REDDERS78
Jack Armstrong
I can quite easily understand.Let me give you an example of the fare available at the stadium of my local side, where I shall be going at the weekend for the local derby against SC Frieburg:
Pizza (€4.50 for a large Detroit-style pepperoni)
Bratwurst (two flavours, €3.80 for a large, locally produced tasty sausage in a proper cob)
Gyros (€5, and fantastic)
Bretzeln and other breaded snacks (from €1)
Steak in a crusty cob {€4.20)
Fries, Chicken Nuggets, and other similar bits and bobs (from €4)
Decent quality local Bier (Stuttgarter Hofbräu, on draught, both in alcohol-free and proper varieties, €4.50 for a half-Liter)
local Hochland Coffee (from the Black Forest, and its really good)
various soft drinks, such as cola and lemonade
And that‘s just concessions within the stadium for the normal fan. I am probably sure I have forgotten a couple of things too. It is all run by one company who do all the catering (including the hospitality areas, which are very nice) and they have plenty of staff on hand so even in busy times (like half-time) you are not queuing long for a Bier.
Of course, there are street-vendors outside the ground too (as everywhere) offering bratwurst, Currywurst, and other street-food, but I am concentrating on the clubs‘ own offerings).
Interestingly, the club sought feedback from members and fans with an open consultation, when they last let out the catering contract three years ago, and took feedback on board to improve what was already a decent offering. They even organised a taste-test with the catering company and a bunch of fans for the new sausages they were to offer (the Stadionrot was developed by a local supplier, especially for the club).
If you provide it, people will pay for it, it is as simple as that. More so, if you offer decent prices and good service. Granted, the Mercedes-Benz Arena is a larger venue (full capacity is 60.000, but the reconstruction of the Haupttribüne for Euro 2024 will take this down to 50.000 for at least this season).
You know as well as anyone that things work far more efficiently in Germany than they do in the UK. Here, we put out cones on motorways and leave them for months without any work, always over budget and always behind schedule. I was told that they built 6 new stadiums and renovated another 6 for the Germany World cup, and the total was less than Wembley cost to build alone......and I can believe it. We are utterly useless at the majority of contruction projects.
Thing is, Im not talking about competing with German football Stadia, that will never happen, ever. If we could get the the level of some L1 clubs it would be an improvement, thats how ridiculous it actually is.