What the sports industry can learn from FC Bayern 4.0

FC Bayern Munich has long been more than Germany's most successful football club. As a result of digitization, the AG has become a globally operating company that reaches more than 80 million people thanks to its own social media channels. At the ISPO Digitize, Bayern's digital strategists explained how FC Bayern 4.0 activates its fans, users and ultimately customers. And ISPO.com explains what the sports industry can learn from Bayern.

Nearly 47 million fans on Facebook. 12.8 million on Instagram. 5.6 million on Twitter. These reach of 10 million hits per month via the website and 12 million via the app - the FC Bayern Munich reaches a huge community worldwide.

With these masses, which moves the German football champion thanks to the digital transformation, certainly can not keep up with every fire in the sports industry. And the usual sports trade never mind. And yet, both sides, industry and commerce, can learn a thing or two from the digital strategy of FC Bayern - as the lectures of media director Stefan Mennerich and digital strategist Benjamin Stoll showed at the ISPO Digitize Summit.

1. Reach is the base, good content is a must

In times of exploding football markets with transfer fees in the triple-digit million range, the opportunities arising from digitization have long since become the decisive economic factor. And yet "monetization is at the very bottom of the chain" when it comes to the relationship with users, explains media director Stefan Mennerich. "Reach is the basis of everything," says the media chief, "and we achieve that with relevant content."

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1. Record all platforms with authentic content

Relevant means from the point of view of FC Bayern especially: exclusive. FC Bayern has long since become its own media house, producing 360-degree content around the clock on its channels 365 days a year. This includes not only the own TV channel fcb.tv., 30 social media platforms serve the Munich, they have international editorial offices built (including in New York and Shanghai, also in India and Russia). "We've been building editorial offices around the world because we always try to provide authentic content in all markets and the local people know best what the fans want there," says Stefan Mennerich.

1. Always have your own DNA on the screen

Despite all internationality: "We must always try to keep our roots in mind. We have to reach out to people around the world, but we have to preserve the DNA of our markers, "says Mennerich. "We must never forget who we are and where we come from. The first post that denies our roots would hurt our brand. "

1. GIF champion Bayern: Emotions are world language

In twelve different languages ​​there are now Facebook accounts of FC Bayern. "And then there is this one world-wide relevant language," says the media chief: "GIFs". In the presentation at the ISPO Digitize shows the media chief GIFs on which superstar Frank Ribéry forms a heart with his hands, Thomas Müller dances in Krachledernen Schuhplattler and the players wear the master trainer Jupp Heynckes on hands.

"Everything here is about emotions. GIFs are the new global world language, "says Bavaria digital strategist Benjamin Stoll. Stefan Mennerich puts it this way: "The emotions run around on our legs."

Example of this playful mix of exclusive content and GIF language: When Mats Hummels dropped his paper cup full of coffee at the entrance to the team bus and spilled the coffee, there were tons of content ideas, from videos to GIFs the end of which is a conversion to the FC Bayern shop with a coffee thermos.

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1. Use the reach for engagement

Above all, with these GIFs FC Bayern 4.0 manages to get its fans to react. They are provided with millions of likes, comments and above all shared. "The range alone is worth nothing," says media director Mennerich, adding value to the user relationship is the commitment. "The users have to establish a relationship with us, we have to let them interact," adds Benjamin Stoll.

1. Develop the relationship with the users
   But how can the relationship with the users be expanded? One example: FC Bayern hosted its first hackathon last winter.
   Benjamin Stoll presented the facts about FCBayernHackdays at the ISPO Digitize Summit.

• 226 participants from 43 nations selected from over 1300 applicants

• Innovative approach for collaboration, co-creation, ideation and generation of new fan experiences

• Collaboration and exchange of ideas with leading experts from Google, Facebook, Copa90 etc

• 46 ideas and prototypes, but 5-6 "with a huge potential" (Stoll)

• Innovative springboard for fan engagement

1. Being digital means allowing mistakes

"Everyone is allowed to make suggestions, everyone is heard, mistakes are tolerated," Stefan Mennerich describes the climate in the digital unit of FC Bayern. Digital strategist Benjamin Stoll adds: "Thinking digitally means being ready to make mistakes and to learn from them. And to be brave, to do experiments. "

1. Being digital means experimenting with experiments

To the experiments, which were quite successful, Stoll counts the "Augmented Reality" function , which integrated the FC Bayern on its App. An experiment in which the fans Arjen Robben or Manuel Neuer with the help of AR in their own bedroom or can pose with them in every remote place in the world - virtual.

1. The monetization is at an end

Just as the content and reach of FC Bayern stands, the commitment and the expansion of the relationship with the users follow, the monetization is at the end of this chain, as Stefan Mennerich explains: "Only when the users have registered with us, if they become regular visitors and get involved, we can think about monetizing. "

1. Digitization is constantly offering new options

The FC Bayern München Digital & Media Lab has now founded its own subsidiary, which is headed by Media Director Stefan Mennerich as Managing Director. "We build the IT for other clubs, give them digital advice, develop the platforms technically, even for non-sports customers."

Stefan Mennerich explains why FC Bayern 4.0 is leaving the traditional fields: "The FC Bayern brand is so big that we have to diversify it through digitization. We will also act as an agency. That is the way we can continue to grow. The classic revenue of sponsoring and TV revenues are exhausted at some point, we are going to other business areas. "

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1. Digitization is an eternal beta phase

After all social media platforms, FC Bayern now tackles the subject of AR and VR, blockchain and drones. I do not know today what else is going on, "says Mennerich, but we will strive every day to always do something new." For Bavaria Media Director Stefan Mennerich, a digital mindset is characterized as follows: "The digital Transformation is an eternal beta phase. "