Interview with Union Berlin: “We are not attracting the whole world, but we try to be a real factor in people’s lives”

Born in former East Germany as a statement against the Stasi regime, the club have formed a strong bond with their fans out of a common ambition to resist mainstream methods.

No entertainment, advertising, music or events are provided during half-time – “It destroys the football experience,” says the Club’s Head of Communication.

The club is a strong supporter of the 50+1 rule, putting the fans in charge of the club and resisting potentially-lucrative takeovers by foreign investors.

“Give the fans space to launch ideas and then make those ideas become a reality. That was the case when we arranged the stadium living room for the summer of 2014 (fans could bring their sofas to the stadium to watch the World Cup).”