German club Dynamo Dresden sells 72,000 tickets to play a game in an empty stadium

Dresden, Germany – German third-tier football club Dynamo Dresden said they have sold more than 72,000 tickets for a game played in an empty stadium without fans.

East German winner Dynamo offered fans “ghost tickets” – named for German use of black stadium games – for five euros ($ 6.10) as a means has raised money for the club during the coronary virus outbreak. Fans would receive a souvenir ticket to hold.

A total of 72,112 tickets were sold for Tuesday’s German Cup game against Darmstadt more than double the capacity of Dresden stadium. There were only two games in the club’s history, both away games, with more people in attendance, Dresden said.

Dresden lost the game 3-0 to Darmstadt, who play a division above Dynamo in the league.

German clubs have started innovative fundraising ideas after the advent of pandemic teams.

When German soccer closed in the spring, third-tier club Uerdingen sold “virtual tickets” for a game of fiction. Borussia Mönchengladbach, the top division side, gave fans the opportunity to print their photos on cardboard cutting for home games, an idea that was quickly copied by sports teams around the world.