Focus: Tomorrow 3 Foreword

Broadcast Venues Digital Leadership Data & Analytics & Projects Next Levels

Focus: BY DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA Tomorrow Broadcast Venues Digital Leadership Data & Analytics & Projects Next Levels

Focus: BY DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA Tomorrow Discover more

1. Download and install the Active Pixx app from the App Store or Google Play.

2. Look out for the photos with the above icon in the magazine.

3. Scan the photo with the app on your smartphone or tablet to find out more. Sensible innovation is one of the core pillars of everything we strive for.

CHRISTIAN SEIFERT CEO OF THE DFL

FOCUS: TOMORROW 3 FOREWORD

Ladies and Gentlemen,

German professional football has transformed rapidly in the past years: Today the Bundesliga is one of the most innovative and technologically advanced sports leagues in the world. It is not just the players and the football itself that make the beautiful game so attractive, but also the highest possible standards of sport technology.

Sensible innovation is one of the core pillars of everything we strive for. This is why we would like to introduce you to important developments in key areas of our work in this magazine – from numerous spectacular camera systems to the unique trade fair SportsInnovation, which aspires to set new standards as an industry platform for technological companies and other stakeholders from the world of football. You will also learn more about the DFL’s approach to sports data, the features of our digital content hub, our pioneering role in the field of eFootball and much more.

The DFL and its subsidiaries, such as Bundesliga International, DFL Digital Sports, Sportcast and Sportec Solutions, constantly aim to improve their work. Since 2006, the DFL Group has been working on serving most of the value chain related to German professional football in-house – from producing the basic

4 FOCUS: TOMORROW signal of all matches and creating precisely tailored content for clubs and partners through to recording and preparing match data and marketing the broadcasting rights. The result of constantly enhancing the conditions for German professional football is a unique media product for our partners and fans from all around the globe.

The aim of all the different initiatives and measures is for the DFL to further increase the visibility and appeal of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 and to further improve the conditions for the 36 clubs – thereby working intensively to lay the technological foundations for a successful future of German professional football, both nationally and worldwide. This magazine will provide you with a deeper understanding of what is behind this approach. The DFL aims to set the technological benchmarks for the future of world football. One cannot rest upon success – therefore our focus must lie on tomorrow.

Yours sincerely,

CHRISTIAN SEIFERT CEO OF THE DFL

FOCUS: TOMORROW 5 CONTENTS

page. 14 page. 52 Emotion enhancers Always on

6 FOCUS: TOMORROW page. 78 page. 98 Datadriven Gamechanger

FOCUS: TOMORROW 7 CONTENTS

BROADCAST

Rising high page. 16

All eyes on the pitch page. 24

Football in motion page. 30

Ultra sharp page. 34

Memory lane page. 38

VENUES

SportsInnovation MIT Sports Entrepreneurship page. 44 Bootcamp page. 50

8 FOCUS: TOMORROW DATA& DIGITAL ANALYTICS& LEADERSHIP PROJECTS NEXT LEVELS

Picture plus Big data Game on page. 54 page. 80 page. 100

Anytime, anywhere The DFL’s data factory One-two with the world page. 62 page. 82 page. 108

The Bundesliga orchestra Sportec Solutions ecosystem Taking the Bundesliga global page. 66 page. 86 page. 112

Around the clock Tracking to perfection page. 72 page. 88

5G Feeding football SECTIONS page. 76 page. 92

It‘s alive! Data on demand DFL for Equity page. 77 page. 93 page. 12

For a fairer game Milestones page. 94 page. 116

Goal? Yes or no! Imprint page. 96 page. 118

FOCUS: TOMORROW 9 Who we are

We have represented the interests of the tailor-made content for clubs and partners. We 36 clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 collect match data, which we refine and then since the beginning of this millennium. We distribute. As a media company, we generate organise German professional football and ideas and drive innovation. We are part of so- market it all over the world. As part of this pro- ciety, and we are committed to integration, to cess, we handle large parts of the media-relat- participation, to helping young people grow up ed value chain in-house. We produce and dis- leading active lives – and to success in top-level tribute all the matches ourselves. We prepare sport. We are the DFL.

