2. Bundesliga
Fortuna Düsseldorf have broken new ground with their scheme for free home matches as part of the Bundesliga 2 club's pioneering 'Fortuna For All' project. The second season of the scheme will see Düsseldorf play four home games where fans pay nothing to attend in 2024/25.
The 'Fortuna For All' project was unveiled at the end of 2022/23, outlining the club's ambitious plans to offer free admission to all spectators at the Merkur Spielarena, from hardcore season ticket holders and fan club members to occasional visitors and even away fans.
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The campaign kicked off in 2023/24 and could hardly have gotten off to a more breathtaking start on Matchday 10, with Fortuna gaining a remarkable 4-3 win, having trailed by three goals against rivals Kaiserslautern. Over 120,000 ticket requests were made for that game.
Watch: "Fortuna For All" - All games and goals in 2023/24
The trial scheme then continued on Matchday 19, although the result didn't go Fortuna's way, with division leaders St. Pauli emerging victorious.
"We want to make it clear what Fortuna Düsseldorf stands for," said club CEO Alexander Jobst. "With 'Fortuna For All', we're doing things differently and breaking new ground."
The club announced at the start of January that there had been some 130,000 applications for tickets to be inside the 54,600 capacity Merkur Spielarena for the game against Pauli. A market for second-hand tickets from those unable to use theirs was also opened.
The final test game in Fortuna's scheme came on Matchday 28, with Düsseldorf beating Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 on 7 April 2024.
Some 90,000 applications were made for tickets in the first phase for members, meaning Düsseldorf enjoyed its fifth full house of this Bundesliga 2 campaign. There were also 1,000 tickets given out to local charities and some 500 for partner youth clubs.
Watch: Take a look around Fortuna Düsseldorf's home
The gradual loss of matchday revenue is intended to be compensated by greater investment from sponsors, who have also pledged funds to develop the club's youth academy, women's football team and digital infrastructure.
After taking their time to look over and examine the results from 2023/24, the club has decided to continue apace with their revolutionary idea. They saw a huge rise in ticket requests, including a 28 percent increase in ticket income despite hosting three games for free, an increase in season ticket sales by 19 percent, a 20 percent rise in membership to 33,000, and numerous other benefits.
"Just carrying on as normal was not an option for us. Developments with sharply increased costs and declining TV income confirms this. Without ‘Fortuna For All’, we would probably be faced with difficult decisions today," stressed Jobst.
The club believes its answers to these challenges are the right ones, but that there's still some way to go.
As such, they are expanding the scheme this season to four matches.
Watch: Highlights of the first free game of 2024/25 against HSV
When picking the games, Fortuna considered the following criteria:
This approach was agreed with the DFL. It was also decided that there would be no free games on the final four matchdays.
Information on how and when to apply for tickets will be available on the club's website.
The only requirement to apply is to have an account with the Fortuna online ticket shop - as was already the case to purchase any ticket.
At the time of the initial announcement in 2023, Jobst had also acknowledged: "To be able to offer all home matches free of charge, we need more long-term partners. We're happy about the companies that are already on board, and we're open to others who want to join us on this extraordinary path."
Fortuna already had deals in place with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Targobank and Provinzial, while they have become the second professional club in Germany – after Werder Bremen – to join the Common Goal initiative that supports football charities worldwide.
"Fortuna's decision not only shows a lot of courage, but also an understanding of how to adapt to the modern game," declared Thomas Preiss, co-founder of Common Goal. "The future viability and relevance of clubs is increasingly determined by their social engagement, as well as their sporting success."
Düsseldorf play their football at the Merkur Spielarena, a UEFA Euro 2024 venue which boasts a capacity of 54,600 – although their average attendance in Bundesliga 2 in 2022/23 hovered just under 30,000 but shot up to over 39,000. The 'Fortuna For All' project no doubt helped to fill the stadium and boost the club's standing within the city, but also the team's (ultimately narrowly unsuccessful) promotion push.
"As the state capital, we have a natural interest in a strong Fortuna," explained Stephan Keller, the mayor of Düsseldorf. "That's why I support Fortuna's new project, which is to open football up to everyone, and anchor it more firmly in the city and the hearts of its citizens. This unique concept shows what Düsseldorf is capable of."
Germany is regularly lauded for putting fans first, whether it is allowing members to have their say on key club matters, prohibiting big-money takeovers by external investors thanks to the 50+1 rule, or keeping the cost of the matchday experience affordable. Now, Fortuna's ticketing revolution could open up an even more fan-friendly chapter in German football.
"We're embarking on a journey together in which things can still change, which is also a good thing," Jobst concluded. "The club belongs to everyone who participates and contributes with passion. But we have a clear goal, a common idea, strong partners and incredible fans."