The Bundesliga continues to build its reputation as football’s innovation benchmark

The Bundesliga is one of the world’s leading sports brands.

The competition has the highest average attendance figures in world football (over 43,000 per game), as well as huge overall revenues that are only comparable to a few other sporting leagues across the globe.

The German league has used this success to continue to build its digital engagement methods with its worldwide supporter base.

Over the past three seasons the Bundesliga’s digital channels have increased its fanbase by over one hundred percent, becoming the most engaged of all top European leagues.

The Bundesliga’s proactive approach continues to show why it is being labelled as football’s leading league, in regards to its technological enhancements.

Its long-term strategy to produce content that reaches more fans, in more ways, more often, is fuelling its further growth.

In recent years, the competition does have a notable history when it comes to innovation.

In 2011, the Bundesliga launched the world’s biggest digital football archive. The archive has over 33,000 matches on demand and over 140,000 hours of content, with historical data spanning back to the league’s composition in 1963.

In 2012, it became the first professional league to create an E-Football competition which now has over 120,000 players competing each year.

Goal-line technology was implemented in 2015, with games broadcasted in Ultra High Definition (UHD) in 2016.

VAR was introduced in the Bundesliga in 2017, becoming one of the first leagues to use the system.

Virtual advertising began in 2018, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to deliver highlights in 2019 to fans, through a partnership with WSC Sports.

In association with Vodafone, the Bundesliga implemented 5G technology in football stadiums for the first time ever this past season. Fans were able to test real-time data and Augmented Reality (AR) on their smartphones during a game, in what was a look into the future for the in-stadium spectator experience.

So, after all of these previous technological innovations, what are the Bundesliga’s future plans in the digital world?

Their long-term approach focuses on a key process, which includes: Monitoring the current industry and engagement levels, building new innovative products and testing their capabilities, then finally implementing those that are successful and will satisfy the league’s high targets.

The league works with educational institutions such as Harvard Business School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to keep an eye on new tech and identify changes in consumer behaviour, consumption and how they relate to the league.

Alongside this academic research, data has been collected by Bundesliga subsidiary Deutsche Fussball Liga (DFL) Digital Sports, detailing how fans consume football, on what platforms, how often and what type of content they enjoy the most.

Another Bundesliga subsidiary Sportec Solutions, records around four million pieces of data from each game, equating to roughly 40,000 pieces a minute. Using DFL Digital Sports’ personal preference information, the data gathered can be utilised by delivering content that leads to deeper connections with its fans and building its base in key markets.

“Understanding the needs and interests of Bundesliga fans stands at the centre of our strategic development as an entertainment provider,” Bundesliga’s Executive Vice-President of Digital Innovation, Andreas Heyden, told fcbusiness.

“Innovative technologies don’t only allow us to learn about and identify what consumers want, but also enables us to react to their demand for individualised content whenever and wherever they want. How fast leagues are able to feed in and integrate new technologies, and offer customised content to fans, will determine who will be at the forefront of football innovation in the years to come.”

Partnering with Messe Dusseldorf, the Bundesliga participated in and also hosted various innovation events in different markets.

In May 2018, the first SportsInnovation event was held in Dusseldorf, with SportsInnovation Future Summits held in China and the USA late last year.

A similar SportsInnovation event will be held in the near future.

Messe Dusseldorf’s Director of SportsInnovation, Heinz Kusters, said: “No other football league offers an innovation event on this scale. It offers a platform for interaction and exchange. Decision-makers from clubs, federations and organisations, as well as the media and the broadcasting industry involved in high-performance sports will come together from all four corners of the world, gain exclusive insights into the technologies of the present and future, exchange ideas and set the foundation for innovations to come. With several new technological developments in the areas of match analysis, broadcasting, digital services and stadium experience to be showcased in a live football environment, it’s certainly an event not to be missed.”

The Bundesliga does continue to invest in its bright future.

An investment with German company Athletia, has led to a joint venture product called ‘Ryghts’, which will monitor all levels of international piracy of Bundesliga matches.

Smart financial decisions such as this, will help the league maintain its strong reputation as football’s innovation leader.

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Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

Melbourne Victory & SEDA

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities grants open

Soccer youths

The first round of the WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program grants is now open for applications until March 21.

The program is an initiative from the West Australian government aimed to inspire partnerships between schools and community sporting groups to more effectively use sporting facilities and foster a greater sense of community.

Developed in collaboration with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC), and the Department of Education (DoE), the program strives to:

  • improve access to sporting facilities for community sporting groups
  • improve school sports facilities
  • assist schools in developing their facilities for outside hours use without damaging student safety
  • encourage partnerships between schools and community sporting groups

Grants Eligibility 

Program funding is only available to WA public primary or secondary schools, which have partnered with at least one community sporting group under a DoE Community Use Agreement.

Schools applying for funding must prove they need monetary support to develop facilities and assist community sporting groups to use facilities. Additionally, they need an Eligibility Declaration from their partnered sporting grouping to confirm it will regularly access the facilities.

The partnered community sporting group must also meet a range of eligibility requirements:

  • It must be incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 2015 (WA),
  • Or it must be an Indigenous organisation under the Corporations (Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
  • Or it must be a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • It must participate in a classified sport under the DLGSC
  • It must be registered under a DLGSC recognised state sport association (SSA)
  • It must enter teams into a local sport program or DLGSC SSA affiliated competition
  • It must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • It must comply with the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004
  • It must maintain insurance to cover the DoE CUA

Grants Funding Parameters 

There is up to $50,000 worth of funding available for successful applicants across four different types of one-off investments:

Minor Equipment or Infrastructure

This includes funding for small scale items such goalposts, equipment storage or other minor items or infrastructure.

Minor Playing Surface or Upgrade of Oval or Hardcourts

This includes funding for minor improvements to sports fields and courts, such as:

  1. Resurfacing
  2. Marking
  3. Reticulation
  4. Returfing
  5. Grass oval rejuvenation works

Minor Improvements to Existing Surfaces 

This includes funding for small scale improvements that make sporting facilities safer for outside use, such as locks, cameras, gates, and lights.

Other Relevant Activities That Enhance Facilities Use

This includes funding for activities that would increase the use of sporting facilities, such as for one off payments for staff and equipment.

How to Apply for Grants

Applications for the program can be completed online on the DLGSC website.

Before applying make sure to read the guidelines and have the necessary documentation ready.

Documents you will need are:

  • Signed Community Use Agreement (or letter of intent to enter at CUA)
  • Community Sport Group Eligibility Declaration
  • Quotes, photos, files and documents to use as evidence to support your claim

Applications for the first round of funding must be completed and submitted before March 21 5.00 pm 2025. If you miss out on this round or are unsuccessful, there are two more rounds of grants occurring later in the year.

The second round of applications will open March 24 9.00 pm and close May 16 5.00 pm 2025. While the third round of applications will open May 19 9.00 pm and close July 4 5.00 pm 2025.

 

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