The last time the 2010/11 season saw more crowds pour into the stadiums per game (7,952). Rapid remains the league star in the spectator balance with an average of 18,845 fans. That is a good quarter more than in the previous year. In second place is Uniqa ÖFB Cup winner Puntigamer Sturm Graz (13,282 / +19.1 percent) directly ahead of champion Red Bull Salzburg (12,363 / +2.9 percent). The WSG Tirol shows a big plus of more than 35 percent, with an average of 2,439 visitors, the Watteners remain at the bottom of the league behind RZ Pellets WAC (3,046) and TSV Egger Glas Hartberg (2,547).
The league again recorded a significant increase in attendance between the first round (7,188 per match) and the final round (8,347). The latter attracted around 16 percent more spectators to the championship-decisive games in the arenas. The average number of fans in the master group, which is 13,250, is also impressive. According to the league, there were a total of 62 games with more than 10,000 spectators.
Suspense to the end, criticism of VAR
The Bundesliga was also satisfied in terms of sport. “It couldn’t be better,” explained Ebenbauer, with a view to the championship decision, which was exciting almost to the end, the fight for the European Cup places and the fact that after 22 years there was another derby in Vorarlberg. The chairman of the board considers calls for an increase in the league to be legitimate. “We are open, you can talk about anything. But you can see that the product is currently working well in a twelve-tier league.” This is also reflected in the 30 percent increase in advertising value in the Bundesliga compared to the time before the coronavirus pandemic. According to Ebenbauer, there will be a new evaluation next year.
The Bundesliga wants faster decisions from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). “There are wrong decisions everywhere. But this duration, 30 seconds, must be respected. We need to get away from this one, two, three minute wait. That’s the most important thing,” said Ebenbauer, who also spoke of the referees’ enormous uncertainty. “The pressure from outside, from the fans in the stadium, from the media, from everyone is great.”
The league boss continued to rate the Austrian pot as sensible. “From our point of view, this is a consistently good tool to animate and reward.” Salzburg, Sturm, LASK, Austria Klagenfurt and Austria Lustenau are currently not adhering to the legionary restriction.
The Bundesliga starts its 50th season at the end of July. On the occasion of this anniversary, a separate logo was developed. “The logo should accompany the season. It will be present on all player jerseys. From our point of view, that is consistent and appropriate,” says Ebenbauer. In addition, history, legends and the Austrian football identity are to be increasingly displayed in the coming season.