Hot Dog Train = Best Train Ever?
The Fan’s Attic passed along some links regarding the interesting concessions on offer in the VIP section at the Millerntor-Stadion. The stadium, nestled near the Red Light District of Hamburg, is home to St. Pauli FC, one of the quirkiest clubs in the Bundesliga. Utilizing the creativity of a local advertising agency (link’s in German), St. Pauli installed Thomas the Train’s cousin from Chicago in their VIP section for this season’s home matches.
Now, having hot sausages delivered to you without having to leave your seat is one thing, but there are two other perks provided to those in the VIP seats in the South Stand at Millerntor-Stadion.
Below the pork-packing train is a row of flat-screen TVs that show replays of the action on the pitch and underneath the seats are individual mini-kegs of beer for you to wash down your trundled goodies. That is indeed a trio of pure bliss once you ignore the increased risk of heart attack due to immobility, hot sausages, and beer.
The only reason for a person in one of these seats to leave during a match would be to hit the head, but since these are the VIPs, I’m sure there is a special potty installed with Hitler’s face for them to take aim (remember: St. Pauli does not like fascists). It appears, however, that there are only 10 such VIP seats installed thus far, so these are truly unique seats.
These guys have really thought of everything
A corollary to this story is that Nordpol, the local agency that worked with St. Pauli on the meat train, has been spotted by other sporting clubs and now have a contract with Borussia Dortmund to develop their communications. Dortmund has the highest average home attendance in the Bundesliga, so this bit of synergy between a unique club and local business is turning into a potential money train for the latter.
Those VIP seats don’t look so comfortable despite the mini-keg under them.
@ TFA: I know, that was the only photo I could find (one of the ones you sent me); and in some of the reviews, these were touted as the “posh” seats as the stadium still offers standing terrace sections elsewhere.
Well, they’re posh with the amenities at least.
I’m wearing my St. Pauli shirt tommorow! For beer and sausage!
And, I left the article short; the implication at the end was that the smallish advertising firm that helped St Pauli with this now has gotten a larger contract with one of Germany’s bigger clubs. So, regardless of whether St. Pauli’s season drifts toward relegation, Nordpol is now amongst the Bundesliga marketing players.
I’m not sure actually being at the game is enough of a difference from my living room to justify what I’m sure is an exorbitant price. And my recliner is way more comfortable than those chairs look.
The limited editon England jersey= ugly
Sierra Leone special jersey= All kinds of awesome.
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http://www.soccerbible.com/news/football-shirts/archive/2010/10/05/sierra-leone-home-10-12-hummel-football-shirt.aspx
@ Andrew: But there are no fascists to hunt down at your house after the match would be over–that’s the added bonus of going there live!
@OM – I go on the annual Hunt of the Fascist here in Iowa. It’s a lot like Whacking Day, but with more Nazis and fewer snakes.
@TNO: I was under the impression that little was known of Sierra Leone.
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/2005′d
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But yes, I’ll eat Nazis any day.
I thought that in heaven there was no beer.
@Tno-
Welcome, newbie.
http://unprofessionalfoul.com/2009/04/08/the-good-the-bad-the-wtf-64/
@Jacob
Weird, Soccerbible has it as a new shirt for Euro qualifying (snicker). Are they wrong? Or do you just have some crazy inside knowlege of Danish/Sierra Leone shirts?
/I approve of the last guys’ comment in the TGTBTWTF link.
Astra? That’s not beer, that’s swill. That s**t is worse than Bud Ice Lite.