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Good morning, Fear The Wall!
Top Dortmund Ultra Group Disbands
Late last night (last night US EST time), I saw this piece of news appear on my Twitter timeline as I stressed over today’s Presidential Election:
Jubos, one of Borussia Dortmund’s main ultra groups, have reportedly dissolved.
— Felix Tamsut (@ftamsut) November 2, 2020
This is worrying for two very, very different reasons.
Thread on fan culture in #COVID19 times, commercialization and the fight against the far right in the city of Dortmund.
1/21 #BVB #nonazisdo pic.twitter.com/6xzFOSpYUM
Admittedly, I know very little about the many Dortmund fan groups that make up their vast supporters network. So I wasn’t sure how this was very big news until I continued reading through the tweet thread.
Jubos (Junge Borussen, or “Young Borussia Fans”) were established in 2005.
Along with The Unity and Desperados, they were one of Borussia Dortmund’s three main ultra groups.
Jubos’ main focus was the fight against football’s commercialization. 2/21
In November 2019, they boycotted a Borussia Dortmund away game in Barcelona due to away tickets costing the maximum 70 euros price.
Jubos were also active against commercialization in Germany, most recently against the likes of Rasenballsport Leipzig and Hoffenheim. 3/21
Jubos often used their organizational skills for providing help in their community.
Among their initiatives: collecting food for those in need, offering help in shopping for high-risk patients for #COVID19 and many others. 6/21
Jubos have now decided to dissolve.
According to RN, the main reason for it was the loss of hope in the fight against football’s commercialization, with the lack of generational continuity and far-right threats against anti-racist #BVB ultras playing minor roles. 7/21
So yeah, it seems like the Jubos are a pretty big deal within the BVB ultra culture. Their work in organizing charity and community events will definitely be missed, especially so in times of COVID, and their organizational skills for other BVB initiatives.
Their real influence, however, seems to be in the fight against commercialization of German football and against the rise of far right groups in Dortmund. Two very important things in modern society for very different reasons. The fight against football’s growing commercialization is something that many German football supporters are passionate about, as German football has always been associated with incredibly close supporter influence. Were that to go away or shrink in Germany, the power structure in Germany could be turned on its head and could welcome many of the darker financial elements of modern club football. And the fight against far right groups is important for very obvious reasons.
Hopefully they will return in the near future, because it feels like Dortmund are losing a very powerful voice within their supporters.
The Daily Buzz
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