– Is it true?, exclaims national team player Gøran Johannessen when he shows news the attendance figures from this year’s handball WC. Johannessen and the Norwegian handball men have by no means been spoiled with full houses during the handball WC in Poland and Sweden. When Norway beat the Netherlands in the thriller match at Tauron Arena last Tuesday, there were only 2,750 spectators in place. In the other matches, the number has been somewhat higher, but the “spectator record” is only 5,100 in the match between Qatar and Norway. In comparison, the smallest number of spectators in the previous World Cup – without coronary restrictions – was 6,500. Number of spectators in Norway’s WC matches Photo: KACPER PEMPEL / Reuters Norway – North Macedonia: 4,048 Norway – Argentina: 3,750 Netherlands – Norway: 2,750 Norway – Serbia: 3,500 Qatar – Norway: 5,100 Germany – Norway: 4,100 Source: IHF Wants full halls Although the arenas Norway have played in Poland have the capacity to accommodate between 11,000 and 15,000 spectators, only 3,875 spectators on average have seen Norway’s six World Cup matches. – Of course I want to play for as many people as possible. When you get such good settings as that hall actually has and get to play in such large arenas, it would have been the coolest if you filled those arenas, says Johannessen to news after the Netherlands match. SURPRISED: Flensburg-Handewitt player Gøran Johannessen. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Championship debutant Tobias Grøndahl agrees: – Of course it’s a bit crazy. When you play the WC, EC and all that, you want to play in front of full stands every game. Magnus Abelvik Rød describes the whole thing as “sad”. – You always want to play handball in front of as many people as possible. It is difficult to make it happen if people don’t come, says Rød. Johannessen believes they could have played in smaller halls to get a better experience. – You could only play in a smaller hall. If you play in a smaller hall, the acoustics are better and it also feels better. But it is not so. We can’t do much about it, he says. – We have felt supported National team coach Jonas Wille says that the Norwegian spectators have been very loud so far in the championship. He therefore widens his eyes when he hears how many spectators have actually been present. SYND: That’s what national team manager Jonas Wille thinks about the attendance numbers. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB – I was not aware of that. It’s a shame, of course. It is possible that it will pick up now in the main round, that people have been waiting a bit for it, says Wille. – It is important to show that the Norwegians who have been here and cheered us on have made a great effort. We have felt that we have received support in the arena. It is important to us, and it would be great if there were even more, he adds. Challenge with time and place Lack of availability and logistics may be part of the explanation behind the low attendance numbers, believes the national team coach. – Traveling from Norway to Poland on a weekday, for example, not everyone can do it. There are some challenges with that, of course, notes Wille. HOPE FOR MORE IN THE FUTURE: Tobias Grøndahl. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Grøndahl hopes that more Norwegians can bring their support from home to neighboring Sweden. – I don’t know if that is their priority, going to Poland to see us play handball. At least we get a lot of support at home. There is no doubt about that. There are many active people on social media, says Grøndahl. – Then we can hope that when there are matches in Sweden for us, that some Norwegians make the trip across the border and try to watch a match with us, he concludes. Norway plays the quarter-final against Spain on Thursday evening at 18.00. Hear the match on news Radio.
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– Is it true? – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
