A marketing campaign by Bundesliga soccer team Hertha BSC may backfire. Shortly before the capital derby on Friday against Union Berlin, they wanted Hertha managers create some atmosphere in the city. Since no spectators are currently allowed in the football stadiums due to the corona pandemic, the Herthaners had come up with something else.
On Tuesday night, around 60,000 blue and white Hertha flags were attached to streets and squares across the city. More than 100 people were involved in the campaign in all twelve districts, says Hertha’s head of media and communications, Marcus Jung.
Whether on Olivaer Platz near Ku’damm, on Bierpinsel in Steglitz or in the eastern districts on Union territory – the Hertha flags waved early in the morning. “We want to win the whole city over,” said Jung.
In fact, the club not only made friends with the campaign. As the city councilor from Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Arne Herz (CDU), confirmed to the Tagesspiegel, an administrative offense procedure has now been initiated. The action was not approved.
“My employees collected around 500 flags in two hours at lunchtime,” said Herz. He thinks the action is a bit premature because it produces a lot of rubbish and in the worst case could pose a danger to road traffic.
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“I understand that in times when fans can’t get into the stadium, you want to get creative,” said Herz. But he would have found it more sensible to donate the money to a good cause in a pandemic.
Herz himself sees the matter professionally, he is not a “football enthusiast”, only when the national team plays he is cheering. He is interested in the principle: “If we don’t do anything at Hertha today, then next week Coca Cola might come and want to set up its Christmas truck,” said Herz. He therefore contacted the association and initiated administrative offense proceedings.
Hertha wanted to clean up flags again
Hertha confirmed the process to the German press agency that they are in contact with the authorities: “We knew from the start that we would be responsible for the disposal of the flags if the fans didn’t take all the flags with them,” said Jung.
The action had already started in the game against Borussia Dortmund. In the 2: 5 defeat, the Herthaners wore a jersey with the club flag and the slogan “Where the flags blow blue and white” on the chest. The flags in the city were also set up under this motto.
Berlin’s interior and sports senator Andreas Geisel (SPD), an avowed Union fan, did not want to comment on the topic. “We don’t have to comment on everything,” said his spokesman. He was unable to confirm reports that the Berlin police had also collected flags. We are looking forward to the derby on Friday.
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