In 2018 it was only 22.8 million euros.
The share of gaming operations and marketing in the association's total income fell from 42 to 24 percent; in 2019 it was only 17 percent.
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