Borussia Dortmund rewards fans who lock their phones during matches to preserve atmosphere

Borussia Dortmund are incentivising supporters to put their phones away during matches at Signal Iduna Park, introducing a points-based reward scheme for fans who voluntarily lock their devices for the duration of the game. The initiative follows a club survey of 1,000 match-attending supporters that found widespread irritation with selfies, live streaming, and social media use in the stands.

Fans who activate ‘Fan Mode’ in the Dortmund app will have their phones locked during the match. In return, they accumulate points that can be exchanged for prizes including club jerseys and gift cards.

The scheme was launched in partnership with Dortmund sponsors Vodafone, with the club framing the collaboration as a defence of the live matchday atmosphere that sets stadium football apart from watching at home.

“Over 81,000 people in the stadium, singing, cheering, and holding their breath together: this here and now is irreplaceable,” said Dortmund CEO Carsten Cramer. “And that’s exactly what we’re putting front and center together.”

Vodafone Germany CEO Marcel de Groot echoed the sentiment. “Anyone at a football game should experience the moment and the emotions — not just a phone screen,” he said. “Let’s leave our smartphones in our pockets more often at the stadium and instead focus on what’s happening on the field and in the stands.”

The survey findings reflect a broader tension in elite football between the commercial value clubs derive from fan-generated social media content and the desire to protect the communal, visceral atmosphere that defines grounds like Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund’s famous Südtribüne — the largest standing terrace in European football — has long been a symbol of supporter culture, and the club appears keen to ensure that identity is not eroded by the scroll-and-post habits increasingly common in modern crowds.

Whether the opt-in nature of the scheme will meaningfully shift behaviour across a stadium of more than 81,000 remains to be seen, but Dortmund’s willingness to attach tangible rewards to the ask signals they are taking the issue seriously.