Success story: First Vienna FC turns into a Bundesliga candidate!

Success story: First Vienna FC turns into a Bundesliga candidate!

The First Vienna FC 1894, a traditional association of Austrian football, is in change. After the departure of Markus Kraetschmer and other people acting, the association has been making fundamental changes since 2021, which are considered an initial spark for a realignment. This reports 90minuten.at . Under the direction of sports director Manuel Ortlechner and trainer Manfred Schmid, a club legend who has announced "one or two shitty years", the team strives to set the course for a successful future.

The challenges are not insignificant. The financially stricken association has reorganized, and in the summer of 2021 ideas were taken up to realign the club. An honest commitment to the fans was communicated, which shows in the halving of the subscription prices for the fan stands. The subscription for boys under the age of 15 was reduced from 159 to 19.11 euros to lure a younger audience to the stadium. This already seems to bear fruit: after a year and a half the east stand was sold out for the first time.

membership and viewer development

The number of members has experienced an enormous increase: from 2,249 in the 2020/21 season to 8,750 in the current season. Each new member receives a telephone welcome, often even from players or club legends, which strengthens the bond between club and fans. This increase in members and the new fan engagement strategies are part of the five-year plan "New Ways 2026", which aims to return to the Bundesliga for the 2026/27 season. The women's team has already made this into the 1st Bundesliga, which further underlines the commitment of the association for football. Information on this can be found on firstviennafc.at .

The developments within the association are not only sporty, but also social nature. Football as a social phenomenon combines people of different social classes. Like bpb.de , football acts as a social space in which the audience can experience an emotional unloading and test or question social norms. The association strives for this social cohesion by reinforcing the connection to its followers through lower ticket prices and personal speech.

where does the trip go?

With the aim of initiating a new era, First Vienna FC 1894 will continue to rely on the promotion of young talents. The new construction of the "Vienna Campus" with an investment volume of 1.5 million euros is a central part of this strategy. The infrastructural improvements and the introduction of digital solutions such as mobile ticketing systems are also part of the plan to improve the commercial and sporting basis of the association.

In a time when football is both a mass audience and a social putty, First Vienna FC 1894 shows how important the inclusion of the community and promoting a strong fan base are. The combination of traditional football and innovative approaches could be the key to a sustainable and successful club.