Dortmund to reward football supporters who don’t use phones during matches

Borussia Dortmund will offer signed jerseys and club merchandise gift cards to supporters who use its app’s “fan mode” and limit how often they unlock their phones during matches. The voluntary scheme starts on Saturday at the home game against Eintracht Frankfurt; users earn points for keeping phone use low, with halftime excluded. CEO Carsten Cramer praised the shared stadium experience as irreplaceable, as Dortmund pushes back against selfies, livestreaming and social media posts in the stands. The initiative is part of a wider backlash in German football against commercial social media filming, with Hertha Berlin and Dynamo Dresden also announcing restrictions.