Björn Hegemann has succeeded Daniel Lörcher, who has become a project manager for the construction of the Fan and Youth Centre, as head of the "Fan Affairs" department. The 28-year-old has many years of experience working with supporters and has been with BVB since 2014. We spoke to him about his new responsibilities.

Björn, it's quite a hard act for you to follow, isn't it?
Daniel Lörcher achieved a lot in terms of fan support at Borussia Dortmund and is predominantly responsible for the establishment of the "Fan Affairs" department and the structures that have emerged there. It is those structures that now enable me to focus on my new tasks and to further develop an already functioning department and optimise processes. I'm really looking forward to the task that lies ahead.

The actual number of fans has presumably not increased significantly in recent years. If more and more money is invested in fan support, does this mean that more can be achieved or that the problems will get bigger?
I think that more can and must be achieved. The topic of fan support has generally been growing for years. But an increasing quantity of responsibilities doesn't mean that we can let the quality of our work drop off. Our focus here is on solving every matter as well as we possibly can and showing awareness for the interests of all fans. We now have more than 850 official fan clubs with around 50,000 fans spread across them. At the same time, the criticism of clubs and associations has been increasing among fans. For us, that means the challenges are becoming greater and the spheres of action broader. It's not without reason that our department's grown so strongly. It's one of the largest of its kind in Germany with nine full-time members of staff.

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What are the department's most important goals?
The success of our work depends on many factors and is easy to measure for every supporter and for the club too. Our overarching objective is to create a positive atmosphere in which the enjoyment of football results in a strong feeling of togetherness. We want to show awareness for the interests of every individual fan of Borussia Dortmund and it goes without saying we want an atmosphere of respect within the BVB family. To this end, we fulfil a mediating and interface function on a day-to-day basis and always need to be contactable and reachable. That means that the connection and the communication with all the relevant stakeholder groups absolutely must be as positive as before. Only by holding dialogue is it possible to achieve objectives.

Where does the focus of your work lie?
I know that an important component of my new role is to have an overview of all our areas of responsibility and, with this in mind, to refrain from setting specific focal points. But I do believe an important matter for the department in the period ahead lies in our youth work. The number of young fans coming to the stadium and active on the fan scene is becoming smaller, while voluntary involvement appears to be becoming more uninteresting. In order to create an atmospheric and committed fan scene in the future, which is what sets Borussia Dortmund apart, it is urgently necessary to combat this negative development. But that will only work if all the stakeholders work together to this end. 

Were you yourself an active fan?
Yes. After the standard start through my family, I started to travel to almost every match once I turned 16. I had an away season ticket and was active in the fan scene. Before my time at BVB, I was involved there on a voluntary basis where I dealt with the issue of fan politics and even headed up the 'AG Fanpolitik' (Fan Politics Plc.) of the fan department.

Do these experiences make it easier to show an understanding for the viewpoints of one party or the other?
It certainly makes it easier for me to comprehend the viewpoint of the fans, but over the course of the years I've also learned to understand the viewpoint of Borussia Dortmund. Generally, though, I believe there is a great deal of expertise in the department. The lengthy experience and profound knowledge of my colleagues is extraordinarily important for the department's work. We find ourselves performing a constant balancing act. The art of it is to keep the gap between the two viewpoints as small as possible. I demand high standards of myself and, above all, I've made it my mission in the new role not to make any promises I can't keep.
Interview: Boris Rupert