Numerous prominent urban areas are skipping public screenings during the European Championships.
In England, the term 'public viewing' refers to 'public morgues'. In Germany, however, it's used for enthusiastic soccer viewings in crowded city center squares. Fans are hoping for a second summer fairytale. However, in many large cities, this communal cheering may not happen.
Pak Watching. Cheering, despairing, and hooting in the black, red, and gold crowd in packed squares: public viewing, with often tens of thousands of spectators, was a massive hype during the 2006 home World Cup, the "summer fairytale." What might it be like at Euro 2024? Legally, at least, the way is cleared: on Friday in Berlin, the Bundesrat approved an ordinance by the federal government that allows outdoor public viewing events to go on into the night. Nevertheless, four weeks before the start of the European Championships, it's becoming clear that many marketplaces might remain empty this time around.
Berlin
The capital is ready to party again: Extra artificial turf has been laid, and a massive soccer goal set up for the big fan mile at the Brandenburg Gate. TV stations will be covering the public viewing there repeatedly. This year, a second fan mile has been added on the meadow in front of the Reichstag. There'll also be a large entertainment program with open-air cinema and concerts on days without soccer or without German participation. The organizers hope for a total of 50,000-100,000 people for both areas on some days. Apart from the European Championships, the games will be broadcast in beer gardens, pubs, some lidos, and a climbing garden.
Baden-Württemberg
The major cities here are downplaying it when it comes to official public viewing. Only Stuttgart, host of five European Championship matches, is offering an expansive program. The public viewing on the central Schlossplatz can accommodate around 30,000 people. Stuttgart had previously hosted several matches at the 2006 World Cup, where up to 50,000 people regularly watched the broadcasts on Schlossplatz. In contrast, the other municipalities in the south-west show little to no interest: Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Constance, Ulm, Mannheim - none of them want to organize a municipal public viewing event.
Bavaria
Munich is planning a fan zone for 30,000 people in the Olympic Park for the European Football Championships. They can watch the games on a 120 square meter screen in the Olympic Lake. During the 2006 World Cup, the big public viewing event took place in the Olympic Stadium. "We're anticipating a similar number of people to watch the games," said a city spokesperson. However, no public viewing is arranged in the stadium due to renovation work. "The city of Nuremberg is not organizing any public viewing for the 2024 European Championships - unlike in 2006, when Nuremberg hosted the World Cup," stated the city. But a private organizer's event is planned at the airport. In Augsburg, where up to 5,000 people watched the games on Rathausplatz in 2006, no large public viewings are planned according to the city.
Brandenburg
No public viewing in Potsdam, for example, but a larger one in Frankfurt (Oder): The city is anticipating up to 8,000 people on Brunnenplatz for the semi-finals and the final. This event is part of the city festival, and both celebrations will be celebrated together in German-Polish friendship.
Bremen
In Bremen, public viewing fans might initially be left out in the cold. However, the final will be aired on a significant screen. The game will be shown on three screens on the lakeside stage at the Waterfront, boasting a stunning view of the shipyard harbor. According to Bremen's Department of Economic Affairs, no other public viewing is planned. Yet, despite welcoming this move in theory, the city doesn't intend to be the organizer. No applications for public viewing have been received so far.
Hamburg
In the Hanseatic city, the fan festival on Heiligengeistfeld commences on June 14. All 51 matches will be screened live on a range of screens. Furthermore, the grounds will open on 15 match days for the big public viewing, where everyone can celebrate together. The German national team's matches, the five games in Hamburg's Viktoriasthal stadium, and all matches of the final round will be shown on a 100 square meter screen.
Hesse
A 1.4-kilometer-long fan zone with a floating screen will be set up on the Main banks in Frankfurt, accommodating 30,000 people.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
On the "soccer beach" in Heringsdorf, Usedom, many fans will again cheer on the German team from mid-June. All German games, select matches, and the round of 16, quarter, and semi-finals, as well as the final, will be shown on the beach by the pier. Efforts will also be made to show the games of the Polish national team.
During the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, the ZDF soccer beach at Heringsdorf pier on Usedom served as the main location for live coverage. At that time, Katrin Müller-Hohenstein and Oliver Kahn hosted the show for ZDF and switched to match locations from Heringsdorf.
Lower Saxony
So far, there are no significant public viewing events planned in Lower Saxony. Oldenburg stated, "The city itself is not organizing any public viewings, but we're talking to an external organizer."
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia has special fan zones and at least one official public viewing area at each of their four venues. All matches taking place in the respective city, as well as all matches involving the German national team, will be shown here. Additionally, some locations may broadcast extra matches.
Dortmund will have a fan zone at Friedensplatz with broadcasts of all European Championship matches and a public viewing area in Westfalenpark with broadcasts of all German matches and all matches from the Dortmund stadium.
Düsseldorf is planning a public viewing on the banks of the Rhine for approximately 7,800 fans, displaying all German matches and all matches from the Düsseldorf Arena.
Cologne is organizing a public viewing at Tanzbrunnen for German team matches and all matches in Cologne, with space for up to 12,500 people. Cologne had a capacity of over 65,000 during the 2006 World Cup final.
Gelsenkirchen is planning a fan zone and a public viewing in the amphitheater for 6,000 spectators each. Duisburg, Essen, Wuppertal, Bielefeld, Bochum, Bonn, and Münster are not planning any centralized public viewings.
Saxony
Saxony only has one European Championship venue, Leipzig, where there will be a large fan zone. Two screens will show all matches, accommodating up to 15,000 people in front of the Opera House and Gewandhaus. The zone will be open throughout the entire tournament, and fans can look forward to a supporting program with a Ferris wheel and music. LaBrassBanda will perform on June 29, and Dieter Thomas Kuhn will take the stage on the final day. The cities of Dresden and Chemnitz are not planning any major public viewings.
Saxony-Anhalt
In Saxony-Anhalt, only a few cities will offer their own public viewings. Most cities and municipalities are relying on private initiatives. Halle shares their thoughts: "In the past, the various public viewing offers by private third parties have proven very successful."
Schleswig-Holstein
The Ministry of the Interior in Schleswig-Holstein has not yet received definite information on the number, location, and size of events in the state: "Past experience shows that these also depend on the course of the tournament."
Thuringia
Soccer fans won't have to witness a sea of black, red, and gold flags or massive crowds watching the European Championships in larger Thuringian cities. The cities of Erfurt, Jena, Gera, and Weimar are not planning to set up fan miles or large screens. During the 2006 World Cup finals, thousands of people gathered in central squares of Thuringian cities. At that time, Erfurt had a large screen on the cathedral square. Now, a city spokeswoman says, "The euphoria was different back then."
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Despite the enthusiasm for soccer and the European Football Championship 2024, numerous federal states in Germany are opting out of organizing official public viewing events. For instance, cities like Freiburg, Karlsruhe, Constance, Ulm, Mannheim, and others in Baden-Württemberg have shown little interest in hosting such events. On the other hand, major cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne are preparing fan zones and public viewing areas, with Frankfurt (Oder) and Heringsdorf, Usedom in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, anticipating large crowds for the semi-finals and the final.
Source: www.ntv.de
