OPINION | Are 1860 Munich ready to roar again? | OneFootball

In cities across Germany, football clubs are entering the new season with renewed hope and expectations. Perhaps nowhere is the excitement so well-founded as with TSV 1860 Munich, a third division team which unexpectedly acquired two Bundesliga calibre talents. At the conclusion of last season, former national team forward Kevin Volland surprised everyone announcing his decision to join 1860. Shortly after, 1860 released a statement that Hertha Berlin’s Florian Niederlechner would combine with Volland in the Bavarian capital. A formidable attacking duo, whose addition arguably gives 1860 the best striker partnership outside of the Bundesliga.

That end-of-season momentum has seamlessly transitioned to their pre-season training camp and summer friendlies. Die Löwen have won six of seven engagements, with Volland netting a brace in the most recent game against Jahn Regensburg. Equally impressive, the team seems to have solidified defensively, conceding only one goal while scoring 22. Performances that send a clear message; 1860 are a rising force and must-watch football in the German third division.

Given the array of positives, Get German Football News reached out to Thomas Spiesl, the curator of TSV 1860 Munich supporter website Sechzger.de. The independent platform offers a comprehensive overview, covering every aspect of the club from a fan’s perspective. Inclusive of a weekly podcast, game previews and reviews, as well as input from voices within the Ultra scene, catering to new and seasoned fans equally. Observations go beyond first-team news, addressing U21 matches, ticket details, and links to other regional news sources. Thomas is excited by the newly strengthened squad: “The ‘Sixties’ have, for sure, one of the best rosters in the last five years.”

The obvious first question for Thomas is if Die Löwen possesses the necessary infrastructure to compete at the Bundesliga level; additionally, if securing a third-place playoff spot is the minimum expectation? “There is definitively a new momentum about 1860 this year. The team appears very strong, players like Kevin Volland or Florian Niederlechner came back to Giesing to play for the team of their childhood. The expectations at 1860 are traditionally very high, but this year they are even stronger. Everybody expects the team to get back into the 2. Bundesliga. But the league is very balanced. Teams like Hansa Rostock, Rot-Weiss Essen, Jahn Regensburg, SSV Ulm 1846 or 1. FC Saarbrücken have even bigger budgets.”

Does 1860 see itself as a sleeping giant, and potentially a “destination club” of the future, considering Munich’s appealing lifestyle, its history as a traditionsverein, and financial potential in relation to sponsorship opportunities? Thomas agrees that, “1860 is without any doubt a sleeping giant. The fan base is so strong, and young boys running through Munich city in 1860 jerseys are getting more and more again.” Then came the obvious comparison point: “The Lions are the sympathetic counterpart to the rich, but in the last years relatively unsuccessful neighbors. The fans, especially the working class in Giesing, start to believe in the success of their club again, and dream of a comeback in the 2. Bundesliga.”

The flurry of news and increased expectation is reflected in terms of traffic to the Sechziger website, the number of podcast listeners, and the views of articles on their landing page. “The traffic on our website is growing constantly since years, same with the downloads of our podcasts. As already mentioned before, the attention all around 1860 is increasing quickly since the transfers of Volland and Niederlechner. But of course, there is a big euphoria all around the club. The team is back in the newspapers, everybody talks about the lions, but – and this can be a handicap as well – the expectations are very high this season.”

The club expects that the signing of Volland and Niederlechner will significantly boost revenue off the field. Particularly in terms of shirt purchases, season ticket sales, and other merchandising. Thomas sees this playing out, albeit with one possible exception. “Yes it has, but the situation about the 1860 merchandise is very special. A big percentage of the income of the merchandising company goes directly to HAM International Limited and Hasan Ismaik (who owns 60% of 1860 GmbH & Co KGaA, the professional football arm of TSV 1860 Munich). That’s why many fans boycott the official fan shop. The tickets for the first home match were sold out within minutes. Of course, this also attracts potential sponsors.”

Thomas’ remark about merchandise touches on the one negative aspect of 1860; a current 15-year rift in trust between supporters and Jordanian owner Ismaik. Most thought this issue was finally resolved when the club declared that Ismaik agreed to sell his shares. The purchase by a Swiss firm did not come to fruition, and Ismaik remains a begrudgingly accepted but unwelcome presence. “Looking back to the last weeks, the new investor, the euphoria, the parties in Giesing and at the end the collapsed sale… that’s typical 1860. But, after all, it looks like Hasan Isamik is a lesser evil compared to the potential new investor. Who tried to fool everybody during the sales process. Most of the fans already accepted what happened within the last weeks. We try to focus on the new season, and hopefully the rise of the star for the old and traditional club of 1860.”

The rise of 1860 is predicated on the headline-grabbing signings of Volland and Niederlechner; veterans who are accustomed to dealing with this level of pressure. Their leadership experience off the field will be just as crucial as the goals they are expected to provide throughout the season. If they excel, in both regards, a promotion to 2. Bundesliga is as probable as the supporters’ expectations are high.

GGFN | Martin Mulcahey