Number 121
Image source: Fortuna Düsseldorf
Fortuna Düsseldorf Pioneers Free
Stadium Entry To Boost Community
Featured Focus:
Community Programs, Access / Inclusion / Equality,
Partnership for Good
Scope of Impact: Local
Fortuna Düsseldorf has launched 'Fortuna für alle,' an initiative offering free stadium entry. Yes, you read that right. Here’s why:
Democratized Access: The initiative provides free entry to home games, making football accessible to a broader audience and strengthening the bond between the club and its community. Over 700,000 tickets have been requested for seven free matches!
Innovative Funding Model: A transparent reinvestment model channels €45M of new sponsorship revenues into youth and women's football (20%), digital infrastructure (20%), grassroots sports and sustainability (10%), and competitive team development (50%). This offsets traditional matchday revenue loss.
Fan-Centric Philosophy: 'Fortuna für alle' reinforces Fortuna's identity as a fan-centered club, rejecting commercial ownership and fostering greater fan participation. This aligns with Germany's "50+1" rule, ensuring clubs remain deeply rooted in their communities.
Fortuna Düsseldorf's 'Fortuna für alle' initiative is a strategic pivot that we absolutely love. It transforms a traditional revenue model into a community-first enterprise.
By offering free entry, Fortuna directly addresses accessibility, drawing in new demographics and revitalizing the matchday atmosphere. This was made possible by sponsors that understood the club’s vision and aspirations.
It’s a WIN WIN for all involved. With this bold move, Dusseldorf becomes a trailblazer in soccer. The community benefits from it greatly, and sponsors are also investing in the community while boosting brand awareness and affinity. This looks like the perfect virtuous circle.
This initiative sets a powerful precedent, proving that financial viability and deep social responsibility can coexist. A+ in our book!
This has everything that makes the WIN | WIN team excited. Fan engagement, and even ownership, clear community impact, partnerships with the city of Dusseldorf and the region, and sponsorship deals that help make this pivot possible.
What we are even more intrigued about is the process of getting to that decision. We hope that in a few months, the club comes out with a behind-the-scene documentary to show its fans and everyone else the journey and the preparation that allowed them to make that shift.
Our popcorn is preemptively ready, just tell us when we can tune in!
Is there a way to replicate this model in the U.S.? We’re not asking you to reach out to professional teams in your market to inquire about it but on a smaller scale, is there a way to do something similar. The marketing, brand, and business opportunities all aligned. How would you go about pitching it to potential partners?
