What's the top crowd we could imagine in the Championship, which we are told is a very strong league in Europe because of the high attendances. I suppose if Leeds need to win to go up, they'd fill Elland road, so what, 37,000?
Last Saturday there was a local derby in a European second division, between two teams you'd hardly know the names of - Hertha and Union. It was the Berlin derby, and the attendance, even with an early 13.00 kick off, was: 74,244. Hertha are the league leaders while Union are fighting relegation, but Union came from behind to win 2-1. Must have been awesome to be there, in the Olympic Stadion.
But hey, the Premier League is the greatest league in the world, isn't it....
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It's a little bit weird that Hertha are Berlins biggest team and are only playing in the 2nd division.
Football in this country could do well to follow the Bundesliga with standing areas and cheap tickets.
Pretty sure Hertha (Olympic Stadium) is one of the few German grounds that is all-seater for domestic matches (could be wrong).
Good example of the atmosphere as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WUBtWN4F7U&
Stats for the German second division
Hertha are well-known, and it's a derby between the two biggest clubs in one of Europe's biggest cities. Bit strange to compare Berlin to Leeds, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Norwich etc.
Anyway, the Bundesliga has already overtaken the Premier League for average attendance
Brazil also have large attendances for occasional lower league games.
But what on earth does it have to do with English top tier footy in the slightest?????????
Every champs league has strong English competition, and the standard of football in the English prem as well as the passion from crowds overall is the best in the world.
What I was getting at was just that because of all the hype around the FAPL we can tend to think its the only game in town Europe -wise. Lots of people here have commented favourably about the Bundesliga in the past and this was just another example. I'm really quite envious of German club fans, they have a lot of fun, I reckon.
The attendance was all the more amazing because Berlin, while it is - now - the capital, it hasnt traditionally been a footie stronghold in Germany. Hertha are reasonably well known, but hardly giants. Not sure of Union's history. It would be nice to think its part of the renaissance of a city that was previously deiided by the Wall. Was up there in December, and recommend it for a long weekend, the atmosphere is awesome.
It would be nice to see Hansa Rostock and Dynamo Dresden rise again, they symbolise the subservience of the East in the years since reunification and they have proud club histories. Hansa in particular sounds like an away game you wouldn't fancy on a dark winter night.
Also Hertha Berlin are my german side, so I have heard of them.
I see what you've done there...clever.
i know what u mean. often see the german goals from the weekend on eurosport and their games always look like they have cracking atmospheres. wonder what they think when they see the goals from wigan & bolton.