A first big fan protest at the Baller League: two men criticize Lukas Podolski with a poster. And what is the league doing? Ban them both from the house.
Speaker Listen to article The faces of the Baller League: Mats Hummels (right) and Lukas Podolski, who was recently criticized for several statements. © Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
While Lukas Podolski was leaning against an advertising hoarding in Cologne’s Motorworld last Monday, two men unrolled a banner just a few meters away from him. The sixth matchday of the Baller League, which Podolski co-founded, is underway. Up to a million people watch on Twitch every Monday. The banner can be clearly seen in the Baller League’s live stream; it reads in red on a white cloth: “More women – fewer Poldis”.
The Baller League has been around since the end of January. The indoor tournament is intended to reach people who are more likely to watch TikTok clips than sports shows. A game lasts 30 minutes, with challenges in between, for example the goalkeepers are not allowed to use their hands. There are mainly players from the upper amateur leagues on the pitch. Mats Hummels and Podolski are the faces of the league as presidents. And the Baller League’s first major fan protest was directed against Podolski last Monday.
