Posts by StefanS

While Dresdner SC launched season tickets selling already a while ago (I can't understand that, to be honest), I can report from Stuttgart, how the conditions at least until end of October will be in the best possible case:

first there will be no selling of season tickets for the time being - I guess, if the pandemics are much weaker in the second half of the season, they might sell them for that second half anyway, but this seems highly unlikely at the moment.

Until end of October in the state of Baden-Württemberg there is a limit of 500 persons, so together with the 100 or so sponsor booked tickets and core attendees there will be roughly 300 tickets to be sold at most per match on an online only base, with tickets available only in pairs for people from the same home, they have to give every name now in advance (not only the buyer as until last season). - To be honest, I'm surprised, that they try to get admittance of fans at all by health officials and state law makers with this low number. If they get an allowance for it, is a total different topic.

This will effectively exclude most of the most faithful and loud fans, not only me, but the majority of them. And with so few limited fans in the hall there will be no real fan feeling.

They may occasionally play in the bigger Porsche Arena, if the limit of 500 persons is increased to at least 1.000 (what is not possible in SCHARRena due to the distancing requirements).

I guess this will be similar in most halls, so we have as expected a very quiet season ahead, with a much smaller home advantage as usual.

Quote from intressted1

You conclude from a concept from Russia to the reaction that will happen in Germany in the VBL ?? intressting !!!really ?? where does your information come from? I think no one can say what will happen .... You just guess why?

I have not claimed, that VBL will do the very same (it would make not any sense IMHO), but it is a sign, how bad it can be when decided.

There is now a "concept", more likely a talking/dealing framework with lawmakers and health officials, of the VBL for this coming season regarding the pandemics. Unluckily there is nothing, what we fans wanting to attend live matches, can learn from it for now. But the Russian Superleague published a clear concept, and it sounds horrible: only 10% of hall capacity are allowed to use, duty to wear masks all the time (aside from those players on the court, who are currently warming up respectively playing) and temperature measurements for everyone at entrance. So the chance, that at least for a while the VBL will play the matches without any spectators attending seems further very high.

I have read the conditions of the league due to Corona pandemics, and it sounds horrible:

maximum 10% spectators are allowed from the full seat capacity of a hall. The protection masks have to worn all the time in the hall, if not players, who are warming up, or currently playing, it applies to everyone there.

Entering requires temperature measurement.

If other leagues act like this, the fan cloud will be effectively dead - better than participants die because of pandemics of course... it shows the extremely difficult position of the clubs and leagues now.

Quote from Matthias

And more whining from Stuttgart: VBL decided that the Supercup match will be played by Dresden (as Cup winner) and Schwerin. Besides that, Renkema and Irion want to have VBL's decision regarding CL appointments checked

This is not a likely way to success, because of season was ended prematurely the VBL has options to decide on their own.

Quote from Gomes

Scandici can apply for cev champions league either, right?

If Moscow and Galatasaray can, so will Scandicci.

The only teams I know so far in qualification for sure are Stuttgart (GER) and LKS Commercecon Lodz (POL). At least these qualification rounds will be drawn early in August (maybe second half). It will be interesting, if Moscow and Galatasaray will also be allowed to attend here by CEV...

Time to start this new season thread. WorldOfVolley reported by several European league leaks the following (corrected by a comment) pots for the draw happening in August 2020, final decision of participating teams also in qualification is expected on 31. July or 1. August 2020:

Pot 1: VakıfBank (TUR), Dinamo-Kazan (RUS), Eczacibasi VitrA (TUR), Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio (ITA), Imoco Volley Conegliano (ITA).

Pot 2: Grupa Azoty Chemik Police (POL), Lokomotiv Kaliningrad (RUS), DevelopRes SkyRes Rzeszów (POL), Nantes (FRA), Mulhouse (FRA).

Pot 3: CS Volei Alba-Blaj (ROU), Pölkky Kuusamo LP Viesti Salo (FIN), VK Šelmy Brno Olomouc (CZE), Maritza Plovdiv (BUL), SSC Palmberg Schwerin (GER).

Pot 4: Fenerbahçe Opet (TUR), Igor Gorgonzola Novara (ITA), Uralochka-NTMK (RUS), qualifier 1, qualifier 2.

