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Borussia Dortmund: Fans protest ticket prices with bizarre stunt
Borussia Dortmund players turned ball boys in the first half of their German Cup quarterfinal clash against Stuttgart Tuesday, after hundreds of fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch in protest at high ticket prices.
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
German football is known for being among the most affordable in Europe. However, the Dortmund fans' frustration stemmed from a quarter of away tickets being priced at €70 ($78.80) and the cheapest seats costing €38.50 ($43.40).
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
The fans also boycotted the first 20 minutes of the match and began raining tennis balls onto the pitch seven minutes later.
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
A banner unfurled at the start of the match read: "Football must be affordable."
Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
Last season's beaten finalist Dortmund progressed to the semifinals of the German Cup with a 3-1 win thanks to goals from Marco Reus, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrik Mkhitaryan.
Matthias Hangst/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
The two teams also held a minute's silence prior to kick-off in memory of those who lost their lives in Tuesday's train crash in Bavaria.
Matthias Hangst/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
It wasn't the first time this week fans have protested against increased ticket prices. Thousands of Liverpool fans staged a walkout in the 77th minute of the team's Premier League tie against Sunderland Saturday.
LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
This was in protest against the recent announcement that match day tickets would increase to £77 ($111.80) and that Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's owners, have introduced the first ever £1000 ($1450.10) season ticket.
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An estimated 10,000 are believed to have left early and Liverpool fans are planning two further walkouts for the next two home Premier League matches against Manchester City and Chelsea.