SPEAKER PREVIEW: Engaging with Supporters – Lessons from Borussia Dortmund
Germany’s Bundesliga is much-heralded for its strong fan culture and vibrant matchday experience. And, at Fan Experience Forum 2013 in Manchester, we’ll pick the brains of Borussia Dortmund’s Business Development & International Affairs Manager, Benedikt Scholz, to explore how one of the Bundesliga’s (and Europe’s) leading clubs is improving the fan experience…
Dortmund current boasts the highest average attendance in Europe, with 80,000 fans per game attending home matches at Signal Iduna Park (pictured). The club also recently broke the European record for season ticket sales for the third year in a row, with more than 54,000 season tickets sold for the 2012/3 season.
But what are the secrets behind such successes? And precisely how has Die Borussen gone about engaging with supporters?
Brand identity
“As I’ll discuss in Manchester, our fan strategy all stems from our ‘brand identity’; which is crucial for us all at Dortmund,” explains Scholz.
“The Dortmund identity is based on ‘intensity’, and the supporting terms of ‘authenticity’, ‘bonding force’ and ‘ambition’. This is the crucial starting point for us whenever we look to engage with our supporters.”
In addition to detailing how the club has enhanced the in-stadium experience for fans, Benedikt’s presentation at the Forum will also detail how Dortmund is connecting with the wider fanbase, too.
“We’re proud of our stadium and, of course, attending a match is the best example for us to show the intensity of our football experience,” continues Scholz.
“But our fan strategy also involves implementing initiatives outside the stadium; through digital media, video, our football schools, and many other ways that we reach our fans.”
“Everything we do in this regard aims to engage with our supporters and to bond fans with our club.”
“I look forward to discussing some of the steps we have taken in Manchester!”
Fan Experience Forum explores the latest trends, winning strategies and business ideas to enhance the fan’s event experience.
About the speaker:
Benedikt Scholz joined Borussia Dortmund on October 1, 2010 to work in Sales and Marketing.
Responsible for new business generation and international business development, the 29-year-old has played a key role in the development of commercial projects at BVB.
Scholz, a graduate in sports management, was previously employed by SPORTFIVE, an international sports marketing agency based in Hamburg, and by PUMA, Borussia Dortmund’s current kit supplier.
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