Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

SPORTS

Germany’s Adidas wins at Euro 2008

German sportswear giant Adidas did better than the national team at the Euro 2008 football championships, sponsoring both runner-up Germany and the new champion, Spain.

Published: 30 June 2008 15:50 CEST
Germany's Adidas wins at Euro 2008
Photo: DPA

“It was the dream final for Adidas,” a spokeswoman told AFP after the group

had already announced it expected sales of football jerseys, balls and boots to gain at least 50 percent over the 2004 European championships.

Having both finalists wearing the group’s sportswear “was just fantastic,” the spokeswoman added after Spain beat Germany 1-0 for their first continental championship in 44 years.

Adidas had also provided the official match ball, delivering 30 for the final in addition to more than 2,500 others for the 16 teams that competed in the three-week-long competition.

The group did not provide financial details on sales, however.

The Internet site of the sponsoring federation UEFA said it was sure the figure of eight billion viewers worldwide that had been reached for the 2004 edition would be surpassed.

More than 51,400 spectators packed the stadium in Vienna for the final.

In addition to Spain and Germany, Adidas also sponsored the French, Greek and Romanian teams, in addition to around 100 individual players in the tournament.

SPORTS

German football fans get green light to return to stadiums next season

Bundesliga clubs and other German sports venues will be allowed to welcome up to 25,000 spectators from next month, the city of Berlin said Tuesday after a meeting of officials from Germany's 16 states.

Published: 6 July 2021 17:45 CEST
German football fans get green light to return to stadiums next season
Germany fans at the recent Euro 2020 match in London. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christian Charisius

Most matches in Germany’s top football league were played behind closed doors last season – so-called Geisterspiele or ghost games – because of the Covid-19 virus.

The new Bundesliga season starts on August 13th and with infection rates having fallen sharply, sports stadiums could be at 50 percent capacity, with the total number per match or event capped at 25,000.

The only exception is reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, where up to 20,000 fans will be allowed into home games at the 75,000-capacity Allianz Arena because officials in Bavaria are allowing only 35 percent of capacity.

The new rules apply until September 11 and amid concerns in Germany about the Delta variant of the coronavirus, incidence rates must not exceed 35 new infections per 100,000 people over the previous seven days.

READ ALSO: German states call for uniform Covid rules at big events

If that happens, and “the infection cannot be clearly contained”, a maximum of 5,000 spectators will be allowed into sports events, German officials warned.

Only fans who can prove they are vaccinated or present a negative test will be allowed into stadiums and hygiene rules must be followed.

An easing of the regulations meant crowds of around 14,000 were allowed to attend Euro 2020 matches at Munich’s Allianz Arena over the last three weeks, but fans were largely kept out of German league games last season.

READ ALSO:

SHOW COMMENTS