First of all - glad to see the VFB forum! Been hoping for this... Question for anyone who can answer - my wife and I moved to Stuttgart a year ago, and are interested in getting season tickets to VFB. I know with some clubs you have to be a member for a while to build up loyalty points to even get in the running - is this the same for VFB? Don't speak much German just yet, and I never can get the wife focused enough to look on the website. Another, non-related question: is there any way to change my forum name? Created this account when I was living in DC, and it doesn't really fit any more... Bit about me - been following football for nearly 20 years now, falling in love with the game while living in London (thus the Chelsea connection). Married a lovely Swaebisch girl a few years back and she introduced me to VFB. Didn't make it to see any VFB matches this year, but am going to go to most, if not all, this season...
I think it'll be very difficult to get a season ticket. They are limited to 25000. First the 25000 ticket holders from last year have a buy option. Then there are club members and only if season tickets are still left after that are they available to the public. Anyway, I guess you should try to get information on this as quickly as possible. The buy option for ticket holders expired on June 11th, I don't know how many tickets are still left... You can either go to the Fan Center directly (next to the stadium in the Carl Benz Center) or call the ticket hotline: 01805 8325463
If I might inquire, what kind of job did you find there as someone who does not speak German (or not that well) ? I'm always interested in seeing what people who end up there do for a living.
If you're going to be here long term, I would suggest joining the VfB. It doesn't cost too much to join, and as a member of the Verien, you get better access to tickets than joe sixpack would. Plus you get to participate in a bunch of extra non-soccer stuff.... With all the construction this year, you might have a tougher time than usual. Essentially the ongoing construction project has ensured that there are enough tickets to meet the demands of all the season ticket holders and a few of the walk fans.....I practically got laughed at when I tried to inquire about VfB/St. Pauli tickets this year. Usually the only game that is season ticket holders only is Bayern Munich. You'll probably be limited to early UEFA Cup matches and the occasional Frieburg/Koln/Nurnburg match. Incidentally, there are tickets available for tonights UEFA Cup....er...Europa League match, I just picked up a couple over the phone! Next season will be much better, because the stadium will be fully complete, and the seating capacity will be up to 60,000 seats!!! FYI, though you didn't ask me, I'm in the military, and work in Vaihingen, but live in Stuttgart-Bad Canstatt.
Please do answer the first question first, but I have a side question: How difficult is it to get single tickets? I'll be in Germany for about a month next spring, and was hoping to try to see a home game. Are the single game tickets hard, or are there a lot of resources for reselling or simply buying from the Vfb office?
Single tickets are easy. Go to the stadium team shop (open 9am-7pm) on non game days, the downtown team shop (open 10am - 8pm located on the Koenigstrasse, the main shopping area downtown) and inquire. They have a certain allotment of tickets. If the team shops are out, that doesn't mean the game is sold out. I live about 2 miles from the Stadium, so on game day, I usually wander down, and see if the team ticket booths directly across the street from the Stadium entrance are manned and open. If they are, that means there are tickets left, if they are closed, that means there are no tickets left. The booths open about 3 hours before game time if my memory serves, but I've rarely been shut out even minutes before kickoff if I need just one ticket..... To get to the stadium, take the train to the Bad Canstatt station and follow the signs, or simply follow the stream of folks wearing VfB kits..... There are online resources, but you'll end up paying a bunch of service charges that are totally ridiculous.