Dortmund's 'Fan Mode' project to reduce phone use

Borussia Dortmund will launch the "Fan Mode" app, developed with a telecommunications company to improve the fan experience, for the first time at the match against Eintracht Frankfurt. The system, which will be used at Signal Iduna Park, aims to get fans to step away from their phones during the game and focus on the atmosphere of the match.

According to the club's statement, fans will be able to activate the mode with a single tap in the app. Points will be collected for as long as the phone screen remains locked. The points collected can be converted into gift vouchers that can be used at the Borussia Dortmund official store. Fans will also have the chance to win signed shirts of club players.

The project is based on a 2023 study. According to a survey of 1,000 spectators who regularly attend football matches, 63 percent of participants regularly use their smartphones at matches. Taking selfies in the stands, posting on social media and watching matches through a phone have drawn criticism from some fans.

The app will launch with Saturday's match and will be used in all of the club's home games. With around 81,000 fans expected to watch the match, it will be interesting to see how much the new system reduces phone use in the stands.

The club wants fans to experience not only the action on the pitch but also the passion in the stands more fully. Whether the app will catch on across football will become clear in the coming period.