10 FOCUS: TOMORROW FOCUS: TOMORROW 11 DFL for Equity

12 FOCUS: TOMORROW The DFL is taking the next step in its corporate strategy by acquiring stakes in small and medium-sized companies and start-ups.

that supports around 80 international clubs, leagues and associations with its services and products – especially in the fields of content, branding, analysis and rights protection. A market leader in social media protection and content he DFL has been constantly compliance, they have also been work- presence with the DFL, the expertise T enlarging its corporate portfolio ing for the DFL since 2015, handling that the DFL Group already possesses ever since it was established. This en- cases of unauthorised dissemination of in each field and the relevant coop- ables it to cover large parts of a media copyright-protected content on social eration on innovations in the area of company’s value chain, ranging from media. The company is growing and anti-piracy. production and distribution of matches has established the joint venture to the creation of tailored content for “ryghts” with the DFL in order to The DFL took its first holding as part partners, the collection, delivery and expand its business to include rights of “DFL for Equity” in October 2018 refinement of match data, and global protection in the fields of web stream- when it invested in the Israeli start-up marketing, which is what sets the DFL ing and IPTV. The DFL has a low-dou- Track160. The DFL received a share apart in international football. One ble-digit-percentage stake in the new of around ten per cent in Track160, further step forward that the DFL has company and is using this to expand its including a variable downstream share taken as part of its corporate strategy own business model. in the profits. In return, Track160 gains is known as “DFL for Equity”. What this access to the DFL’s match database means, as DFL CEO Christian Seifert With effect from the start of the and the German Football Archive, puts it, is that, by acquiring stakes in 2019-20 season, “ryghts” has been which enables it to develop its innovative, promising companies in the carrying out the monitoring of all in- artificial-intelligence-based analytics media, technology and sports indus- ternational piracy activities relating to system faster and, with the aid of the tries, “we want to draw much greater the broadcast of Bundesliga matches. DFL network, to grow rapidly both at benefit in the future from the positive This is the first time that the DFL is home and abroad. The partnership growth of companies that are closely entrusting proceedings against piracy can make a substantial contribution allied with the DFL Group”. violations relating to social media, the to Track160’s promising prospect as web and IPTV to a single provider. As a “DFL invested company” – and this Clubs as well as media partners are also part of this cooperation arrangement, is exactly what will happen with other benefiting from the DFL’s cooperation “ryghts” will also benefit from intan- holdings that the DFL acquires in the with Athletia, a company from Cologne gible assets such as a joint market future.

FOCUS: TOMORROW 13 CHAPTER#1 Broad cast

14 FOCUS: TOMORROW Broad cast

BROADCAST 15 Rising high

The DFL uses up to 25 cameras for the production of Bundesliga matches. The following pages illustrate the holistic concept behind this setup.

16 FOCUS: TOMORROW

FACTS & FIGURES The use of aerial camera SPIDERCAM systems has been providing thrilling images 2007 the year the Spider- out of Bundesliga cam was first used in a regular Sportcast TV production stadiums for more than ten years. 30 kilograms the total weight of the system together with camera and lens

9 metres per second the top speed the system can reach

1.2 tonnes the load that each of the four carrier cables can bear

he beauty of certain things often Tbecomes apparent only from a 250x250 metres distance, from new and different per- the area covered spectives that nobody would previous- by the system ly have dared to dream about. In 2007, images from an aerial camera system brought excitement to a whole new 4 to 5 hours level among many TV viewers of the the battery life of the Bundesliga. Back then, Sportcast tri- Spidercam alled a new camera, which was mounted 20 metres high above the pitch, shooting both from an aerial view and also transmitting unprecedented close- up shots of the players on the pitch. The system became a regular fixture in top matches throughout the 2007-08 season. Today, aerial camera systems are used in at least 15 Bundesliga matches per season.

