Borussia Dortmund expands Southeast Asia’s footprint with Buriram United partnership

Thursday 25 October 2018 18:39
- Buriram United are the current Thai League champions and one of East Asia's top teams

- An exhibition match between Borussia Dortmund's "Legends" and a Buriram United selection team will take place on 18 November at Chang Arena, Buriram, Thailand

- Deal will also involve collaboration on youth development with young talents from Buriram United given the opportunity to participate in training camps at Borussia Dortmund

Buriram United, South-East Asia's number 1 team and one of East Asia's top teams (and current Thai League Champions), are very pleased to announce a partnership with top German Bundesliga side and 1997 UEFA Champion's League winners, Borussia Dortmund. The deal will involve Borussia Dortmund, for the first time in their history, sending their "Legends" side to play against their Buriram United counterparts as well as a tie up with their respective junior teams. This venture in Thailand is part of a program that also includes Japan and China and Buriram United is honored to be a part of it.

BVB (parent company of Borussia Dortmund) Chief of Marketing, Mr. Carsten Cramer said, "We are extremely pleased to have Buriram United as one of our partners and I'm moreover thrilled that we have further secured the legends match against a Buriram United selection team in November. Our players are excited and are looking forward to play in Thailand and I'm grateful for the support and faith that Buriram United has with a club like Dortmund. I'm confident and positively sure that this will endeavor in bringing about a great development between the two clubs". Cramer added: "Our club also benefits from Deutsche Fussball Liga expertise of the local market, thus supporting us for the Legends match. We are immensely proud to be working hand in hand with the DFL to shape our visions for the future in Asia, and with their support we're able to continue showcasing our efficiency".

The legends game will take place on Sunday the 18th November 2018 at Chang Arena, Buriram and will generate much interest both in Thailand and around the region.

President of Buriram United, Mr. Nevin Chidchob said, "Dortmund is one of the teams we have always admired. We like their style of play and also the way the team is organized so professionally. We have always admired the Dortmund fans who are some of the most passionate around the world, be it their songs or their cheering style. Everything they have done is always reflected on the number of tickets sold per match, with a near full capacity especially the "Yellow Wall" where only season tickets are sold. Although Buriram United has a proud history of 25 trophies in 9 years, we are still considered an incredibly young club and we look forward to having a top team such as BVB as a partner. We believe that there is much we can learn from each other throughout this partnership."

Both Buriram United and Borussia Dortmund have built very strong fan bases around their home towns, the former with their wall of fans, known in Thailand as GU12 (the 12th Man) and the latter with their "Yellow Wall" due to the mass of yellow shirts (25,000 fans). Both teams work hard with their local communities to promote the clubs' values and both teams reward their fans by trying to play attractive open and attacking football.

BVB Head of Asia & MD Suresh Letchmanan further echoed "I recognized that Buriram United like BVB, are leaders in their field, renowned for their proud history, strong sense of community and relentless pursuit of excellence. We therefore look forward towards achieving shared successes, both on and off the field.

Chief Executive Officer of Buriram United, Mr. Tadthep Pitakpoolsin said, "We are very pleased to be working with Club Borussia Dortmund, which is a great football club, and also a team with an amazing fan base which fills the stadium, whatever the competition."

As well as the Legends' game, there is the deal to work together at youth level, too. Starting from U9 and going up to U19 the clubs will discuss ways to develop youth players and give them the opportunity to press for places in the senior teams. Both teams have a similar philosophy in development as far as the use of technology, sports' science and management in their youth programs and the procedures and techniques used by Borussia Dortmund are considered as some of the best and most forward looking in the world of football. With this deal in place, young players from Buriram United will have the opportunity to become involved in exchange programs and experience life at a top professional, European club.

About Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund (www.bvb.de/eng) is one of the most traditional and popular German football clubs. Founded in 1909, BVB boasts around 10 million fans within Germany and, in addition, also looks to a rapidly growing fan base worldwide. The eight-time German champions and four-time DFB-Pokal winner was in 1966 the first German club to win a European Cup competition; BVB also became the first Bundesliga club to win the UEFA Champions League in 1997 followed by the Intercontinental Cup in the same year. With a total turnover of over 400 million Euro, Borussia Dortmund nowadays is also one of the economically strongest football clubs in the world.

About Buriram United

Buriram United (https://www.buriramunited.com/home) is a professional football club based in Buriram, Thailand. The club was founded in 1970 and is one of the leading clubs in East Asia having won its first Thai League 1 title in 2008. The seven-time Thai League champions made history in 2011 by becoming the first team in Thai football history to win all domestic trophies. Buriram plays its home games at the Chang Arena, a 32,600-seat arena which is the second largest football stadium in Thailand.