Fascinating explanation. - The reason Saarbrücken's cup final takes place early
On a Saturday morning, at 11.45 am, there's a match happening that usually wouldn't be scheduled until later in the day - the Saarland Cup final between a third division team, 1. FC Saarbrücken, and a regional league side, FC Homburg. There's more than just a trophy on the line - money is also at stake.
Lars Diederich, from the Saarland Football Association (SFV), provides the reason for the unusual kick-off time: "The rules for the Amateurs' Day broadcast on ARD require three blocks. Last year, we had the 2 pm block, and Saarbrücken vs. Elversberg was one of the top-rated games. The first block didn't have as exciting games, so the broadcaster wanted an interesting game in the first block due to the ratings."
The coaches accept the situation, even though adjustments need to be made to their usual routines. Rüdiger Ziehl of FC Saarbrücken (46): "We'll just have to get up earlier, meet earlier, and have the meeting earlier." Danny Schwarz of FC Homburg (49) agrees: "You also have to eat earlier to ensure there's enough energy."
The fans don't appear to be bothered by the unconventional time, either. By Thursday at noon, 1,200 tickets for the game were already sold out - a new milestone.
Michael Scholl from the SFV: "This is a historical moment - no one has ever seen this many spectators at a final before. We've never had five-figure attendances either."
Unlike last year's final between FCS and Elversberg, where both clubs had already qualified for the DFB Cup, this time there's something more on the line. The winning team will compete in the DFB Cup next season and potentially earn a significant amount of money. Both teams are eager to succeed after their impressive performances this year, with Homburg being eliminated in the third round and FCS making it to the semi-finals.
For the teams, the final serves as a way to salvage a somewhat underwhelming season that ended in 5th place in the league. Schwarz: "We're the underdogs, but we showed in the DFB Cup that we can perform at that level too."
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Source: symclub.org