18 FOCUS: TOMORROW

FACTS & FIGURES ROBYCAM

The DFL Group began using these Both systems provide a smooth 20 kilograms types of systems much earlier than and stable picture thanks to special the total weight of the other top leagues, in order to give me- stabilisation mechanisms. Both the Robycam together with dia partners and fans new and innova- Spider- and the Robycam variants can camera and lens tive perspectives. Sportcast now works reach a top speed of 9 to 10 metres with two providers in order to cover per second. An operator controls the the subsequent increase in demand viewing direction of the camera as well 10 metres for aerial camera shots: Spidercam and as its zoom and focus. Both cameras per second Robycam. Both cams are installed as can take pictures with a resolution of the top speed of the pulley systems. The cables are fixed at up to 4k (4,096x2,160 pixels). The data system four points in the stadium and can bear is transferred using fibre-optic cables, a load of up to 1.3 tonnes. thus always guaranteeing spectacular images from a whole range of interest- 200x200 metres Both systems also consist of a dolly ing perspectives. the area covered by the and a camera, which are operated sep- system arately from the sidelines. An operator is responsible for moving the dolly into the correct positions in the stadium. 330 metres Through inputs in the control panel, the amount of cable the operator decides upon the fixed The two systems are required to mount the points at which the carrier cables are fixed at four points system to be wound or unwound. This allows on the stadium roof. the aerial camera to move silently on a By using the cable, horizontal, vertical and diagonal axis at the camera dolly can 1.3 tonnes any point above the pitch. Even parts be steered towards the load that each of of the spectator stands can be reached. its target by any the four carrier cables route. can bear

6 to 8 hours the battery life of the Robycam

BROADCAST 21 With a height of more than 20 metres, the aerial camera system has made particularly spectacular footage of Bundesliga matches available since 2007.

19 20

6 1 2 5 18 23 11

17 12

4 15 For the ultimate TV experience, 14 the DFL produces Bundesliga matches using up to 25 cameras. All eyes on the pitch

24 FOCUS: TOMORROW NR. 1-9 SSL, UHD, HD, 6xSSL cameras

NR. 10 Corner flag camera

NR. 11, 12 Playersʼ tunnel

NR. 13 Behind 22 goal high

9 8 NR. 14 Polecam

13 3 NR. 15, 16 16 25 Chip camera in the goal

NR. 17, 18 SSL on Orbiter

NR. 19 7 Beauty shot

NR. 20, 21 Goal-line cameras

NR. 22 Aerial camera system

NR. 23 Steadicam

NR. 24 Drone

NR. 25 Mini-jib ultra-slow motion

BROADCAST 25 he effort involved is huge. In total, for example, provides new viewing T306 matches are played in a angles of the game and allows viewers Bundesliga season – and each and to see duels and emotions right up every one of them requires a lot of close and unfiltered – all in the best production time and effort on the part picture quality. First rolled out during of Sportcast and its providers. The DFL the 2018 Supercup, it proved to be a subsidiary hires over 30,000 staff per huge success and is now used in DRONE season. And such numbers are warrant- selected top matches during the ed because every Bundesliga match is 2019-20 Bundesliga season. All drone models enable accompanied by at least 19 cameras, pictures to be produced in all of which need to be operated. This The tiny mini-jib ultra-slow motion HD (1,920x1,080 pixels). figure generally rises to 21 cameras, if camera was used live for the first time As a rule, drones are used not more, for the big games. The during the first 2019 “Klassiker”. This to capture outside views of Bundesliga encounter between miniature marvel captures ultra-slow a stadium before a match FC Bayern München and Borussia motion sequences from behind the begins. Whenever a drone is Dortmund, the “Klassiker”, which took goal, showing raw emotions in and deployed, two people are place on Matchday 28 of the 2018-19 around the goalmouth in breathtaking present: the camera operator season, was filmed using 25 cameras detail. and the pilot. The former for the first time – a record number in concentrates on the images, the Bundesliga. On 16 August 2019, From its beginnings in 2006, Sportcast while the specially trained this setup was repeated. 25 cameras has always strived to provide a better pilot controls the drone. were in use at the opener of the viewing experience through continually Each and every drone flight 2019-20 season between champion evolving camera concepts and new has to be requested and FC Bayern München und Hertha Berlin. perspectives. Standing still is going approved in advance. This The number of cameras afforded many backwards – that’s why you can expect means, for example, that it innovative viewing angles, which to see further innovative camera con- is harder to obtain pictures pleased media partners and viewers cepts presented at SportsInnovation from the airspace around alike. 2020. stadiums that are located near airports because the All the cameras are HD, while during restrictions need to be con- some top machtes, several UHD cam- sidered. All sound and video eras are added. The remaining ones are recordings are wirelessly special-purpose cameras used in transmitted to the broadcast particular areas. The corner flag camera, vehicle.

