On the terraces: BVB's Westfalenstadion turns 50, Union Berlin kit criticism, Leverkusen ultras' Bayer choreo

In a weekly Newsletter, Matt Ford keeps an eye on the action off the pitch in the Bundesliga and German football, explaining what’s going on from fan protests to finances.

The never-ending battle between commerce and fan culture was as present as ever on Bundesliga terraces this week, as Germany's biggest football stadium, Borussia Dortmund's Westfalenstadion, celebrated its 50^th anniversary. Club and active fan scene marked the occasion in different ways, with some initiatives complementing each other and others causing irritation. There was similar marketing controversy surrounding Union Berlin's choice of shirt against Bayer Leverkusen, whose fans had celebrated their own unique industrial heritage with a German Cup choreography last week.

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This is Matt Ford’s 12^th “On the terraces” newsletter. The first newsletter for Gegenpressing was made available for all subscribers so readers can get a good idea of what he’ll be covering in German football this year. If you like what you see, please consider taking out a paid subscription.