Supporting Dortmund
I am not originally from Toronto neither Canada but I could tell that how Raptors are becoming part of life in supporters of this team in Toronto by how newspapers publish the articles about the result of the game every weekend, numbers of official goods stores in the city, and overall by looking at the enthusiastic fandom in the city. Compared to Europe, football is not as popular in Canada, but basketball in Toronto is certainly becoming religious subject for those who live here. There are many cases similar to Raptors, when citizens support their homeland sports clubs.
One of the biggest fan-holding football team in Germany is Borussia Dortmund. The supporters’ love to the team is incomparable to other football teams in Europe. This team became the champion team in 2010–2011 Bundesliga (Germany Football Local League). Although this year, the team has been floundering near the bottom of the league. Still the supporters of the team believe strongly that their team is going to achieve victory and make themselves to the stadium. The average of fans coming to the stadium per game is 76,780 people, which marks the highest number in the European soccer league. They sell the ticket of the match in average of 94% and that is also the highest.
How fans of Borussia Dortmund show their faith to the team is graceful and gentle. When I look at other football team, they insult the players when they lose and praise when they win. Unlike that situation, fans of Dortmund give the applaud whatever the teams’ result is unless they showed the fighting spirit. They think that they are also members of the team, not just as a single fan. They scream a loud booing when the opponent team break in to front of Dortmund’s goal. Especially the local derby match against FC Shalke 04, supporters show extra spirit to beat the opponent team with singing club’s song loudly, and this is the scene only seen in this derby match.
