The soccer league business in Germany is kinda interesting. At the end of each season (May), there's a determination made on wins and losses. If you place in the last three of the twenty-odd teams in the league....you do down a league. If you place in the top three of the twenty-odd teams in the league.....you go up a league.
So, there are four leagues.....even though no one ever talks much of the fourth league (it's the local league of a region).
Typically.....those down in the third league of German soccer.....have a run-down local stadium and draw at best.....five thousand fans on a weekend game. If the players get paid....it's nothing to talk about.
This past week....Darmstadt ended the season in the second-league and will advance to the top league. It's a big deal in Germany and sports reporters have talked a fair amount over this.
You see....in 2014....Darmstadt wrapped up their season in third-place.....going up to the second-league, by their record this year.....they've advanced through two leagues in two years.
The hint here is that they've found a couple of local players who are better than average.
The fans? They are a bit overwhelmed. For thirty-odd years....they've lingered down mostly in the third league and occasionally got a trip up for a year or two to the second league.
Fairly-tale story? As an American looking over the story, yeah.....it's a bit of a long road that they've taken.
As for the upcoming 2015-2016 season? Later this year, after summer vacation....they will demonstrate their skills. Most fans would be happy if they just won half their games for the next season. God forbid.....if they were to wrap up next season by placing near 2nd or 3rd place in the top league. That'd be a shocker.
As for the local stadium? Well....it's from 1921 and renovated in the past couple of years. Most folks would say that it's not a worldly-class stadium but for the local team....it's good enough.
So, if some German brings up the Darmstadt 98 team.....you might to listen to the whole story. It's kinda interesting.
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