I have a high, you might think, exaggerated concept of integrity .

Regarding the new league sponsor or premium partner (the official wording is not in line with previous announcements): Allianz is in risk to be blamed as not neutral, because they have in each first league a team, which they sponsor also (Stuttgart in women's league and Düren in men's league). So let us wait, if Schwerin or Dresden will complain about that...

Quote from Matthias

VBL decided, based upon some calculation, to give Schwerin Germany's regular CL spot which means they're qualified to group stage, and Stuttgart gets the additional spot which requires them to play the qualification phase. However, as expected, Stuttgart is not amused by this decision and considers playing CEV Cup instead...I

I got an email, that they want to play CL despite qualification rounds - CEV cup would be nice too, but the CL is just the CL...

Quote from Matthias

Imoudu - Spelman

Szakmary - Agost (or Alsmeier, depending on Agost's reception)

Schölzel - Barfield

Pogany

Schwerin is surely among the top 3 teams next season together with Stuttgart and Dresden and has a chance to win titles. They're qualified for CL group stage.

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No, no team was formally qualified for the CL group stage. But as I explained before, the VBL used the chance for a rational decision for the league: by assigning Schwerin to pool stage and Stuttgart to CL qualification, they could get two teams into the competition. If they had decided to classify the season as non-played, Stuttgart would have been in pool stage and Schwerin not attending at all, because they were only once in the last three seasons in the CL, not sufficing for the qualification slot.

Quote from Matthias

So my guess about her going to Schwerin was wrong...according to Münster's press, there were problems between Keller and Buijs, so she wanted to use a clause in her contract that allowed her to leave, but according to the club the conditions to use this clause were not fulfilled, so eventually Keller and her father/manager even hired a lawyer Looks like Vilsbiburg's management also found some kind of agreement with Münster in order to buy her out of the contract.

I don't think it's a good sign when something like this happens around an 18 year old player

Due to Kim Renkema a lot of managers in this sports behave insanely. That here it a players father, doesn't necessarily make things better.

Quote from ThomasHH

Maybe Stuttgart?

Or Schwerin: it is not decided at all, which team gets the regular spot. If the season is considered as not being played, Stuttgart would get it as still reigning champion. A difficult decision for the VBL anyway.

After what I read at last, the VBL could resort to kind of salomonical solution: they put Schwerin into CL directly and Stuttgart into qualification, because vice versa it would be not possible - Schwerin lacks enough participations at last.

Yesterday German parliament (Bundestag) decided to give compensation to league teams for lack of visitor ticket sells: they can get up to 80% of the lost sales income by that. This rule is valid until end of this year. Considering the start of the league in October, this will mean for example the following (best guess, there is no safey so far) for Stuttgart: they can let 1.000 spectators in and instead of having about 1.900 at average, they can get the 900*0.8 = 720 spectators income compensation (so far I understand the rule) equivalent. This would limit losses to a fairly small amount, so this will be no major issue in 2020. It should be enough to save the leagues and their teams.

Quote from QueenPiccininiLover

Sakhalin is almost in Japan.

Just northern of it, yes.

Quote from Matthias

Claudia Steger renewed with Suhl.

What is anything but a surprise.

The complete draw for the German DVV cup was done today: the tree looks like this, the first team in the tree will host the respective round:

first round/quarters:

Q1: Straubing-Aachen vs. Schwerin

Q2: Suhl-Wiesbaden vs. Dresden

Q3: Münster-Vilsbiburg vs. Potsdam

Q4: Stuttgart vs. Erfurt

Semifinals:

QW1 vs. QW2

QW3 vs. QW4

Of course nobody knows, how many spectators in which hall will be allowed, the same holds true for the big final in Mannheim, maybe they will allow only 500 or 3.000 instead of the 12.500 possible by seats?

Quote from ThomasHH

I think it's a 50/50 Chance that Lippmann stay.

Taylor was great if Lippmann didn't stay .

I can't imagine, that Lippmann will stay at Schwerin with it's reduced budget. She can earn much more in several other leagues.

Quote from ThomasHH

They need 1 MB and 1 OH or?

Strictly speaking, with Emily Maglio they have three MBs and now also 3 OHs, so one more junior would bring them to 12 already.