Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 to boost stadium capacity

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The move of the two Munich clubs from the Olympiastadion to the recently-opened 66,000-capacity Allianz-Arena has provided both teams with a significant rise in gate receipts.

Bayern which reported an average of 54,000 gate receipts on the 2004/05 season has seen a full-house in the first five home matches played in the 2005/06 season. The club expects a full-house in all their 17 Bundesliga home games this season. Bayern has limited the ticket sales to fan club members, leaving other spectators who are keen to visit the state-of-the-art ground to watch 2.Bundesliga side TSV 1860 Munich.

“All neutral spectators interested in the new Arena are going to visit 1860 home games, because they have no chance to get tickets for Bayern games as sometimes we could have sold around 200,000 tickets,” explained Oliver Messthaler, Bayern Munich ticketing manager.

As result of Bayern’s ticket policy, 2.Bundesliga side 1860 Munich were able to more than double their average attendance to 44,648 after the first five games of the season. Should the demand for tickets remain unchanged for the rest of the campaign, the club is set to beat Cologne’s all-time attendance record for the 2.Bundesliga of 38,500.

Both clubs have been stunned by the spectator boom created by the new ground, and now plan to increase capacity from 66,000 to 70,000 in order to cope with demand for tickets. The clubs do not plan to add additional seating, but aim to extend the overall capacity by allowing more fans to stand in the state-of-the-art stadium. “We are able to convert seats into additional standing and are looking to carry out this project as soon as possible,” Allianz-Arena stadium manager Peter Kerspe said.