In Dortmund, where the Signal Iduna Park is built around collective noise and shared nerves, Borussia Dortmund are asking supporters to put the screen away and stay with the match. From Saturday 24 October, when Eintracht Frankfurt visit for a Bundesliga fixture, fans will be able to earn rewards by keeping their mobile phones locked during play.
The news from the club
The initiative will run through Borussia Dortmund’s official app under the name FanModus, or Fan Mode. It is intended to direct attention back towards the pitch and the atmosphere in the stands rather than the usual flow of messages, videos and social-media activity.
FanModus will be available for Dortmund’s home Bundesliga matches. Supporters must switch it on in the app before kick-off, then leave their device locked to collect points.
One point will be awarded for every minute spent without using the phone, with 90 points available in a match. Half-time will not count, allowing supporters to check their phones during the interval before activating the mode again for the second half.
The strongest scores will enter draws for Borussia Dortmund shirts signed by players and vouchers for the club shop. Taking part is optional, although supporters must allow location access so the app can establish that they are inside the stadium.
The club’s move comes amid concern over the prominence of smartphones on matchdays. A Vodafone survey of 1,000 regular stadium visitors in 2023 found that 63 per cent used their smartphone regularly during games.
Carsten Cramer, Borussia Dortmund’s chief executive, said the live experience could not be recreated elsewhere. “More than 81,000 people in the stadium, singing, suffering and celebrating together: that immediate moment cannot be replaced,” he said.
A different use for the matchday app
Professional clubs commonly use matchday apps to keep fans active on their phones through games, polls and other digital features. Dortmund’s approach reverses that logic: the reward is for stepping away from the device and following the football.
Sport has seen earlier attempts to reduce phone use, including selected baseball events in the United States. Dortmund’s version remains voluntary. Supporters can unlock and use their phones whenever they wish, but their points total will stop increasing while they do so.
