SLO Role In AustriaMartin Karastojanoff

SLO of Austrian Bundesliga club „SV Mattersburg“

About Myself name: Martin Karastojanoff, 32 years old

born and raised in Mattersburg, Austria active supporter of the local football team since 1999 operator of a supporters’ web platform 2001-2006

employee of the Mattersburg football club from 2006 to 2011 webmaster / webdesigner graphic designer photographer office worker

SLO since August 2006 since July 2011 on a voluntary base current job: IT project manager

Austrian Bundesliga 10 professional clubs season: 36 rounds from Jul-Dec, Feb-May club budgets from ~ 4 to 30 million EUR 2.400 to 15.700 average spectators 7000 average spectators overall (2012)

map of Austria:

City Of Mattersburg province „Burgenland“ since 1921 part of Austria 7100 inhabitants, 300 companies, 3400 jobs known for it‘s football club “SV Mattersburg” since 2009 home of the province‘s only football academy

football academy / church

Mattersburg Football Club

established in 1922 – 90th anniversary promoted into Bundesliga in 2003 (1989: 5th league) Austrian Indoor Football Champion in 2005 (see picture below) UEFA Cup qualifier and Austrian Cup finalist 2006 & 2007 2011: „Tallest Team Of Europe“ – avg. player size: 1.86 m

Mattersburg Football Club

budget: 7.5 million EUR club has to cover all stadium infrastructure costs stadium: Pappelstadion (poplar trees surround the area)

characteristics: family-friendly, focus on regional players & staff 23 Austrian (18 regional) players, only 4 from abroad average age of the players: 24 years

Mattersburg Football Club

former players: Didi Kühbauer (Rapid Wien, Real Sociedad, Vfl Wolfsburg) Carsten Jancker (Champions League winner w/ Bayern Munich) Goce Sedloski (100 caps for Macedonia, now assistant coach) Christian Fuchs (captain of the Austrian National Football Team, FC Schalke 04)

coach: Franz Lederer (headcoach since november 2004) born 1963, connected to the club for more than 30 years

Mattersburg Supporters

stadium capacity: 15.100 (attendance record: 16.900 in 2003) avg. number of spectators: 4.500 (10.000 in 2003) 20 to 150 active supporters in away games 4 local supporters‘ clubs (200 members)

SLO Role In Austriasince 2006 part of the licensing criteria

objectives:•maintaining communication between supporters, clubs and Bundesliga•application of fan choreographies•representation of all active supporters

requirements:•attendence of home and away matches on a regularly basis•membership in a (bigger) supporters club•cooperation and dedication•Between 19 and 40 years old

SLO Role In Austriaduties:helps to arrange and conduct fan choreographieshelps addressing supporters at matchestakes part in club meetings and Bundesliga workshopscooperates with safety officers and SLOs of other clubsorganizes meetings with supportersencourages supporters to cooperate with club, police and safety officerInfluences supporters to support in a positive way and to exclude members who don‘t respect Code of Conduct

rights:•participation in club activities•participation in Bundesliga meetings •free entrance (accreditation) to all championship matches

Benefits For Supporters better organisation and presentation of supporter‘s activities better interaction with the club officials greater chance of getting financial support reducing difficulties when travelling to away games

Benefits For The Club improvement of relationship club <> supporters providing an SLO increases service level of the club single point of contact for addressing supporters better de-escalating measures in possible conflict situations getting direct and profound feedback from supporters financial benefits due to precise marketing campaigns

My Mission club and supporters are acting in concert supporters‘ clubs are working together collective dissociation from racism, discrimination and violence positive support of the team, respecting guest team & visitors

Latest Projects & Topicsprojects:

• creation of a covered supporters area • low priced subscription for active supporters• bargain supporter‘s travels for 5 / 10 Euros• annual FARE Action weeks• periodic meetings between club officials and supporters

continuous topics at away games:• improvement of catering situation• improvement of sanitary situation• fair ticket pricing in visitor‘s areas• respectful treatment by security personnel

Some ImpressionsOf My WorkAs An SLO

Bundesliga Meeting Of SLOs & Safety Officers

Having A Chat With Our Safety Officer

Home Game Audience & Supporter‘s Corner

Organising Fan Travels

Discussing Issues With The Local Safety Officer

Team And Supporters At Grape Harvest

Different „Dress Codes“ Are Allowed

„Thumbs Up“ For Young Supporters

Recording A Pre-Season TV-Trailer

Celebrating XMAS With A Supporters‘ Club

FARE Action Week Activities

Show Racism The Red Card!

SLO Role In AustriaMartin Karastojanoff

SLO of Austrian Bundesliga club „SV Mattersburg“

Thank you!