Swiss businessman Bernhard Alpstäg knows how to make money.
He and his brother, Georges, took over their father’s company 40 years ago and developed it into the manufacturing giant swisspor Group, which specializes in insulation materials for buildings. As chief executive officer of the company, Alpstäg oversees a company of 2,000 employees that sells more than $750 million worth of product a year.
But perhaps Alpstäg, the majority owner of FC Luzern in the Swiss Super League that plays in the Swissporarena, should think twice about his latest business idea.
“We have to be even more attractive,” he told Swiss daily newspaper Blick. “I want a show before kickoff. I want scantily clad strippers and sexy dancers to entertain fans before the game. The stadium would be full — that’s guaranteed.”
Unfortunately for Alpstäg, whose team draws an average of 11,285 fans to its 17,000-capacity stadium, the Swiss Pro League has stymied his efforts. League rules stipulate that only players, referees and authorized broadcast team members can enter the field inside an hour before kickoff.
The strict timeline allows “no time and no space, especially for shows,” league senior manager Edmond Isoz said.
The mere suggestion has made headlines in multiple nations, including England (via Metro) and the United States (on ESPN’s Olbermann, where host Keith Olbermann named Alpstäg the “world’s worst person in sports” on Friday).
