The enthusiasm continued to resonate with Felix Neureuther three days later. The former top skier watched the NFL spectacle in the Munich Arena on Sunday and was thrilled. An “incredible show,” Neureuther already knew, “is what the NFL delivers.” The BR winter sports expert is not at all surprised that the guest appearance of the North American high-end sports product is well received in Germany.
NFL hype works – “It’s relatively easy to get Germans excited”
The people on the other side of the Atlantic are “completely different in type, i.e. much more open, but we in Germany are a bit more reserved.” Nevertheless, Neureuther emphasizes in the latest episode “Pizza & Fries”: “We have this great fan culture. This incredible enthusiasm to go to a stadium and then feel like partying it off.”
On Sunday, around 70,000 people flooded the Allianz Arena; demand was far greater than supply. “We need this show,” explains Neureuther, who notes that the NFL “actually manages to get us Germans incredibly excited about this sport using relatively simple means. (…) I’ll give you an example: When former NFL stars Sitting in the Hofbräuhaus and drinking a beer, people really celebrate it.”
Role model America: Neureuther wants more courage
If Neureuther has his way, the German and European sports scene should follow an example. He can imagine that in the future TV cameras will also be allowed to film in the athletes’ cabins. This is “a process” that athletes in the NFL are already used to. “I think you just have to be really brave and say that’s how it is.”
The same applies to the much-discussed halftime show at major national football games. In 2017, Helene Fischer was booed by a large portion of the audience for her performance during the break in the DFB Cup final. For the fans, the pop singer symbolized the growing eventization and commercialization. Since then, the DFL and DFB have refrained from putting on such show acts.
Halftime show with Helene Fischer: Organizers need flair
Felix Neureuther thinks this is a shame. “We always badmouth a lot of things. We also badmouth former athletes when they make a mistake. Then it’s a big sensation, an absolute catastrophe.” He is open to another attempt at entertainment.
“If she (Helene Fischer) delivers and puts on a good show, absolutely. You have to put on a show that inspires people. And I think Helene Fischer can do that. Because the show she puts on is already there Great. But the flippers could do that too. I’m just saying, as an organizer you have to have a feeling for what you want to offer people.” Felix Neureuther in the BR24Sport podcast “Pizza & Fries”
Example Braathen: Shows and sport are needed
For Neureuther, the performance of the athletes is essential for a successful sporting event. “Of course you have to perform to be recognized. But the show has to be part of it. Only then can you leave a lasting impression.”
The best example for him: the Alpine skiing opener in Sölden. “You remember Lucas Braathen. Right? But that Alexander Stand Olsen won and did a great job? That dancing Braathen down at the finish, that’s what sticks.” Braathen, who is now competing for Brazil after a year-long break, went from 19th place to fourth place in the giant slalom after running the best time in the second round and then did a samba dance.
