🤝Dortmund x Steelers: A Cross-Sport Power Play

💌 Welcome to sportsnexus fan:pulse

Fan engagement goes beyond likes and ticket sales, creating meaningful, two-way relationships that make fans feel seen, valued, and deeply connected to the brand. This newsletter features the best fan engagement stories from all over the world.

🧐 FEATURED STORY

Two Cities, One Vision: Global Fans, Local Roots

🤝  A Fusion of Tradition and Community

The partnership is built on shared values of hard work, resilience, and community focus. Both teams are integral to their cities' identities—Dortmund and Pittsburgh—each with a rich industrial heritage. Dan Rooney, Steelers' Director of Business Development and Strategy, highlighted the mutual commitment to their communities and traditions, stating that the collaboration aims to support each other's success in reaching fans in new markets and raising the profiles of their home cities.

🌍 Cross-Continental Fan Engagement Initiatives

The alliance includes several initiatives designed to engage fans across borders:​

• Game Day Exchanges: Players and staff from both organizations have attended each other's games, fostering a sense of unity and shared experience.​

• Business Summits: A Steelers staff member participated in a business summit hosted by BVB in Germany, with a reciprocal event planned in Pittsburgh.​

• Flag Football Clinic: The Steelers will host a flag football clinic in Dortmund, featuring a Steelers player, to promote American football and engage with the local community.

These activities aim to blend sports and cultural experiences, reaching broader audiences and strengthening both teams' global presence.

🎯 Strategic Global Expansion

This partnership is part of a broader strategy for international growth. The Steelers are among the NFL teams granted marketing rights in Germany through the league's Global Markets Program. Concurrently, Borussia Dortmund has established a marketing office in New York, signaling its intent to expand its footprint in the United States.

📬 Newsletter Takeaway

This Dortmund-Steelers alliance isn’t just about colors or tradition—it’s a smart, fan-first blueprint for global growth. By combining their local roots with cross-cultural activations—like flag football in Germany, business summits, and immersive matchday exchanges—these two legacy clubs are reimagining what international fan engagement looks like. It’s not about selling merch overseas; it’s about showing up, sharing experiences, and building emotional bridges across continents. For fan marketers, it’s a masterclass in turning shared values into global community.

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📚️ WE RECOMMEND

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