Floorball in Germany do not have the greatest reputation in their own country, or internationally. But the Germans are coming, and after this weekend’s  matches against Denmark who gave a victory to each, it seems however that Denmark is still a step or two ahead of Germany. The defeat to Germany, was more a consequence of German efficiency in a 5 min penalty to Denmark, who turned a Danish lead, to a German victory.

80,000 players
Germany has gone past Denmark in the number of players and floorball has begun to diversify away from the old East Germany. But the sport is still significantly less than in Denmark, this can be seen by comparing the number of players relative to their population. If the Germans had the same share as in Denmark, the picture would look different. That would mean 80,000 Germans would play floorball!

If Denmark is to maintain their edge to Germany, it must be done by the Germans do not grow bigger. At the moment we have a better floorball culture in Denmark than in Germany, but it is something that is changing. For the Germans stick to their own players rather than a bunch of players they have picked up in the big four floorball countries, something which other countries have done in great style.

Aside from the powerful Holzbrødre, it’s a pure German nationalteam.

Positive German development
This means the German players who come along, learn a lot with the national team, which they take home with them, and it developes floorball in the country. Rather than have 1-2 line ups with players from other countries, it will mean that many German players would not develop.

Of course you must go after making the strongest team, but at the stage the sport is, yes it is wise to use players from their own country, in order to lift the sport in the long term.

The key
But Germany is the key to the floorballs future, as it is now, there are 4 countries that dominate, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Czech Republic. This 4 countries have 85% of all players worldwide. For the sport, it’s really really bad, so it is for IFF enormously important to spread the sport to countries outside the 4 big countries, in order to make floorball growth.

In Germany, almost each sports have a strong Bundesliga, which is one of the strongest leagues in the world. Therefore IFF looks to Germany as the key to floorball can grow, both in economy and status.

Bundesliga
A semiprofesionel German Bundesliga, it would be a locomotive for the sport, and 80,000 would only be a start, the goal is to grow even more, because in the long term it could be the country in floorball, with the most players. Even bigger than Sweden?

The goal of the IFF is to get on the Olympic program in 2020, it requires that some countries will grown much more, and therefore it may be a good reason to stick with Germany …

So for how long can Denmark keep Germany behind?