'First-of-its-kind' - Borussia Dortmund and NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers announce groundbreaking partnership

Borussia Dortmund and the Pittsburgh Steelers have formed a unique partnership aimed at furthering both clubs' international growth efforts. The collaboration will involve joint team activities, content creation, and fan engagement initiatives, leveraging the shared black and yellow colors of both teams.

This comes after the Steelers got a license for Germany in 2024 from the NFL as a part of the league’s Global Markets Program which allows the club to participate in a partnership on the ground activities and various other things. Steeler’s Director of Business Development and Strategy, Dan Rooney had a lot to say on the matter and believes that it’s the perfect partnership for both sides.

“The partnership with Borussia Dortmund, the first-of-its-kind for the Steelers organization, builds off the deep connections both of our teams have with the communities we represent, as well as our shared values, rooted in our industrial pasts, of hard work, determination, and a winning spirit,” said Pittsburgh Steelers Director of Business Development and Strategy, Dan Rooney. “We look forward to what’s next as we support each other’s success in reaching fans in new markets and raising the profiles of the cities we call home.”

The collaboration between Dortmund and the Steelers goes beyond their shared team colors. Both clubs have deep roots in industrial cities with a strong steel-making heritage, and both are known for their passionate fan bases and winning traditions. The partnership has already begun in the form of business collaboration between the two sides, as Dortmund has hosted a Steelers' delegation to watch a home game at the Westfalenstadion amongst other things.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to welcome a delegation from Borussia Dortmund in the spring and are also set to host its first-ever German-based flag football clinic at the BVB Football Academy, featuring an unnamed Steelers player in mid-April.