26 FOCUS: TOMORROW Special forces In addition to aerial camera systems, the DFL has the following special cameras that it can use for broadcasting Bundesliga matches.

STEADICAM

The Steadicam is a shoul- der camera head that allows PLAYERS’ TUNNEL camera operators to move freely on and alongside the pitch and thus to follow the Since the 2017-18 season, BEAUTY SHOT flow of play. In the jargon all players’ tunnels at of Sportcast, the Steadi Bundesliga stadiums have A beauty shot camera is cam is a “flat” camera since been fitted with two pan- usually installed at a very it is used to record images tilt cameras each. The high location in a stadi- right from the edge of the ceiling-mounted cameras have um, works unmanned, has a pitch. Operating a Steadicam a 65-degree tilt angle and wide-angle lens and thus has is an extremely demanding capture all the action in a view of almost the job, which requires years of sound and pictures – be- whole stadium. This provides experience – partly because fore and after matches and viewers with images from a it is, above all, physically during the half-time inter- 180-degree panorama per- challenging. The mount sys- val. The camera is remotely spective – but without the tem is attached to the cam- controlled by an operating fisheye appearance common in era operator’s body and thus element and can provide im- such systems, which pre- provides completely smooth ages with up to 1,920x1,080 sents the image tapering and motion dynamics thanks to a pixels. The major advantage curved at the outer edges. mechanically cushioned har- of this camera is that it “Distortion” is the special- ness. The Steadicam is used is able to balance out even ist term used in such cases. at all Bundesliga matches. poor lighting conditions.

BROADCAST 27 >6,000 camera placements are organised by Sportcast for broadcasts during each season in the Bundesliga.

MINI-JIB ULTRA-SLOW

MOTION

Whereas super-slow motion

6X SUPER-SLOW cameras record videos at up to 75 frames per second, the MOTION CHIP CAMERA IN THE mini-jib ultra-slow motion camera works at up to 150 GOAL While the super-slow motion images per second – a frame camera on the Orbiter (see rate that is six times that page 29) records three times Recordings made by this of conventional cameras. as many images per second camera when the ball hits Accordingly, recordings that as a conventional camera, the back of the net are would last five seconds with the 6xSSL, with 150 frames, especially popular. Be- conventional cameras require actually produces six times hind both goals there is, 30 seconds in ultra-slow mo- as many images per sec- in each case, a mini camera tion. This allows for an ex- ond. In addition, like the head with a super-wide-an- tremely detailed representa- super-slow motion camera, gle lens, which is placed so tion of situations such as it has a zoom factor of that the action is captured two-player contests for the 86. This enables the ac- by the mesh in the netting. ball. The jib arm attached tion to be recorded in HD The positioning of the chip to the camera is height-ad- (1,920x1,080 pixels) even camera in the goal means justable and flexible. The from a distance. The 6xSSL, that it also captures all arm and the camera itself too, is used at all matches movements of the netting in are operated by remote con- in the Bundesliga. this way. trol.

28 FOCUS: TOMORROW SUPER-SLOW MOTION ON

ORBITER

Statistically, ten minutes of Bundesliga broadcasts CORNER FLAG CAMERA are filled with slow-motion material. One way of The corner flag camera was doing this is with a su- developed by Sportcast in per-slow-motion camera, the space of six months. The which is set up near the system was tested for the centre line at all matches first time at SportsInno- in the Bundesliga, equipped vation 2018, and the camera with a special seat known POLECAM was first used at a live as an Orbiter. The Orbiter match in the Supercup 2018 allows for very low-perspec- between Eintracht Frankfurt tive pictures across the In the past, the equipment and FC Bayern München. The ground and a 360-degree view used at Bundesliga stadiums camera weighs only 140 grams between the coaches’ techni- included a camera crane be- and is relatively small, cal areas. The camera opera- hind the goal. These cranes with dimensions of 38x44x48 tor directs the camera while are no longer used in the cm. Nevertheless, it pro- sitting on the Orbiter. The Bundesliga. The mechanical vides images with HD reso- camera itself can record im- crane has been replaced by lution (1,920x1,080 pixels) ages at up to 75 frames per lighter, more flexible sys- and pictures that bring second – three times as many tems, such as the Polecam. viewers closer to the action as conventional cameras. The Unlike conventional camera than ever before – as it did increased number of frames cranes, the Polecam is op- in the opener of the 2019- is what creates the super- erated side-on, which means 20 season between FC Bayern slow motion effect. Anoth- much less space is needed München and Hertha Berlin. er two super-slow-motion for manoeuvring the camera In this particular match, cameras – albeit without an and the mini-crane system. two corner flag cameras were Orbiter – are located on the The Polecam is part of the used in the Bundesliga for opposite touchline, in the Bundesliga’s standard camera the first time. middle. concept.

