sv98.de: The most important question in advance: How do the prices change compared to the 23/24 season?
Markus Pfitzner: “We have reduced the prices significantly – on average across all categories by around a quarter compared to the current season.” There was never even any consideration of maintaining the prices from the Bundesliga. Of course, we are withdrawing a large part of the price increase that was emotionally discussed last year after promotion to the Bundesliga. The cheapest season ticket for the south stand costs under 200 euros. The prices in Block A and the north stand are also below the limit of 400 euros. The season ticket prices for the seats in the main stand were reduced by around 200 euros to under 600 euros.
Season ticket holders in the standing area of the opposing stand pay 15 euros per game in the 2024/25 season as normal payers. Club members – and these are now the majority of season ticket holders – pay just over 13 euros per game. This is for a standing area in the immediate vicinity of the pitch and sometimes at the halfway line or penalty area. In this area, almost all clubs only have seats with prices usually above 30 euros. We are happy that we can offer very reasonable prices for almost 5,000 people – around 30 percent of the home visitors.
sv98.de: As is well known, we will be playing in the 2nd league again in 24/25. How is price development compared to the last second division season 22/23?
Michael Weilguny: Compared to 22/23, there is an average increase of almost 10 percent for all categories in the new 24/25 season. This essentially corresponds to the development of inflation over the same period. Of course, we have to take price developments into account in our planning
sv98.de: How does the pricing process work in detail?
Weilguny: In the first step, the ticketing and finance departments get together with me as commercial director and Markus Pfitzner and develop initial orientation suggestions. These will then be discussed with the entire executive committee, but also in detail with our fan representatives and representatives of the fan and support department. Before the final determination is made, we discuss the prices again in the fan advisory board, which is made up of various fan and grandstand groups. The chairman of the board of directors and the council of elders are also involved in the vote.
sv98.de: Was there a great need for discussion on the way from the first draft price to the final approved prices?
Pfitzner: No, fortunately that wasn’t the case this year. Everyone involved agreed in advance that we wanted to significantly reduce prices compared to the Bundesliga season. Nevertheless, we had to take into account the price increases that have occurred in the meantime, some of them considerable, which affect the club in organising a home game. We are obliged to our club members to calculate seriously and with foresight.
And it is important to emphasise again at this point that ticketing as a whole contributes a very important part to the overall financing of a season. We are not an investor club, but want and have to finance ourselves through the classic sources of income. In addition to media revenue and sponsorship, this also includes the important pillars of membership fees and revenue from ticketing. Professional football in Darmstadt only works together. We do not live from the donations of a single person or company, but from over 500 sponsors, around 15,000 members and almost 18,000 people every match day in the (almost) always sold out Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. We live from our community – in a direct and figurative sense.
sv98.de: How does the club deal with fans who can’t afford the prices?
Michael Weilguny: A very important topic for us. This year we will once again provide free tickets to more than 100 people from social institutions in Darmstadt and the district at every home game. In addition, the so-called “social fund” will exist again. All beneficiaries (recipients of unemployment benefits and citizens‘ benefit) receive season tickets for the south stand at half price. We will continue to not limit the number of this quota. People and families who do not meet the above criteria can also contact us. We don’t want to exclude anyone from the Lilien family from visiting the stadium. This also applies to young people. Therefore, the “children’s” discount continues to apply to all young people up to and including the age of 17.
sv98.de: What else is there to consider regarding ticketing for the coming season?
Markus Pfitzner: In coordination with fan and club representatives, we decided to convert all season tickets into a subscription model with this year’s extension. We would like to adapt or simplify the processes as best as possible. The new model means, for example, that all season ticket holders will have to actively extend their season tickets one last time this summer because the season ticket will be sent automatically in the following season 25/26.
Of course, all consumer law aspects are taken into account, and we firmly promise: The Lilies‘ season ticket handling will be made even more fan-friendly in the future and the season ticket subscription will bring advantages for everyone involved. All details will be published shortly.
sv98.de: Is it still possible to pass on your season ticket if you are unable to play as a fan?
Michael Weilguny: Yes, of course. Tickets can be offered for all sold-out games via the ticket exchange. This is also used very actively and provides advantages for both sellers and buyers. This now also works wonderfully digitally via our “WirLilien app”, so that tickets no longer have to be passed on physically.
