Dortmund fans plan protest at rivals’ rising prices

Borussia Dortmund fans plan a boycott of their Bundesliga derby against bitter rivals Schalke on September 19 in protest over rising ticket prices.

The match is one of four Bundesliga games this season at Schalke’s Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen where top prices will be charged and a standing-room only seat will cost 22 euros, almost eight euros more than last year.

A seat for Dortmund fans in the visitors section will cost 50 euros.

Almost 200 supporters clubs and fan groups of Dortmund have joined the protest so far and are urging their members to give back any tickets they have bought in a mass protest.

Cash-strapped Schalke signed Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Spain midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado recently and Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp said he was happy with the fans’ standpoint.

“I think it’s good that our people will not fund the transfer of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar,” Klopp told German daily Bild.

But over in Gelsenkirchen, there is confusion about why the fans are protesting.

“We have adopted the standard pricing in the league system for the top games. And we have not complained when Dortmund raised their prices for their derby matches,” said Schalke’s Chief Financial Officer Peter Peters.