„Soccermania“
 
This summer, one of the biggest and best-known sports event in the world will be held: the UEFA EURO 2008TM, the European Soccer Champion-
ships in Austria and Switzerland. They will take place in June, just a few weeks before the Olympic Summer Games of Beijing will start. 16 teams from all over Europe have qualified to play in the eight host cities, among them four in Austria, which are Vienna, Salzburg, Klagenfurt and Innsbruck. So we can watch the best European players in our stadiums.
But why do I report about that in the “Burgenländische Gemeinschaft?” Well, there are some connections between the Burgenland and the Championships.

First, the Bundesland of Burgenland is an official sponsor of the Austrian Soccer Team. It´s some years ago, that the Government of Burgenland and the Austrian Soccer Association have signed the contract. Since that time, the Soccer Team has often been preparing for international matches in the region around Neusiedler See, in Bad Tatzmannsdorf or in Stegersbach. When TV-teams have interviews with some players or coaches, you can see the official logo of Burgenland on their jackets.

Two communities of Burgenland will certainly benefit from the Championships. The Croatian team will be staying during the Championships in the AVITA-Hotel of Bad Tatzmannsdorf, the Austrian team in the BALANCE RESORT of Stegersbach. Whereas the Croatians will share the hotel with some invited regular hotel guests, the Austrian team will be absolutely isolated using the whole hotel in Stegersbach of their own.
The advertising value is not yet to be estimated, but imagine what will happen in these two small towns: it´s not only the teams, the players and coaches, the doctors and the other medical staff to lodge in the hotels; there will be hundreds of media representatives and supporters from Croatia and Austria residing in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Stegersbach and the villages around to be very close to their teams. The names of the two hosting hotels and the towns of Bad Tatzmannsdorf and Stegersbach will be read and written a thousand times in media all over Europe. What would it cost to post advertisements?

Bad Tatzmannsdorf has built a brandnew soccer pitch for the Croatian team. A TV show about a non-professional soccer team is shot in Bad Tatzmanns-
dorf and will be shown nationwide, for weeks! Stegersbach is welcoming its guests with the flags of all countries participating at the Championships. And there will be some more ideas to increase the enthusiasm in Burgenland.

At least, one of the most valuable players of the Austrian Soccer Team is a native of Burgenland. Martin Stranzl grew up in Urbersdorf near Güssing. At the age of 16 he went to Munich to play for Bayern München (Bavaria Munich), one of the most successful teams in Europe. Since two years, Stranzl is playing for Spartak Moscow.
Burgenland is looking forward to the EURO 2008TM. Who will win?

Mag. Walter Dujmovits, jun.
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Burgenlaendische Gemeinschaft 4-6 2008 Nr.406 Newsletter archive