„When we win, the atmosphere is second to none.“

“The city is in a bad mood when BVB loses. That’s just how it is.” Patrick Schröder knows how important BVB is for Dortmund and last season was a rollercoaster ride. “After the last home match, nobody felt like buying another round. They’d had enough. When the final whistle blew, everyone was just relieved.”

It’s not just the bar and restaurant owners on Dortmund’s "Alter Markt" that feel like Patrick Schröder. Borussia Dortmund and the City of Dortmund are quite simply inseparable. This isn’t just because BVB has become one of the city’s biggest employers. It really makes a difference to the city’s hotel owners whether or not BVB reaches the Champions League, bringing fans from all over Europe to Dortmund. And when the city’s construction or office workers are in a good mood, then everything somehow seems easier. Things are just better when BVB is on the up.

“The people of Dortmund want to see their team play. And it wouldn’t matter how big they built the stadium, it still wouldn’t fit everyone. 55,000 season tickets, a Bundesliga record, and they‘re still hard to come by. Anyone who gets their hands on one isn‘t just going to give it up. This doesn‘t sit well with everyone, but what are you going to do? People meet in their local pubs to watch the game. This has also become a tradition in its own right.” What‘s interesting is that most young people regularly check their smartphones. They’re commenting on their friends’ photos from the stadium, or checking the latest notification from the BVB app. “BVB is a love affair. The club is close to people‘s hearts and we get to be a part of it”, says Schröder.