Table Tennis Champions League Men 2020/21
After excitement and great battles in the Champions League Women tournament in Linz by the end of this week the focus will move to next big chapter in the most prestigious club’s competition in Europe. On Friday the big guns will start their journey toward the crown in the Table Tennis Champions League Men.
ARAG CenterCourt the home of Germany’s top club Borussia Düsseldorf will host 15 clubs in pursuit for big trophy. The winner of Europe’s most important club competition will be determined on December 18 after 28 games in eight days.
Intensive weeks of preparation preceded the start of the “bubble”. It was not until the end of October that Borussia was awarded the contract to host the tournament. Since then work on the unique format has been in full swing. Under current situation with the Pandemic the focus was on financing creating a comprehensive hygiene concept accommodating the participants setting up a shuttle service developing a game plan determining times for training and meals setting up for the games in the venue…
The ARAG CenterCourt was equipped with two playing fields for the Group stage and the quarterfinals.. On Monday the first day of rest only one table will stay. To equip the venue 85 extra frames were produced as well as Champions League banners and advertising for the game floor the camera systems and the control room for the live broadcasts and the changing rooms for the teams and the press area. Twelve tables have been set up in the training hall next door which are available to the clubs for the training and warm-up units from now on and until the end of the tournament. In addition there is now a “call area” in the hall in which the referees will do racket tests from Friday the match balls will be selected and the team line-ups will be announced.
Two rooms in the German Table Tennis Center were set up for meals in such way that two teams can be served food at the same time. The test station for rapid test has also been in operation two days ago. The hygiene rules state that all Champions League participants may only arrive with a negative test. They were tested again on site for double protection. With the test at the German Table Tennis Center (DTTZ) the participants enter the “bubble” which they are not allowed to leave until they are eliminated or the finalists are only allowed to leave after the final.
“This is a big chance for the table tennis. We have a great opportunity to present our sport in a moment when only few can return in action but we can only do it if we work together follow the procedure and respect the rules. Everyone must keep the distance; the schedule is there to be strictly followed and the mask could be taken off only when you sleep or eat ”pointed Borussia Düsseldorf’s Team Manager Andreas PREUSS who is alongside Media Manager Alexander SCHILLING mastermind behind the organisation.
Table Tennis Champions League Men in numbers
8 teams are accommodated in the sports hotel eat train there and play their games in the ARAG CenterCourt – all under one roof.
7 other teams the referees and the officials of the European Table Tennis Union are accommodated in a partner hotel in which they are also in a bubble and are transported back and forth between the hotel and the venue by a shuttle service.
2 500 butterfly balls are required for training and matches
1 000 meals and more will be served and around 300 shuttle trips are pending
70 and more helpers are on duty and ensure that the 15 clubs from ten European nations feel comfortable in the state capital and that the hygiene conditions are observed
