Bundesliga Attempts to Continue World Cup Euphoria

Excitement about the month-long World Cup and the host's notable third place finish proved Germany is indeed a nation of soccer fans. But now, as the Bundesliga begins, many are wondering how much of the World Cup elation will carry over to the German league season.

"German soccer will definitely get an upswing from the World Cup," national team manager Oliver Bierhoff said in an interview with Sport1.de. "You can see an increase in interest by the number of season tickets that have been sold."

The Bundesliga's 18 teams sold some 360,000 season tickets before the 2006/07 season started. All but Borussia Dortmund ran out of tickets earlier than expected.

Seeing the stars every week

Germany, and the world, have seen the quality of Bundesliga players, and are interested in seeing how Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski are able to perform after their impressive World Cup showings.

"Why shouldn't I say that we will profit from the World Cup," Bayern Munich team manager Uli Hoeness said in an interview with the Munich Merkur newspaper. "With Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski, Philipp Lahm and Owen Hargreaves, all of whom played well in the World Cup, we have absolutely profited from the World Cup."

Munich has already seen a change in fans' attitudes during the pre-season, Hoeness added.

"There was a completely different atmosphere in the stadium recently in the League Cup against Schalke," he said. "The people noticed that it is fun to celebrate and to let go."

Bundesliga clubs face different conditions

But letting go can be more difficult without the international players and financial advantages Bayern enjoy. No one in the German leagues can match Bayern's 11 internationals, 10 of whom play for Germany, and many are also suffering from economic difficulties that affect neither the national team nor deep-pocketed Bayern Munich.

"A lot of clubs can only dream of having the conditions of the national team," Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf told the Tagesspiegel newspaper, adding that he doubted much World Cup euphoria could be carried into the league. "I've never heard a single national team wish that was not fulfilled."

Some of the Bundesliga sides, on the other hand, cannot afford "simply doing everything that is possible" and have to sell top players or find ways to cut costs, Schaaf said.

Betting on national team is risky business

The World Cup is also an event of mammoth proportions that eclipses anything else in the world of soccer, while the Bundesliga has to fight for attention with the likes of stronger leagues in Spain, England and Italy, which could lead some fans to wonder if Germany is the place to see Europe's best soccer, Bierhoff added.

"Competition at the top of the Champions League is very difficult," he said. "Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen certainly have the possibility and ability to play there, but when you look at how clubs like FC Chelsea, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid went shopping on the transfer market, it is going to be very difficult."

Using the success of other teams or the national team to promote the domestic league can easily backfire among fickle and demanding spectators, Hoeness said.

"If Germany do not win in November against Ireland or the Czech Republic then everything could turn back around," he said. "(Interest) does not happen automatically."