The response has been huge, everyone is now waiting for the implementation. The courageous sponsorship project “Fortuna for all” starts on Saturday with the first Düsseldorf free game against Kaiserslautern.
In April, second division soccer team Fortuna Düsseldorf caused an international stir when the “Fortuna for All” project was announced. Fans should receive free entry to Fortuna games, initially at three home games this season and then whenever possible.
The top game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern starts on Saturday (8.30 p.m./Sport1 and Sky). Questions and answers about the project, which received a worldwide response.
Why is Fortuna doing this?
“We were looking for new solutions. Our goal is to play in the first Bundesliga again with Fortuna Düsseldorf and to show good football,” said sports director Klaus Allofs. “We believe that we have found a tailor-made solution for the city and Fortuna.”
Ultimately it’s about money and prestige. According to media reports, the club collects a good 40 million euros from sponsors for five years from three home games per year.
As a traditional club, Fortuna has the potential to fill the 52,000-seat stadium in the second division every time entry is free. The club also expects this to give it a sporting boost. “Every player, every fan wants a full stadium and that special atmosphere when all the seats are full,” said CEO Alexander Jobst of the German Press Agency. In addition, Fortuna is guaranteed international attention if the project works. “This is something revolutionary. It’s the first game of its kind and I think a lot of eyes around the world are now on us,” said midfielder Marcel Sobottka.
How does it all work out if there is no ticket revenue?
It is ultimately a new type of sponsorship. Three of the club’s partners are financing the campaign in the pilot phase and are paying a good 40 million euros for it. Fortuna can offer three free spins per season. The goal is to attract more partners and continually expand the number of free spins.
How do fans get into the stadium?
Those interested had the opportunity to register in advance for the game on Saturday. The cards were then allocated according to a specific system. “Loyalty to the club was rewarded and members were also given preferential treatment,” said Allofs. Fortuna gave away 21,000 tickets. The remaining tickets are for season ticket holders, the guest contingent – entry is also free for Lauter fans -, the VIP areas and the entire Fortuna fan curve. Here, the free tickets were distributed by fan umbrella organizations themselves in addition to the season ticket quota.
How big was the crowd?
Gigantic. There were a total of 86,000 requests for the 21,000 freely available tickets. The stadium is virtually full. It remains to be seen whether everyone who has a ticket will actually come. “There will be a no-show rate,” Allofs said realistically. Simply because at almost every game there are people who have a ticket, but for various reasons don’t come to the stadium (“no show”). The league average is ten to 15 percent. However, Fortuna is not hoping that it will be higher on Saturday because the tickets are free and is relying on the event character of the first free game. In addition, the duel between the sixth and third is a real top game between two traditional teams.
How sustainably successful can the project be?
That is the big question that will be analyzed in detail later. On the one hand, this depends on how high the no-show rate is and what it will be like in the next free games. On the other hand, the sponsors decide. A planned company – Provinzial Versicherung – has already dropped out. There are said to have been different opinions about how to handle viewer data. According to media reports, Fortuna has already lost four to five million euros as a result. “We are in numerous discussions with partners,” Jobst recently told the “Rheinische Post”: “We are not only confident, but also convinced that we can win new partners this year.” Only if this succeeds will the path be sustainably successful.
When will the next free games be available?
The game against FC St. Pauli is at the end of January and against Eintracht Braunschweig at the beginning of April.
Source: Stern
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