Borussia Dortmund, a missed a German marketing opportunity.    There was a two week buildup to the biggest football (soccer) match of the year on the European football calendar.  It  took place at London’s Wembley Stadium. Two German clubs, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich were competing in the finals of the European Cup Championship.

This was the first time two German clubs had ever faced each other in the European Championship match.  The match was played in London between  the two German clubs in front of   86, 298  spectators.  The match was sadly was won by Bayern Munich 2-1 over Borussia Dortmund.  It was the last match for Bayern’s 68-year-old manager, Jupp Heynckes, who is retiring and will be replaced by Pep Guardiola for 2013-14.  It had a worldwide television audience,  was well-played, fast paced and dramatic event of  David vs Goliath proportions.  Bayern Munich has a global following, has won five European Cups and  is loaded with money.  Borussia Dortmund on the other hand had won the title once (1997), plays in the largest football stadium in Germany, is on the rise, and is the eighth largest city in Germany five steps below Munich at number three.  Borussia Dortmund is also the only publicly traded club on the German stock market.  It is a people’s club.

So how did Buffalo miss a marketing opportunity?  Buffalo and Dortmund are Sister-Cities.  They have been Sister-Cities since 1972, that is 41 years.  The  Buffalo Mayor’s office did not send at comment of support to the mayor of Dortmund.  The local media did not contact the Dortmund media about the match.  The local business community offered no congratulations, support or encouragement.  Even after the match, the Buffalo News and local television stations gave the score but never made mention that there was a Buffalo connection to the event.  The sports “reporter” on WGRZ  read the results and made no effort to find a way to pronounce the name of  Dortmund’s  goalscorer, İlkay Gündoğan (Il-kay Gun-do-gan).  We are a multi-ethnic community, what does he do?  He made a joke about it, how professional.  Ilkay is German born of Turkish heritage and Buffalo has a Turkish Sister-City – Yildirim-Bursa.

I believe the problem is that the Sister-City program is off little interest to Buffalo’s public and business communities.  No one knew Dortmund was a  partner.  Some may find this accusation absurd.  For me knowledge and using that knowledge, including sporting events, to  get our community in front of  people in a positive light is invaluable.  The USA and European Union are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement.  We should be preparing for it by developing increased contacts with our long time sister,  or twin as many call the arrangement, Dortmund.

Buffalo has ten Sister-Cities, three in Europe – Dortmund, Germany – Lille, France and Rzeszow, Poland.  I have a feeling we have do a poor job promoting and discussing these relationships  in the interest of  public, cultural, business, trade and travel opportunities.

A small group of people is causing problems for thousands of  living in Buffalo’s Sister-City/Twin Town of Dortmund, Germany.  Their football (soccer) club, historic Borussia Dortmund, is one of the premier clubs of German football.  It plays in the largest football stadium in Germany.  Their matches have been making news because a small group of neo-nazi thugs have infiltrated the grounds attempting to draw attention to themselves and their discredited agenda.

The call of racist chants and an increase in violence have occurred during league matches and have brought negative press to this giant of the Bundesliga.  USA Today has just reported the problem in a recent issue and was very clear in announcing that the perpetrators number roughly 100 and appear in a section of the huge Westfalenstadion   which accommodates some 24,000 fans of its 80, 600 capacity.

This is probably the same amount rowdy drunks that can cause problems in our Ralph Wilson Stadium  which at 73,000 seats for Buffalo Bills games is only slightly smaller than Westfalenstadion.  The only problem is full blown hatred is much more dangerous than people who’ve had a beer too many.  And yet in either case everyone gets labeled.

The type of intolerant behavior being exhibited in Dortmund, or anywhere else in the world, has no place in a civilized society..  Over the centuries it has wreaked havoc on nations and continents.  No sense in retelling the story, we all know the dangers.

Dortmund like Buffalo is a city of immigrants and colors.  We share a history of  industrial might and are both in the process of reinventing themselves due to shifting economies.  We owe an offer of moral support to our Dortmunder friends.  Let’s hope that the great fans of Borussia Dortmund and good people of the city don’t’ allow the few to get away with mindless anger in trying to end 68 years of growth and progress. .

Buffalo-Dortmund have had ties since 1977.