Alona Barkat makes a huge economic move: the multi-million decision has been made
Instead of empty stands in Romania, Hapoel Be'er Sheva is opening its gates to the local public: the club will allow Romanian fans to purchase tickets for matches in Europe, which is expected to fill the stadium and bring millions into the club's coffers.
While Hapoel Be'er Sheva prepares for the second leg of the playoff stage against Sabah this coming Tuesday, a significant economic move has been recorded within the club. Due to the security situation in Israel and the ban on hosting matches at the Turner Stadium, the club has moved its European "home" for the upcoming season to Bucharest, Romania.
According to a report on the Romanian website DigiSport, while only Israeli citizens were allowed entry to recent matches, the situation is expected to change completely for the league stage, whether it be the Champions League or the Europa League. The management of Hapoel Be'er Sheva has decided to allow entry to all fans, regardless of their nationality. This is a strategic and significant step for the club. Since Be'er Sheva cannot fill the stadium in Bucharest with fans from Israel as it does at the Turner, opening the gates to the general public will allow thousands of local football fans in Romania to attend matches against European powerhouses and inject substantial revenue from ticket sales into the club's coffers.
At the same time, former player Gica Craioveanu addressed the choice of the Romanian capital on Digi Sport:
"In my opinion, Romania is the safest country in Europe. That's how it seems to me right now, honestly. By a significant margin. Or at least one of them."
