Erwin Gruber – The Voice of Hohe Warte
Long before a Vienna home match kicks off, the stadium is already filled with music and information to get everyone in the mood for the game. The spectators are welcomed, the visiting team is introduced, and the line-ups and refereeing team are announced. The anticipation builds. Much of that is down to Erwin Gruber. With eloquence and a microphone, he creates the atmosphere inside the stadium. He works closely with his son, who selects the music and plays the advertising spots. A well-rehearsed team.
Erwin, the job description of a stadium announcer is to inform and entertain. Can you always remain neutral?
Of course not, because I am always happy when Vienna scores a goal. When the visitors score, I merely “inform” the crowd. However, my announcements always have to be impartial. That is required by fairness and the Bundesliga regulations. Naturally, I am louder and more passionate when our team scores. The euphoria is then accompanied by the goal celebration music, “Yes Sir, I Can Boogy”. When we concede, I simply announce the new score and the goalscorer.
Even when I have to remind fans of the rules, for example when fireworks are set off, I never do it in a provocative or threatening manner. That is not my style, and it has always worked well for me at Hohe Warte.
As a stadium announcer, you are an informer, entertainer and motivator. How do you prepare for matchday?
Despite all the experience and routine, I prepare carefully for every matchday. Before the game, I find out about the opposing team, any possible celebrations or farewells, check the fixture schedule for Vienna’s teams and also find out about any promotions or activities in the club shop.
I receive the team line-ups one hour before kick-off and start hosting around 45 minutes before the match begins. But my job is not limited to building anticipation for home games. I also conduct interviews after matches, host other Vienna events and maintain contact with the team, club officials and other members of staff.
Presenters inform and entertain, conduct interviews and moderate discussions. How did you become a presenter?
I have always been interested in communication. I used to work as a DJ at parties, hosted music programmes on cassette tapes and, among other things, spent more than 20 years as the courtside announcer at the women’s tennis tournament in Linz. I have also been taking the microphone at the Wachau Marathon since 2008.
After completing seminars in voice training and public speaking, I wanted to put my experience to use on a larger scale. From 1996 to 2017, I was the stadium announcer at Austria Vienna. In 2018, Vienna approached me and asked me to become the stadium announcer at Hohe Warte.
Since then, I have been working together with my son for the Blues and Yellows, sometimes also sharing the microphone with other presenters.
You have now been the stadium announcer at First Vienna FC for eight years. How do you see the club’s development?
In 2017, Vienna managed to avoid bankruptcy and started a new chapter in the second regional league. UNIQA became the club’s main sponsor. I experienced this very closely, as I was working in sports sponsorship at UNIQA at the time.
Since then, things have continued to move upwards for Vienna both on and off the pitch, and the club has developed very well. The club invests in youth development, has women’s teams and also a Special Needs team, which is particularly close to my heart.
The fans are also something special to me. I like the fact that the club continues to support social projects. And the “Vienna Family” is more than just a slogan. I really appreciate that family atmosphere. And I don’t just enjoy my job as a stadium announcer – I do it with passion.
Do you believe the Döblingers can earn promotion to the Austrian Bundesliga this season?
(Thinks for a long time.) The goal last season was promotion, but it didn’t work out. Now the cards have been reshuffled. My wish for the coming season is for Vienna to be competing at the top, and the first pre-season matches have given me reason to be hopeful.
So, my personal view on promotion lies somewhere between realistic and optimistic.
