Schalke fans camp outside club office for Revierderby tickets, Digi Mart USA News (Gelsenkirchen, Germany): For several days, supporters of FC Schalke 04 have been queuing outside the club’s office on Ernst-Kuzorra-Weg, sleeping on camp beds and in cars in the hope of securing tickets for the Revierderby against Borussia Dortmund.
A large white van has been parked in a no-parking zone in front of the office for several days, and police have been patrolling the area. Neither the officers nor the club have taken action against it.
On Sunday morning the first fans arrived, set up tent pegs and laid out a large pavilion. About 30 to 40 people are now present, sleeping over as many as three cold November nights on camp beds, sleeping mats and in cars.
The next pre-sale phase starts Wednesday, and only those who arrive first have realistic chances of tickets. The derby on December 6 is the first Revierderby in 1,366 days, or three years and nearly nine months.
Florian from Castrop-Rauxel took time off work to wait outside the fan shop. He is not certain he will get a ticket, as he says trying by phone or online offers almost no chance.
Jürgen, a season ticket holder and retiree, says he is there for the roughly 60 members of his fan club.
Inside the pavilion, the group shares food, coffee and a heater, and says there is no rivalry among them. Volker says the fans look after one another and that everyone keeps their place in line.
While the fans camped, the Schalke team suffered a painful defeat at TSG Hoffenheim roughly 370 kilometers away. The group says the loss has not dampened their support for coach Miron Muslic.
The fans say they expect to head home Wednesday with tickets, though some say they will also feel some nostalgia once the camping trip ends.
