Underdog BVB manager, Carsten Cramer, ready to exhibit zeal
By Alex Wehnert, New York
Carsten Cramer, the co-managing director of Borussia Dortmund (BVB), has been instrumental in expanding the German football club's brand footprint in the USA. Since his return to the club in 2010, Cramer has spearheaded various strategies to increase BVB's visibility and commercial growth in the US market.
Cramer's management role at BVB explicitly includes driving the club's internationalization, with a particular focus on the USA. This involves expanding BVB's presence and fan engagement beyond Germany to markets like the USA. One of Cramer's key strategies has been to participate in high-profile events in the US, such as the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which took place in multiple US venues including Florida, New Jersey, and Ohio.
In addition to tournament participation, Cramer oversees digitalization strategies that help keep fans updated and engaged globally, including through official club apps and providing free live streaming of matches on platforms like DAZN during major tournaments in the US. The club's partnership extensions, for example with sportswear giant PUMA, also support branding and marketing efforts at a global level, enhancing BVB’s visibility and commercial growth, including in the USA.
Cramer is also a supervisory board member of Bundesliga International GmbH, an organization founded to inspire and connect fans and partners worldwide, which helps promote the Bundesliga and clubs like Dortmund in the US market and beyond. This league-wide promotion effort further bolsters BVB's presence in the USA.
Cramer views the USA as a central growth market for BVB's brand awareness. He sees the partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers football franchise as significant due to their similar black and gold uniforms. Despite being from an old industrial region, BVB is marketed as an underdog, which resonates with many American sports fans.
Cramer's efforts have paid off, with BVB securing over $52 million by reaching the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup, which offers a total of $1.0 billion in prizes. The club's flagship store of equipment supplier PUMA, which has a lucrative partnership with BVB, was entirely in black and yellow on New York's Fifth Avenue, further showcasing the club's presence in the USA.
Through these combined strategies—international tournament participation, digital fan engagement, corporate partnerships, and league-wide promotion efforts—Carsten Cramer has been instrumental in expanding Borussia Dortmund’s brand footprint in the USA. As Cramer turns 57 before Christmas, his commitment to BVB and its international growth shows no signs of slowing down.
- Carsten Cramer, in his role as co-managing director of Borussia Dortmund (BVB), has been pivotal in driving the finance aspects of the club's internationalization, particularly in the business realm of the USA.
- Cramer's strategic approach to personal-finance management at BVB includes participating in high-profile sports events across various European leagues, such as the Club World Cup and the Champions League, which generate substantial revenue.
- Besides overseeing digitalization strategies for fan engagement, Cramer also actively pursues partnerships with big-name brands in the sports industry, like PUMA, to bolster the club’s financial growth.
- As a result of Cramer's strategies, BVB's brand presence is not only evident in the USA but also in other major sports markets worldwide, demonstrating his significant impact on the club's financial stability and commercial growth in the sports industry.
