In recent years, it's become a common practice for teams to invest time and resources into creating elaborate pre-game ceremonial displays. Teams are working harder now than ever before to pull off card stunts, flyovers, flag displays, and more to elevate the game experience for fans.
Fans of the soccer club Borussia Dortmund recently put on an extremely impressive display prior to a Champions League match against Arsenal. The match, held at Emirates Stadium, featured a large section of fans seated in a wing of the stadium performing a massive card stunt, highlighted by an image of a crown being lifted into the air above the stands and overlooking the playing field.
The pre-game ceremony was truly special. Take a look at how the team pulled it off below:
It would be interesting to see teams adopt this ceremonial tactic to promote corporate partners (showcasing their logos above the stands/playing field), athletes and their individual brands (think of the Miami Heat raising a crown in the air to promote LeBron "King" James), and new team kits/uniforms.
Look for more sports organizations to benchmark these tactics in the future!