In February 2023, Borussia Dortmund set an indoor record in the Westfalenhalle. Is such an event planned again? © Ludwig
3 min reading time
2023-12-27 06:00:00
Everyone in the hall! Borussia Dortmund has been advertising the top Bundesliga game on Wednesday (December 27th, 7:30 p.m., live on Eurosport) against SG BBM Bietigheim for weeks. The marketing slogan has been used before: 11,112 spectators came to the BVB game in the European League in the Westfalenhalle in February this year. Record at club level, record in the European Handball Federation (EHF) competition. At that time, Borussia Dortmund had done everything in its power to provide a stage for Dortmund handball. With success. Everyone in the hall – that had an effect.
It won’t be quite as crowded on Wednesday evening. The top Bundesliga game will be played in the Helmut-Körnig-Halle, but it will be almost completely sold out.
To achieve this, the Black and Yellows’ marketing machinery has been turned on again. Huge advertising banners on the B1 in Dortmund, social media ads on various platforms, newspaper advertisements throughout the Ruhr area. Everyone should know that the handball players from Borussia Dortmund are playing. That was successful.
BVB: Is there another record game planned?
So it won’t be a record game on Wednesday, but are there plans for one? “We still have a highlight game against Bietigheim in the Bundesliga. The plan is for 2,000 spectators to come. And beyond that, the focus is on the “Everyone in the Halle” project,” says BVB department head Rupert Thiele. “We would like to tackle the Westfalenhalle again next year, but we first have to qualify internationally in order to have such a highlight game Possibly a plan for 2024. But first the focus is on the highlight game against Bietigheim in the Helmut-Körnig-Halle.
The stage is right for the top game, but whether it can live up to expectations remains to be seen. Bietigheim always won the last six games against BVB very clearly and made their supremacy as number one in German handball clear. There was a difference of at least six goals between the double winners and the Black and Yellows. Bietigheim is the measure of all things in the league and is leading the way.
BVB is only three points behind the southern Germans, but Bietigheim is too consistent and dominant in everyday league play. The only stumbling block: the 29:29 before the World Cup break against HSG Bensheim/Auerbach, the surprise team of the season in second place.
BVB opponent Bietigheim is moving
Bietigheim is going through a turbulent phase away from the floor. In November those responsible announced that the team would be leaving its hometown of Bietigheim for the new season and joining HB Ludwigsburg. In addition, several top performers are leaving the reigning champions: goalkeeper Gabriela Moreschi and ex-Borussia players Inger Smits (both CSM Bucharest) and Kelly Dulfer (Györ). The club has already extended the contract with six players and coach Jakob Verstergaard.
In addition, a new addition could come into play on Wednesday: At the beginning of December, Bietigheim announced the signing of Noemi Hafra (Györ), who has been part of the team since then.
Will be leaving Bietigheim: Gabriela Moreschi (l.) and the two ex-BVB players Kelly Dulfer (m.) and Inger Smits (r.).© IMAGO/wolf-sportfoto
“In Bietigheim the league leader and championship favorite is coming to Dortmund, it won’t be an easy task, on the contrary. We will do everything we can to make their lives as difficult as possible,” said BVB coach Henk Groener recently. Goalkeeper Sarah Wachter, who played her way into the limelight with fantastic performances at the Handball World Championship, could become a big factor (Groener: “Sarah Wachter showed a very strong performance.”).
Before the World Cup, Borussia suffered two defeats in the Bundesliga and was eliminated from qualifying for the European League. The bad luck with injuries took its toll on the team. The long-term injured Lena Degenhardt and Dana Bleckmann, who recently extended her contract, will also continue to be missing against Bietigheim. The same was true for Zoe Sprengers, who returned from the tournament in Scandinavia with an injury.
BVB: Indoor situation still uncertain
Speaking of which: which hall Borussia Dortmund will play in from summer 2025 is still uncertain. But what is certain: the planned large sports hall is being delayed again. The opening is scheduled to take place in 2029, so BVB needs an alternative. Department boss Rupert Thiele recently made it clear that the Helmut Körnig Hall is also a permanent option for BVB.
The black and yellow marketing idea could then often be: Everyone in the hall!
2023-12-27 06:30:35
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