Networking in Berlin

I do not want anybody thinking that I am touring Europe pointlessly. Therefore this blog will describe my few evenings of work I have managed to carve out of my six month schedule. Past skiing, photography, and traveling, I have also been contacting people and attempting to meet up. My contacts are in the sports marketing world.
While in Berlin, I met with Kirstin, a U of O Warsaw MBA alum. I spent time with her probing the ins and outs of sports business. To give me a better view of the sports marketer's life she invited me to a few events. The first of those was a Hertha Berlin professional soccer game. This team is privileged to play in a historical arena, Olimpiastadion; built by Hitler's government for the 1936 Olympic Games.
Kirstin gave me a VIP ticket so after time had expired I was able to go into the heart of the stadium for a full meal.

This was one of two times during the year that the Germans have to play two games in a single week. The crowd, I was told due to it being a work night, was abnormally small. Still, the crazies in the end zones managed to scream and waive their scarves from the beginning until the bitter, scoreless end (it was a tie at zero).
The second event was a celebration for the Berlin Ice Bears hockey team. They had recently won their national cup. I was a guest at their players, friends, and sponsers only dinner. A little salmon, some nice wine... then an underground metro back to the reality of a night in the airport before a flight to Basel where I'd be again on my own dime.