Officials of the club and fan groups are working with a pyro company in order to produce flares with reduced heat and improved safety.
First fan groups from across Europe show interest in their use.
Yet, pyro is illegal in Danish football stadiums. The main reason obviously is safety. Due to the high temperatures of flares it is dangerous to use them and could possibly injure fellow fans in the area nearby. So far, so known.
Brøndby IF are reacting to this issue as club officials see the need to facilitate a safe yet atmospheric environment for their fans, and the club is suffering from high fines from the Danish Football Federation. In contrast to most other clubs, Brøndby officials understand that pyro is an integral part of fan culture and that fines and repression won’t stop it.
Instead of charging their fans, Brøndby set tracks in another direction and worked closely with their fan groups and supporters from across Denmark – amongst them our members from Danske Fodbold Fanklubber (DFF) – to develop a new flare fulfilling the requirements for legal use in football stadiums.
The new flare is developed by Tommy Coordsen, a Danish expert on pyrotechnics, who contacted the DFF in 2015. After testing a prototype the DFF board decided to approach Brøndby IF to take the lead in its development.
The flare is now in a second development stage and will be available in different colours. The temperature of its flame – and this is a crucial point for approval – is as low as from sparklers, making it possible to pass your hand through it. And sparklers are legal in Danish stadiums.
After further development of the flare it will be up to the Danish FA to approve the use of the new item. It is a decision which will be well observed across Europe as already fan groups like the French Association Nationale des Supporters (ANS) have showed their interest in following the Brøndby way.