Dortmund fans raise over €80k to help local businesses affected by coronavirus

The Bundesliga launched a 'Digital Matchday for the Dortmund Gastronomy Sector' where fans of the club could donate helping local business affected with the Covid-19 virus.

Borussia Dortmund launched a creative online initiative aiming to help local restaurants and businesses that had been forced to close as a precaution due to the Covid-19 virus.

The club devised a fictitious match between BVB and the city of Dortmund. On the “Digital Matchday for the Dortmund Gastronomy Sector”, fans could (virtually) take exactly the same route they would usually take to the Signal Iduna Park as it were a standard home game and could make stops at their regular pre-game haunts, stopping for an imaginary beer or currywurst. Supporters were asked if possible, to donate a small amount to the gastronomy business in question. The objective of the initiative was to help ensure that all the places that serve as a meeting point for fans on a BVB match-day still exist by the time the next one comes around…

By the end of Sunday the #BorussiaVerbindet (Borussia connects) drive had raised raised 70,000 euro for the local businesses with the sum increasing to 81,000 on Tuesday with fans continuing to make donations.