BROADCAST 29 SPORTCAST

Football in motion

30 FOCUS: TOMORROW mazon, Netflix, Sportcast. Does Since 2006, the company has pro- A this list surprise you? The two duced more than 9,500 live matches US companies are among the biggest and regularly broadcast them in more producers of films and TV series in the than 200 FIFA member states world- world. But what does Sportcast have wide by satellite and fibre. Sportcast The DFL subsidi- to do with this? The DFL subsidiary can also operates a fibre network along ary Sportcast has claim this title for the transmission of the whole production chain to connect live sports broadcasts. Since 2006, the all the stadiums in the Bundesliga produced, pro- Cologne-based company has produced and Bundesliga 2. “This enables us to cessed, distribut- what is known as the basic signal, guarantee the greatest possible which forms the foundation of the live reliability for our partners,” Günther ed and archived all media product for Germany’s two top explains. video footage for football leagues. Through the International Product the Bundesliga and Sportcast is the DFL’s oldest subsidiary, Portfolio (IPP), the DFL provides its and every weekend it has around media partners with the widest variety Bundesliga 2 since 240 cameras set up in the stadiums of of video content from the Bundesliga, 2006 and thus has the 36 professional clubs to produce from live broadcasts of whole matches coverage of the matches in the – including with English commentary – responsibility for an Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. Sportcast to interviews and show formats. Sport- important part of hires in excess of 30,000 staff every cast takes responsibility for the entire season. “Initially, many thought the idea production infrastructure for match- the DFL’s media- of producing all the matches ourselves day-related execution and delivery. The related value chain. was over-ambitious, but we have now IPP is made available to licensees by demonstrated that it was exactly the satellite, fibre and file download. right step to take, for all involved,” says Sportcast’s CEO, Josef Nehl, who is one Sportcast also operates the German of the company’s executive manage- Football Archive, where all the ment duo, alongside Alexander Günther. Bundesliga’s video footage from 1963

BROADCAST 31 >9,500 live matches have been produced by Sportcast since 2006. The DFL subsidiary is responsible for production of the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2, the Supercup and the relegation playoffs. Since 2008, Sportcast has also had responsibility for the production of all 63 DFB Cup matches. >30,000 staff are hired by Sportcast every season. This figure includes all the technical and editorial personnel responsible for production of the world feed on-site in the stadiums. >160,000 hours of video material are held in the German Football Archive, including footage on more than 33,000 matches. In all, the archive has a data volume totalling 11,000,000 gigabytes.

32 FOCUS: TOMORROW “Our aim is always to improve our offering to our media partners and, through this, onwards is held digitally and can be viewers,” Sportcast Managing Direc- the experience for retrieved by all its media partners. tor Günther says. “We guarantee this viewers.” “This is the biggest digital football through our innovation and technology archive in the world,” Günther says. management and our use of the latest Alexander Günther “It enables us to provide our licensees production equipment.” Whether it is Sportcast Managing Director with an offering that gives them im- showing Bundesliga matches in UHD, mense added value.” Staff maintain the using virtual and augmented reality, archive, with its 160,000-plus hours of developing new special cameras or content, on a daily basis. In addition to driving virtual advertising. entire matches, it includes montages of games, teasers and trailers. The volume In a step born out of the 2015 inno- of material held by the archive grows vation game, Sportcast established by 11,000 hours of content every year. SportsInnovation, the new technology and industry platform for high-perfor- To enable Sportcast to cover the mance sport, in 2018 on behalf of the production of the 617 matches in the DFL and in collaboration with Messe Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, the Düsseldorf. Following the successful Supercup, the four relegation play- premiere, the second edition of Sports- offs and all 63 fixtures in the DFB Cup Innovation will take place in Düsseldorf every season, the company works with on 25 and 26 March 2020 with the partners who provide staff and equip- slogan “MEET THE FUTURE OF SPORTS ment on every matchday. Through the – MEDIA – STADIUM”. Sportcast subsidiaries HD SAT Commu- nications and Livecast TV Produktion, Sportcast also has nine SNG trucks and two state-of-the-art outside broadcast vans.

