WSG Tirol: Stadium modernization in Wattens – A plan for the future!

WSG Tirol: Stadium modernization in Wattens – A plan for the future!

The WSG Tirol is aiming to redesign its home stadium in Wattens in order to meet the requirements of the Bundesliga. An ambitious plan includes roofing the east stand and redesigning the main stand. This also includes covered standing room for guests, new floodlights and lawn heating. The aim is to create an infrastructure suitable for the Bundesliga, which is not only known as a “jewelry box”, but also functionally serves the needs of the club and its fans. The association is currently in discussions with the state and the municipality about the project. A safety and traffic concept will also be created and the involvement of residents will be sought in a later step.

The biggest challenge remains financing. The estimated cost of the project is between 4 and 5 million euros, although requesting more than 7 million euros could be problematic. Discussions with sponsors and private investors are underway, but the club has to bear the majority of the costs itself and plans to take out a loan for this. The annual repayments should not exceed the current rent for the Tivoli Stadium of 200,000 euros.

Expansion of viewership

The new stadium project in Wattens is crucial for the long-term development of the club. The average number of spectators is currently 2,039, which puts WSG Tirol at the bottom of the league's attendance record. The club plans to increase the capacity to 5,100 visitors, which will not only strengthen financial support from sponsors, but also promise a sporting home advantage of up to 7-8 points. Initial feedback suggests that sponsors will offer support of 30 to 40 percent when returning to Wattens.

WSG Tirol is not the only club that is involved in stadium renovations and expansions. 1. FC Union Berlin is also planning extensive investments to modernize its stadium. The new stadium with a capacity of over 40,000 spectators is scheduled to open in the 2025/26 season. In total, investments of over 100 million euros are planned, and in order to play the home games in the transition phase, Union is moving to the Olympic Stadium. These developments in German football, particularly the ongoing efforts to modernize stadiums, reflect the challenges many clubs face in keeping up with the changing demands of football.

Financial challenges and fan interest

The financialization of football also involves high investments, especially with regard to the future of such projects. However, there are also concerns about the sustainable relationship between investors, clubs and fans. While clubs strive to achieve sporting goals with the help of investors, voices keep coming up that warn against excessive influence from financial investors. The 50+1 rule in Germany is intended to counteract this by ensuring the members of the clubs the majority of voting shares. Despite this, an increase in the sale of equity shares to investors has been noted in recent years.

The future of football lies solely in the focus on economic aspects, and the challenges for clubs like WSG Tirol and Union Berlin could be prototypical for the entire industry. The question remains as to how the balance between sporting success and compliance with financial framework conditions will develop.