LAFC & Borussia Dortmund work together to share best practices

MLS team LAFC and Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund are unlikely bedfellows, but both trendy clubs have been working together behind the scenes.

Speaking exclusively to World Soccer Talk during a recent visit to Miami, Borussia Dortmund Head of Business Development Benedikt Scholz said, “We’re very close to the LAFC franchise. We’ve learned from them how they handle marketing and how they handle the brand, which is completely different [to us].

“We came to know LAFC about a year and a half ago when they came to Dortmund. There was contact made through people at each club. They got to know each other. From this [introduction], the whole story began. It’s been fruitful.”

That close working relationship and sharing best practices has resulted in a friendly between both clubs scheduled for May 22 at the new Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles (tickets).

When it comes to promoting the BVB brand internationally, the German club has been traveling to Asia every off-season for several years.

“It’s always part of our international ambition to learn wherever we go. We learned a lot from the J-League — how they treat football and how they develop their own talent,” said Scholz. “We never see ourselves as the teacher. We’re always happy to share our experiences. We share ‘our way’ and what has worked for us, which doesn’t necessarily work for the US but for Japanese clubs, maybe they can pick out the bits and pieces that work for them.”

Dortmund’s visit to the United States is the first time since the 1950’s that the club has played in America.