The fan culture in Germany is not only astounding but it’s a marriage between passion and the sense of belonging. The average German is passionate about the game in general and always wants to be identified with his club.
It is, therefore, not perplexing that 99% of Germans are aware of the German Bundesliga. This amazing record only goes to confirm the fact that the organizers of the league have deliberately and consciously ensured that the every household in Germany appreciates the Bundesliga. The brand awareness of the product is magical.
Not only that, the Bundesliga, for instance has been impregnated with the we-feeling and fans want to be identified with a particular brand and the sense of belonging to the brand is a source of pride for every fan.
Hardly will you get a fan in Dortmund throwing his support for Eintracht Frankfurt and the story is the same everywhere. People living in Munich support Bayern Munich, those living in Stuttgart are automatically Stuttgart fans and this applies to even lower tier sides. This explains why even lower tier sides are able to fill the stands during games.
Ironically or strangely, Ghanaian clubs have the same sociological backgrounds but the fan culture isn’t the same. Asante Kotoko belongs to the Ashanti Region – specifically Kumasi, Hearts of Oak to the people of Accra, RTU and Wa All Stars also have the same sociological backgrounds. But their fans turn away from them when they are not performing and only turn to support them when they are up there.
In Germany, communities and states have that sense of attachment with their clubs. They always want to be identified with the clubs. The sense of pride and ownership imbibed in the fans is simply natural. They follow the clubs everywhere, even when relegated.
This is explained by the famous quote in Dortmund which is displayed with a photo of a father holding the hand of his little child to the Signal Iduna.
“As a child, I came to the stadium with my father as he came with his father before.”
Enjoy the passion of Dortmund fans during games in the video below:
So it’s a tradition which is passed on from one generation to the other. No generation wants to be left out, hence the strong attachment and serious exhibition.
This quote is displayed before every home game at the Signal Iduna and it is clearly demonstrated in the lifestyles of the people. But it is different in Ghana where kids are restricted from going to the stadium for obvious reasons such as hooliganism, insecurity, etc.
However, the story is not even the same everywhere even in the Bundesliga. The fan culture differs from one club to the other. At Dortmund, the 81,000 capacity Signal Iduna Stadium gets almost full with two hours to kick off or even earlier but that isn’t the story in Frankfurt.
The experience at Frankfurt is completely different. The fans do not come to the stadium very early just like in Dortmund, but the guarantee that the stadium will be full is assured. Less than thirsty minutes to their game with Stuttgart at the Commerzbank Arena, there were several empty stands, seats looked dejected and it was like the stadium will be yawning with a lot of space.
But the Commerzbank Arena was heavily impregnated with the numbers five minutes to kick off. And this has mostly been the practice of Asante Kotoko fans. Strangely, both Asante Kotoko and Eintracht Frankfurt have similar colours – red, black and white.
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
" data-iframe-title="Twitter Tweet" data-scribe="page:tweet" data-twitter-event-id="1">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
" data-tweet-id="1112375777755045889" data-scribe="section:subject">
Sheikh Tophic Sienu@DeSheikh1
Even in Germany, the story is not the same everywhere. Watch this!@eintracht_eng vs @VfB_int#BundesligaMediaVisit #StarTimes #FootballMadeInGhana #SGEVfB
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
">
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
— (@DeSheikh1)
https://twitter.com/DeSheikh1/status/1112375777755045889
">
">
">
" data-datetime="2019-03-31T15:27:07+0000" data-scribe="element:full_timestamp"> · Frankfurt on the Main, Germany
See Sheikh Tophic Sienu's other Tweets
But one thing cuts across which leaves a beautiful memory with the fans. The fans are so engrossed in the club such that they announce line ups, substitutions and goal scorers in collaboration with the stadium announcers.
The announcer only mentions the first names of the players and the fans, in unison, will be mentioning the other names. This is so common that even the nine year old at the stadium is familiar with the players. This practice only consolidates and solidifies the love of the fans for their clubs.
The fan culture at Eintracht Frankfurt is clearly seen here:
The fan culture is not only seen at the stadium or on match days, but also reflects in the life styles of the people in their everyday activities.
At various hotels and shops in Dortmund, mufflers and other paraphernalia of Borussia Dortmund are seen everywhere.
Almost every football shop in Dortmund sell only BVB products and one can hardly find the shirts or products of other clubs to buy. Even if other club’s products are available, they are once in a million.
This only explains why the people are so attached to the club because even what they wear, see, touch and feel are all strategically geared towards the club.
Perhaps, many Ghanaian clubs will love to fester on these experiences and build a strong fan culture as they aren’t cost intensive but only dwell on passion and pride.