Borussia Dortmund launches FanModus to reward phone‑free fans
While many supporters habitually stare at their screens, Borussia Dortmund is offering a reward for those who keep their phones shut during a match. From Saturday 24 October, when the club hosts Eintracht Frankfurt at 13.30 (Argentina time), fans can earn points by staying offline, with prizes such as signed shirts and gift‑cards on offer.
How the FanModus works
The club has teamed up with Vodafone to embed a feature called FanModus in its official app, under the slogan “More football, less mobile”. Supporters activate the mode before kickoff; each minute the phone remains locked counts as one point, up to a maximum of 90 points per game.
Half‑time is excluded, allowing users to check their devices before re‑engaging for the second half. Participation is voluntary, but users must grant geolocation access to prove they are inside the stadium.
Club’s rationale and rewards
A 2023 Vodafone survey of a thousand regular attendees found that 63 percent regularly used their smartphones during matches, prompting Dortmund to act. Director‑general Carsten Cramen said the initiative “protects an experience that no technology can replace”.
He added, “81 000 people in the stadium singing and cheering together is what we want to put at the centre of everything – the here and now is irreplaceable”. The same figure appears in a quote from Carsten Cramer, who echoed the sentiment.
Marcel de Groot, CEO of Vodafone Germany, explained the goal: “Ogni spettatore a una partita di calcio dovrebbe vivere il momento e le emozioni, non rimanere incollato allo schermo di un cellulare.” The club hopes the challenge will shift attention back to the live spectacle.
The prize pool includes club‑signed jerseys and Gift Cards for the official store. By rewarding the least‑connected fans, Dortmund diverges from the usual app‑based games, polls and digital contests used by other professional teams.
Photo credit for the announcement reads (EFE/EPA/JUSTIN LANE). The original teaser even invited readers to “Agregar Olé” and to “Deja tu comentario”, underscoring the campaign’s interactive tone.