Kaiserslautern To Focus On Grassroots Initiatives To Grow In America

Forbes

27-03-2025

One of the most legendary clubs in Germany, 1. FC Kaiserslautern wants to grow its brand in the ... More United States. (Photo by Jürgen Fromme -)
In the middle of what is shaping up to be an incredibly tight promotion race in the 2. Bundesliga, legendary German club 1. FC Kaiserslautern is also making strides to grow in the US market. Currently, just two points below the promotion playoff line, Lautern is poised to return to the Bundesliga.
Returning to the Bundesliga would, of course, also help with the club's US growth potential. But the league standing aside, the club has launched several exciting grassroots initiatives in the United States to grow the Kaiserslautern's profile overseas.
During the 2023/24 season, Lautern hosted youth club Dallas Ayses at the club's Betzenberg Stadion. As part of that visit, the 2. Bundesliga club also hosted an activation campaign with former NFL star Michael Wahle. Then this January, a club delegation travelled to Washington D.C. to host a training camp with cooperation partner EriStars SC.
The club also hosts training sessions for American kids via Zoom almost weekly. Former Lautern greats Roger Lutz and Florian Fromlowitz participate in those sessions. Demand has increased significantly, and over 100 children participate in the program in Washington alone.
One former player, who is regularly involved, is 2014 World Cup winner Erik Durm. Although Durm had his best time at Borussia Dortmund, the now 32-year-old grew up a Kaiserslautern fan and ultimately ended his career at the club.
'I was a Kaiserslautern fan from when I was a little boy,' Durm said in an exclusive interview. 'Now I want to give back. Most importantly, I want to give back sustainably.' This is where the camps in the United States fit in. For example, cooperation with EriStars SC is supposed to support the sizeable Eritrean community in D.C.
'Most important in our program is the Development of the Kids on and off the pitch as well as support of the local coaches,' Durm said. 'Part of the story is also that we want to do something good for the community. We want to use our German know-how. That's why we want to use former legends so that the kids there can get to know and learn from former professional players.'
Without a doubt, the goal is always to grow Lautern's presence in the United States and get kids attached to German football. But the decision-makers at Lautern very much underline that this is also about sustainable growth.
'The US market is very competitive,' Lautern's head of club communication, Stefan Roßkopf, said. 'Many clubs are fighting for attention over there. We are just doing a small part, and ultimately it isn't just about growing our club but to push the Bundesliga overall.'
2014 World Cup winner, Erik Durm is among the former Kaiserslautern players involved in the club's ... More grassroots programs in the United States. (Photo by Stefan Brauer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Building a network of camps and local partnerships is one of the core elements of growing the Kaiserslautern brand in the United States. Lautern also visited the United States in 2023 to play friendlies against USL Championship side Louisville City and Major League Soccer franchise Minnesota United.
Then there is the US Air Force base in Ramstein. Located less than 20 kilometres from Kaiserslautern's city center, the US military presence has helped make Die Roten Teufel (Red Devils) one of the more popular German teams in the United States despite not having played first division football since the 2011/12 season.
The decision-makers at Kaiserslautern are very much aware of the asset the military base presents in their efforts to grow the club's brand in the United States. 'We have always tried to get Americans living here to visit the stadium,' Roßkopf said. 'But lately we have certainly felt that there has been an upswing in visitors from the base.'
One big part is that Kaiserslautern, despite being stuck in the 2. Bundesliga, for now, has one of the best stadium atmospheres in German football. Or rather, once again has one of the best atmospheres in German football.
While the Betze was one of the most feared stadiums for opponents in the 1990s, the stadium atmosphere also experienced a low point when the club struggled in Germany's lower divisions in the 2010s. That is no longer the case. Over the last few years, the atmosphere has returned to be one of the best in Germany, and Americans living in the region have taken note.
How do you teach kids that Betzenberg feeling? 'That's not easy to explain,' Durm said. If you never experienced Betzenberg before it's almost impossible to understand, the force and the emotions coming from the stands. The atmosphere is really special.'
However, there are also initiatives to help Americans understand the historical importance of the club and stadium. 'We have teams visit Kaiserslautern,' the founder and managing director of the Schächter Sports Group, Sebastian Schächter, said. We had teams visit from Dallas, Austin, and soon from Washington. Part of the project is for children to experience the history and size of the club and stadium.'
Experiencing the emotional sides of the club is the most crucial part for Schächter, who counts several German clubs among his clients. 'The emotional aspects, the feeling of the stadium and the club, that's an important part,' Schächter said. 'Having people experience this is an important part of the project.'
While the growth of the club's brand certainly is the biggest priority, it certainly feels like Kaiserslautern has found a niche to grow sustainably in the US market. 'It is all about long-term goals rather than short-term gains,' Schächter concludes.