Gersthofer SV is fighting for a new home: the dream of a football field!

Gersthofer SV is fighting for a new home: the dream of a football field!

The Gersthofer Sports Association (Gersthofer SV) faces more turbulent times. The club, which was founded in 1912 and is one of the last remaining football clubs in Währing, is faced with extremely pressing problems. This ranges from lack of space to the enormous financial challenges that amateur football faces today. Gersthofer SV, which plays in the first regional league, managed to stay in the league last year, but without a suitable home it will be difficult to take the next steps.

The club is currently suffering from acute space problems. The artificial turf pitch, which the Austrian Post AG has leased, is urgently due for renovation. The costs for this amount to around 500,000 euros. While the city of Vienna has renovated sports fields over the last three years, the one at Gersthofer SV remains untouched, which is a source of great concern to those responsible. Club manager Manfred Modli explains that the search for a new football pitch in Währing has so far been unsuccessful. “A suitable location that meets our needs remains an unfulfilled wish for us,” says Modli.

Focus on integration sports and youth work

Despite these difficulties, Gersthofer SV attaches great importance to its youth work. Many children are already putting on their football boots for membership, showing that the club plays an important role in the community. What is particularly noteworthy is the club's multicultural orientation. Players from a home for unaccompanied refugees take an active part in the training, with integration through language support being an important goal: All players must speak German in order to be able to communicate on and off the pitch.

The commitment to a safe environment, free from drugs and crime, as well as the promotion of discipline and team spirit is of central importance to Gersthofer SV. There are also efforts to integrate young players into the fighting team, but this is made more difficult by the strong competition from professional clubs such as Rapid and Austria. They regularly sign talent, which makes the situation even more complicated.

Financial challenges affect amateur clubs

Gersthofer SV's current challenges reflect a larger problem in amateur football. Amateur football suffers from financial difficulties, exacerbated by high operating costs and a lack of sponsorship. League portal reports a growing gap in viewership that is having a direct impact on revenue. Many clubs are faced with the reality that income is often not enough to cover fixed costs. The example of DSV Leoben shows how quickly a financial collapse can happen when expenses exceed income. The corona pandemic further exacerbated these problems and made it almost impossible for amateur clubs to generate income.

In this difficult situation, Gersthofer SV's only option is to maintain hope for better times. The club, which relies heavily on its youth work and promotes an inclusive community, is not alone, but the next steps must be carefully considered. We can only hope that a solution to the space problem will be found soon and that the club will receive the support it urgently needs.

For more information and the latest news, visit the official website Gersthofer Sports Association.