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Floodlights during the Bundesliga game between VfL Bochum and VfL Wolfsburg
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David Indian song / dpa
The majority of the German population is in favor of extending the winter break in the Bundesliga to save on heating and electricity costs.
This was the result of a representative survey by the opinion research institute Yougov on behalf of the German Press Agency (DPA).
According to this, almost 58 percent of those surveyed agreed and to a longer season break.
Of these, a good third consider such a measure to be “definitely” necessary.
21 percent of those surveyed rejected a longer winter break, 22 percent made no statement.
A clear majority would also support switching the game operations in German football to a season from spring to autumn if energy costs could be saved.
34 percent see "definitely" as the right way, 27 percent answered the question with "rather yes".
According to this, 17 percent of the population are against a changed seasonal rhythm.
In some countries, such as Sweden and Norway, the professional football season starts in March or April and ends in November.
Games are suspended during the colder months.
In German football, on the other hand, as in most European top leagues, there is a longer break in the summer and games are also played in the winter months.
In Germany, the season is usually interrupted from mid-December to mid-January.
This year, club football will be pausing from mid-November because the World Cup in Qatar is due to start on November 21st.
Schalke already had to take a cold shower
This is not the first time that energy costs in professional football have been discussed.
As a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, diplomatic and economic relations between Germany and Russia have deteriorated.
This threatens a gas crisis in winter.
"We won't miss it either," said Ilja Kaenzig, spokesman for the management of VfL Bochum, at the German Football League's (DFL) sustainability forum at the end of July in Berlin.
The President of Eintracht Braunschweig, Nicole Kumpis, does not see football as systemically important.
"That means if gas and electricity are saved, then it won't stop at professional football."
BVB managing director and chairman of the supervisory board of the DFL Hans-Joachim Watzke tried to appease.
You have to prepare, but panic in advance is inappropriate.
"Of course a serious situation can arise, and then you have to solve it when it's there."
This was already the case in the DFB Cup.
FC Schalke 04 had to take a cold shower during the game against Bremer SV in Oldenburg's Marschweg Stadium.
During the school holidays in Lower Saxony, the hot water was turned off in all municipal sports facilities in Oldenburg.
mrk/dpa