As Major League Soccer plans to return to the field, fans have the Bundesliga, Germany's pro soccer league, to thank for providing a successful roadmap for returning to competition in a world beset by the coronavirus.
"Many people love soccer, it belongs to their daily life," explained Fernando Carro, CEO of Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. "So, we were able to bring back some of that excitement and entertainment that every fan here has been seeking."
But the return has come with sacrifices for everyone involved.
Players and staff are sequestered and separated from the general public to prevent coronavirus infections. The quarantining requires them only to have access to the training fields and meals before returning to their hotel rooms.
German soccer games are renowned around the world for their fans, creating a loud and spectacular atmosphere. Now teams play games in front of an empty sea of seats, the only hint of the atmosphere being cutout cardboard images of fans. That has led to many in the county to nickname the matches "Geisterspiele" (ghost games).
"There is no doubt that the local fan groups suffer because they are not allowed to cheer us on in person, neither in the stadium nor at practice," lamented Carro. But he explained it was a harsh reality that Bundesliga could only safely return without fans in the stands.
