We Spoke To Darmstadt 98 About Providing Free Season Tickets To Low-Income Supporters

In the middle of July, with summer at its sleepiest, Darmstadt 98 did something which shook us from our pre-season stupor. Citing their commitments to their city and its community, the Bundesliga club announced plans to provide free season tickets to low-income fans. German football has become famous for the strong relationship between clubs and supporters, but this seemed like a particularly bold approach towards social inclusion. While it's one thing to keep tickets available and affordable, it's quite another to hand them out free of charge.

Observing the Bundesliga from afar, it's hard not to admire its corporate model. German clubs have to adhere to the '50+1 rule', which means that they can only get a license to compete in the top flight as long as their members own at least 50% of voting rights plus one additional share. This protects clubs from financial exploitation from outside investors, while also maintaining a measure of control for supporters. In Germany, fans have a voice. This is one of the reasons why clubs tend to play a leading role in the community, and also why ticket prices in the Bundesliga are so much lower than those of the Premier League.

Last season, the average price of a ticket in the Bundesliga was around £23. The average cost of a ticket in the Premier League was almost £54, while the La Liga average was around £50. Supporters in Germany have ensured that football remains generally affordable, and directly affected change in a way that would be almost impossible in England and Spain. Nonetheless, Bundesliga clubs are still businesses. Despite their general consideration for supporters, most would still baulk at the idea of giving tickets away.

Even in the enlightened confines of the Bundesliga, then, Darmstadt's season ticket initiative stands out as being especially conscientious. Their commitment to inclusion perhaps has something to do with the fact that they were a lower-league club for 33 years, before being promoted to the top flight at the end of the 2014/15 campaign. Having avoided relegation last season – despite being widely tipped to go down – their ticket initiative seems like the mark of a true community club, staying true to its roots despite recent success on the pitch. They have set the precedent for social responsibility, and football fans both at home and abroad have taken note.

Wanting to explore the motivations behind the initiative – not to mention the way in which it reflects the spirit of Darmstadt as a city, and Darmstadt as a football team – I got in touch with Alex Lehné, the head supporters' liaison officer at the club. He told me that Darmstadt are currently committed to giving away several hundred free season tickets, and that there is no refinancing for the scheme, which is being done on "social conviction" alone. While this isn't entirely unprecedented at Darmstadt – they have previously provided tickets for low-income supporters, though mainly in the lower leagues as opposed to the Bundesliga – their latest plans have apparently been met with almost universal approval. Alex tells me that "at Darmstadt, we take our social responsibilities very seriously. There have been tough times in the history of our club when our fans, the whole city and everyone in it helped to keep us afloat. We will always remember where we come from, and make sure to give something back whenever we can."

When I ask Alex how the club's attitude reflects that of the city of Darmstadt as a whole, he tells me: "Darmstadt is well known as a city with a strong social spirit and a liberal-minded outlook. We have many civic schemes for helping the homeless, and always try to provide for people in need. Our ticket scheme is especially fitting in a progressive place like Darmstadt, even though it's a relatively affluent city in some parts."

As for whether or not other Bundesliga clubs should follow suit, Alex suggests that Darmstadt would welcome similar schemes elsewhere. "We personally want to integrate people into our footballing community, and life in our city, no matter their financial situation. We would be proud to see our scheme being emulated elsewhere, though there are plenty of great ideas and similar things going on at other clubs."

While Darmstadt seem to view their ticket initiative as a given – an expression of the club's identity, as well as a sense of social responsibility which is ingrained in the city's culture – fans elsewhere will view it as something more than that. The club is going above and beyond for its supporters, and making concerted efforts to make sure that people from all backgrounds can come together on matchday. With English football blighted by some of the costliest tickets in Europe, the contrast with the Premier League couldn't be more marked.

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity.