Friday morning in Sydney. I’m on a stroller tour at the Maritime Museum with my grandson. Around me: young moms with toddlers, one other grandpa wrangling twins.
The tour ends in the playroom — colorful chaos everywhere. I feel a bit out of place.
Then a young man taking drink orders asks, “Oh, where do you come from?”
“Germany.”
“Where from in Germany?”
“Frankfurt.”
His face lights up: “Oh wow, did you see the game this morning?”
He meant the Champions League match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray Istanbul. Played the night before in Europe, it aired live in Sydney at dawn.
When I woke up, Eintracht was leading 5–1 — top of the group after matchday one. My new acquaintance had watched every minute. Suddenly, we weren’t strangers anymore.
That’s the power of soccer: it creates instant belonging. It’s not just the sport. it’s the emotional baggage it carries. For him, “Frankfurt” meant the team, the match, the fans.
Even with oceans and time zones between us, we’d shared the same moment in real time.
And here’s the business lesson:
Brand + Emotion + Shared Experience = Instant Connection
What do you think?
If your brand stands not just for a product, but for a feeling, you create those magical moments. Like here, in a café on the other side of the world.
I’m Bernd Scharbert, and I explore what business can learn from soccer. If that resonates with you, let’s connect.
—————————- Longer Version ——————-
Eintracht Frankfurt really Is a Brand
Friday morning in Sydney. I’m out with my grandson, taking part in a stroller tour at the Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour. Around me are young women with their toddlers. There’s one man as well, also a grandpa, looking after a pair of twins.
The tour ends in the playroom, and a colorful chaos unfolds. I feel a bit out of place.
My rescue comes in the form of a young man taking drink orders. The ticket includes a hot beverage, so I order a strong flat white.
“Oh, where do you come from?” he asks. Probably because my accent gave away that I’m not from around here.
“Germany,” I reply, short and to the point.
He doesn’t let it go: “Where from in Germany?”
“Frankfurt.”
“Oh wow, did you see the game this morning?”
That breaks the ice. I’m surprised he watched it, the Champions League match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray Istanbul had taken place the night before. Because of the time difference, it was early morning in Sydney.
When I woke up, 77 minutes had been played. Eintracht was leading 5–1 and, after the first matchday of the group stage, sat at the top of the table.
My conversation partner had seen the game and turned out to be a real Bundesliga aficionado. I’d found myself a great person to talk to.
Soccer creates an instant sense of belonging, even between strangers. It’s not just the sport itself. It’s all the “emotional baggage” that comes with it. For my counterpart, “Frankfurt” didn’t just mean a city; it instantly brought to mind Eintracht, the match, and the fans.
And even if it’s early morning in Sydney and late evening in Frankfurt, people can experience the same event in real time. Soccer today is global, and thanks to worldwide media coverage, a match can be watched live anywhere on the planet.
What works in soccer works in business too, right?
Brand + Emotion + Shared Experience = Instant Connection
If companies manage to position their brand so it stands not just for a product but for a feeling, those magical moments happen. Just like here, in a café on the other side of the world.
I’m Bernd Scharbert, and I write about what business can learn from soccer. If that interests you, feel free to follow me.
#FussballMeetsBusiness #Prepare4Landing
