What has football become?

Borussia Dortmund launches FanModus, rewarding fans with signed shirts and vouchers for keeping phones locked during matches, as social media transforms how football is consumed.

Social media has fundamentally changed how fans experience football. Where stadium visits once meant 90 uninterrupted minutes of live action, many supporters now spend matches recording videos, checking statistics on WhatsApp, and debating decisions on X in real time. The phenomenon has become so widespread that Borussia Dortmund, in partnership with Vodafone, has introduced FanModus—an initiative that rewards fans for not using their phones during games.

Launched on 24 October during Dortmund's match against Eintracht Frankfurt, FanModus works through the club's official app. Fans activate the system and accumulate points for every minute their phone remains locked during the match. The more they abstain, the greater their chances of winning prizes including signed shirts and official store vouchers. A 2023 Vodafone survey of 1,000 regular stadium attendees found that 63% admitted to using their phones regularly during matches.

The shift extends beyond stadium behaviour. Many fans now skip full 90-minute broadcasts in favour of one-minute highlight reels that capture only goals and key moments, missing the rhythm changes and build-up play that explain how results unfold. A 2026 Bango survey found that 47% of respondents aged 18–24 said highlights were replacing full match coverage in their viewing habits.