Borussia Dortmund, in partnership with Vodafone, has integrated a new feature called “Fan Mode” into its official BVB app. It is designed to motivate stadium visitors to be less distracted by gadgets and fully immerse themselves in the game, earning digital points and prizes for doing so.
Borussia Dortmund, in partnership with Vodafone, has integrated a new feature called “Fan Mode” into its official BVB app. It is designed to motivate stadium visitors to be less distracted by gadgets and fully immerse themselves in the game, earning digital points and prizes for doing so.
This is stated in the press release of the German club.
The idea for a digital tool came from an analysis of spectator behavior. According to a Vodafone study, about 63% of regular stadium visitors regularly use smartphones during games. At the same time, the number of fans who are annoyed by the constant selfie-taking, live-streaming, and social media activity in the stands is growing.
The mechanics of the "Fan Mode" are similar to the classic flight mode, but with gamification elements. To confirm your presence at the Signal Iduna Park arena, the application requests access to the smartphone's geolocation. After activating the function, the user must lock the screen before starting the game.
For every minute that the smartphone remains locked during the active phase of the match, the user is awarded points. During the break in the game, the phone can be used without penalties, but at the start of the second half, the mode must be activated again. Among the rewards for the most disciplined fans are attributes with player autographs and gift certificates in the fan shop.
“Over 81,000 people in the stadium cheering together is an atmosphere that no screen can replace,” said Borussia Dortmund CEO Carsten Kramer.
Vodafone Germany CEO Marcel de Groot emphasized that the main goal of the initiative is to bring the audience's attention back to the action on the football pitch. The feature is already available for iOS and Android devices.
