On the terraces: Leverkusen ultras slam 'eventification,' Bayern ultras criticise TV money, Bremen angry at policing costs ruling

In a weekly Newsletter, Matt Ford keeps an eye on the action off the pitch in the Bundesliga and German football, explaining what’s going on from fan protests to finances.

After a busy "englische Woche" in the Bundesliga, an "English week" as weeks with midweek fixtures are known in German football, we've got no shortage of stuff to get through on the terraces. In a longer-than-usual newsletter, we explain why German clubs, starting with Werder Bremen, could be made to pay for additional policing costs for "high-risk" fixtures, why Bayern Munich ultras are once again criticising their own board, and what Bayer Leverkusen ultras think of light shows and Christmas songs. Clue: not much.

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Matt Ford's "On the terraces" newsletter will continue to appear every week throughout the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Last season, the newsletter featured exclusive and in-depth coverage of the Bundesliga's private equity plans and the political intrigues at VfB Stuttgart, among other things. If you like what you see, please consider taking out a paid subscription.