Since late November, Borussia Dortmund has a new strongman in Carsten Cramer. The 57-year-old has been implementing changes without hesitation, making statements that the club has lacked for far too long.
«Having ‘a lot of life in the place’ is part of Borussia Dortmund’s core DNA,» stated Carsten Cramer. The 57-year-old, who became spokesperson for the BVB management team at the end of November and now oversees communication and strategy in addition to his existing responsibilities in marketing, sales, digitalization, and internationalization, wasn’t referring to distant events.
The abuse scandal involving a former high-ranking official, the unsavory mudslinging between incumbent Dr. Reinhold Lunow and challenger Hans-Joachim Watzke for the presidency, and the largely disastrous weak performance last season – there has indeed been a lot happening at the Westphalian club recently. Cramer has never tried to sugarcoat these negative headlines. He has always spoken plainly, making it clear that BVB has not presented a good image.
Cramer made these statements about two weeks ago, coinciding with Dortmund’s introduction of their new sporting director, Ole Book. This appointment was as surprisingly swift as the fact that BVB is entrusting its squad to a man inexperienced at this level, formerly of second-division club SV Elversberg.
Book’s first appearance lasted nearly 40 minutes. Cramer spoke twice during this time, making statements with a clarity not heard in a long time. Collectively, these remarks painted a picture of the ambition with which Cramer intends to approach his new role, and indeed, how he has approached his work since joining BVB in 2010.
Carsten Cramer Declares ‘The New BVB’
«In recent weeks and months, we’ve shown that we want to show a lot of courage and have the desire to make Borussia Dortmund even better,» Cramer said, adding that he is «not a big fan of always looking to the past, because too much looking back eventually leads to neck pain.»
While he undoubtedly didn’t intend it, this statement alone could be interpreted as a subtle jab at Watzke, who often appears backward-looking. The current president has frequently cited the club’s sporting achievements over the past decade rather than telling a new, forward-looking story.
With the departure of Book’s predecessor, Sebastian Kehl, Cramer stated that the club aims «not just to press the reset button, but to truly start an update.» The father of four sees this significant move as a signal that «we as Borussia Dortmund have big plans.» He added, «I somehow have the impression that in Ole, we’ve brought someone on board who truly represents the new BVB. This piece of the puzzle with Ole fits perfectly.»
Carsten Cramer is a Doer – and Acts Without Hesitation
This is the essence of Cramer’s remarks. Almost in the middle of a season where Borussia is earning points in the Bundesliga like never before in many years and is on track for a confident Champions League qualification, unlike in the previous two seasons, the club’s leader is proclaiming a new BVB. This is remarkable and, given recent developments, urgently necessary.
It seems that the criticism often leveled against Borussia, particularly during crises – that the club often wallows in its own success, lacks squad planning creativity, has a faded identity over the years, and a diminished connection with the club – has reached Cramer. And now, with him at the helm, he is acting decisively.
This is refreshing and, in a way, not surprising. Cramer has always been a doer. His unconventional career path alone demonstrates his unwavering approach to work, his willingness to take on challenges, and his progressive thinking.
Carsten Cramer’s Influence at BVB Has Steadily Grown
He once sold table tennis equipment in a sports store. Later, he was a stadium announcer in his hometown of Münster and at Hamburger SV. He studied law but developed a passion for marketing and sales. Through this path, he entered professional football, where he has steadily climbed the career ladder.
Cramer is a convincing salesman. He is not only rhetorically talented but also possesses a pleasant degree of empathy and, unlike Watzke at times, doesn’t seem aloof. Since working in Dortmund, the club has attracted an increasing number of sponsors willing to invest significantly. Dortmund’s gross revenue has long exceeded half a billion euros, much of which was generated in Cramer’s business segments.
The influence he gradually gained through this has now placed him in Watzke’s former seat. There, Cramer, who has stood firm against criticism, particularly regarding some rather peculiar jersey designs that drew fan backlash, is now being as creative as he has always acted.
Carsten Cramer Has Already Made Far-Reaching Decisions for BVB
Cramer had not been in office for a month before long-time communications director Sascha Fligge was let go. In his area of passion, women’s football, he underlined BVB’s ambitions by signing highly decorated Ralf Kellermann as sporting director and striker Alexandra Popp. The changes continued with the shift from Kehl to Book. Furthermore, the infrastructure is being optimized: the professional team’s training center will be expanded, and the women’s department will receive a functional building, including training pitches, situated alongside the professional facilities.
Cramer, who wants to be seen as an «impetus giver» in his new role, likely aims to reignite a mood around BVB comparable to the Jürgen Klopp era, while also definitively emancipating from it. This can be achieved through innovative, courageous, and sometimes unconventional strategies.
Ultimately, success in the sporting arena will be decisive. However, there is no doubt: the environment is ready for a new BVB, and in some parts, it is even craving it. This includes statements like the one Cramer made to the *Westfälische Nachrichten*: «Our ambition is naturally not to be the number two permanently. For that, we need this hunger, this obsession to win games. Throughout the entire club. In every department. You can’t even lose a legends match in a black-and-yellow jersey.»
Two Opportunities Arise for Carsten Cramer
Cramer now has two opportunities. Standing at the forefront of a major club, he can become the face who gradually implements long-overdue reforms and reinstates a recognizable, overarching guiding principle at Borussia.
It’s important to remember: as recently as last May, the large fan alliance «Südtribüne Dortmund» expressed strong criticism in an open letter about a «club without strategy,» stating that it «tries to fix the same old mistakes with the same old traditional methods – and has been going in circles for years.»
Ultimately, Cramer will, of course, be primarily judged by how the new BVB performs in sports and, especially, how the appointment of Book, for which he is also responsible, reshapes the squad. However, there is also potential for personal change: Cramer, who has been less popular with fans and viewed critically, can forge an entirely new reputation.
Carsten Cramer’s Promising Start at BVB
He is well aware of this himself and summarized it during Book’s introduction: «We want and must be ready to embrace change and take unconventional measures, for which new faces might then stand. This starts with myself.»
Cramer’s start has been quite promising, and one can look forward to the coming months with anticipation. His actions so far, supported by his statements, are already breathing fresh air into the club. Many things have been set in motion. For a genuine new beginning built on the existing foundation, this pace must continue.