DORTMUND, Germany — In Germany, at the Borussia Dortmund Museum, they highlight their fan clubs from around the globe on a map. Six continents are represented; however, Cincinnati is not lit up yet because it’s the newest fan club.
“We came to the U.S., we initially moved to Dallas and then moved to Cincinnati for my job, but we didn't know anyone basically in Dallas when we moved there, so we looked up actually at Dortmund fan club," Simon Gleede, the co-founder of Cincinnati’s Borussia Dortmund Supporters Club, said. "There is one in Dallas. We became active and built some really good friendships and relationships there, and we wanted to bring that also to Cincinnati. I’m kind of proud of the club, you know, I'm from Germany and I'm a fan since I'm 5, so I wanted to show the Americans what there is behind the hobby."
Simon and Courtney Gleede recently moved to Liberty Township. Courtney coincidentally sat next to me on the flight to Dortmund.
One of the first things the Gleedes did when moving to the Tri-State area was found the Cincinnati chapter of the Borussia Dortmund Supporters Club. Simon is a lifelong supporter; Courtney married into the Black and Yellow lifestyle.
The reason for the commitment to a club all the way across the world? Community.
“There is a saying ‘Borussia verbindet,’ Borussia kind of brings everyone together, and I think that's something that we would love to see also in Cincinnati," Courtney said. "It’s a universal kind of idea, and for us, Borussia Dortmund was such a part of home and such a part of where we come from, so we want to bring that to Cincinnati as well."
Borussia Dortmund will be playing in Cincinnati during the FIFA Club World Cup.
Hear directly from the Gleedes about why they wanted to start this club in Cincinnati:
“I’m following this club since I was 5. I mean that's for 32 years now, and that my club comes to my new hometown and that's super special for me,” Simon said.
For more information about Borussia Dortmund’s Cincinnati Supporters Club and their events such as watch parties, you can check out their Instagram page.
This trip was paid for by Borussia Dortmund; however, we were allowed independence as journalists.
