Werder Bremen’s women clearly defeated 1. FC Köln 3-0 in front of 21,500 spectators. There had previously been two annoying defeats.
Greetings to the crowded corner: Werder captain Lina Hausicke Photo: Nordphoto/Imago
BREMEN taz | “Five years ago I couldn’t have imagined that we would be playing in front of 20,000 spectators,” said Birte Brüggemann, head of women’s and girls’ football at Werder, one day before the game against 1. FC Köln. Even 1,500 more flocked to the Osterdeich and filled the streets of the district from Saturday afternoon onwards with an anticipatory game day atmosphere like in the best Werder times. The many children and young people who turned the bicycle and footpaths into slalom routes with their parents made a particular contribution to this.
After the game against SC Freiburg a year ago in Bremen, it was the second of the highlight games that were introduced in the Bundesliga in order to incorporate the upswing in women’s football into everyday life after the 2022 European Championship. Last year, after the Freiburg game, twice as many spectators came to the home game on the following match day.
In contrast to the premiere, this time the new and old fans were even able to celebrate a confident 3-0 victory. The goals came from an own goal (32nd) after a sharp cross from Nina Lührßen as well as captain Lina Hausicke (83rd) and Melina Kunkel (90+3). “My voice was left a bit in the east curve,” said Hausicke after not only her goal, but the entire team had been celebrated in front of the fully occupied fan curve. “It was a perfect afternoon.”
Unlike against Freiburg, the team did not allow the enthusiasm in the stands to tempt them into attacking too impetuously, but instead found the balance between emotionality and coolness. “We used the stadium and not just enjoyed it,” said coach Thomas Horsch, describing the difference and seeing it as a maturation process.
Financially, Werder is in a better position this season
After two wins and two narrow defeats against favorites Hoffenheim and Freiburg, this has already earned the team more points than in the previous season after ten games. Get into safe league territory early and then see what is possible – that should be the goal for this well-rehearsed team, which has largely stayed together and has been strengthened in certain areas.
The women’s area at Werder has been further developed financially and structurally. This is made possible by increased sponsorship and audience income, but above all by the new television contract, which will secure 16 times the previous income for the Bundesliga clubs from this season. At 5.17 million euros, they still only make up a fraction of the men’s Bundesliga, but unlike in that one, they are distributed equally. That makes 388,000 euros per season for each women’s Bundesliga team.
An example from sports director Frank Baumann makes it clear how necessary Werder, where the subsidy for women by the professional department is significantly lower than at clubs like Bayern Munich, VFL Wolfsburg or TSG Hoffenheim, has these funds. “We have only had our own locker room for the women’s team since the summer; before that, the players often changed at home before training,” said Baumann, who has also been responsible for the women’s area since last season, during a discussion in the stadium on Friday evening.
The main issue there was whether women’s football can avoid the undesirable developments of men’s football despite commercialization and professionalization. The increased TV income for women is also paid for by splitting up the match day and having a Monday game. “We are at the crossroads of going our own way and not copying anything,” said Doris Fitschen, former national player and overall coordinator for women in football at the DFB. “We want to pursue our own values.”
This is also what the “Football Can Do More” network, which was co-founded by ex-HSV managing director Katja Kraus among others, wants to link sport with social goals such as gender equality and sustainability. Werder was one of the first clubs to agree to cooperate with the network, where Anne-Kathrin Laufmann, a woman, has been part of the four-person management team since the beginning of the year.
This is specifically about promoting women in clubs, but also about career-long qualification for women playing football. “We have to change the existing structures,” said Laufmann on Friday evening.
2023-10-15 15:53:15
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