“Our aim is always to improve our offering to our media partners and, through this, the experience for

BROADCAST 33 Ultra sharp

HD images are already sharp and rich in contrast, but UHD images are even more appealing to the eye. As this example illustrates, the grass in the UHD version is more verdant and the boot studs are ultra-sharp. This is made possible by the higher resolution and greater contrast range of UHD images.

UHD

36 FOCUS: TOMORROW It is the future of FACTS & FIGURES television broadcasting:

The DFL has been What does UHD mean? UHD stands for ultra-high defini- producing Bundesliga tion. This includes features such as higher resolution compared with matches in Ultra HD HD. High definition (HD) works with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, since 2016. while UHD has 3840x2160 pixels.

Are 4K and UHD the same thing? The concept of 4K originates in y the end of 2019, there will be more than ten million UHD tele- the field of cinema and describes B vision sets in German households. These TVs became the high- a resolution of 4096x2160 pixels est-selling class of television for the first time in 2018, with a 52-per (17:9 widescreen format). The con- cent share.* It is forecast that 172 million UHD devices will have been cept of UHD, meanwhile, comes from sold worldwide by 2020. Demand for recordings in ultra-high defini- the field of television. According tion is constantly growing. The DFL is ready to meet this demand. to its standardisation, UHD also describes other parameters (see As early as 14 October 2016, the Borussia Dortmund vs Hertha Berlin below). Nevertheless, the terms are game became the first Bundesliga match to be broadcast in UHD. often used as synonyms. Its advantages were immediately apparent: the silhouettes of players can be identified even more distinctly in long shots; players’ and What else does the term clubs’ names are easier to read, even at a distance; and close-ups UHD stand for? have a level of detail that enables emotions to be presented more UHD broadcasting offers the pos- clearly. What is more, the picture as a whole looks sharper and more sibility of processing a greater realistic. In addition, the DFL has been working for years towards high contrast range (HDR – high dynamic dynamic range (HDR). HDR also makes colours appear more lifelike range), more colours and more sat- and helps to balance out the differences between light and dark areas urated colours (WCG – wide colour of the pitch – for example, those caused by shadow. gamut) and an increased frame rate (HFR – high frame rate). Since the second half of the 2015-16 season, Sportcast has been producing one match each matchday in UHD in collaboration with the What do HDR, WCG and HFR do? DFL media partner Sky. Six out of twenty-one cameras are operated HDR increases the contrast range of in native UHD. These are the cameras that provide wide-angle shots recordings, meaning that scenes can and only make moderate movements. All the other cameras are op- be presented more realistically, erated in an intermediate format, which has the refresh rate of UHD especially in particularly dark and but not its resolution. It would not be possible to make full use of the light areas. WCG enables more col- resolution because of blurring during rapid movements. This is being ours that actually occur in reality done so that viewers can be offered the clearest Bundesliga experi- to be reproduced in their natural ence, both now and in the future. form for the viewer. Recordings in HFR format minimise motion blur, a known problem in sports broadcasts *Source: The Deutsche TV-Plattform industry association, which brings together both state institutions such as the Bundesnetzagentur as well as private and public television broadcasters such as Sky, ARD, because of the rapid movements. ZDF and RTL.

BROADCAST 37

The DFL’s German Football Archive is the Bundesliga’s digital mind. Memory lane n the four-year period between 10 terabytes of storage space). When I 2007 and 2011, Sportcast’s em- one of the DFL’s numerous partners all ployees took all the video footage held over the world requests specific video by various licensees all over Germany content, that content is transferred covering the history of German football to the 1,800-terabyte online storage from 1963 as well as material from 11,000,000 gigabytes. The DFL’s part- facility and is instantly accessible to the competitions prior to then and con- ners can access more than five decades DFL’s 60-plus media partners via the verted it into digital format. As a result, of Bundesliga footage in the world’s web-based media portal. A variety of the DFL’s German Football Archive biggest digital football archive at the applications work in the background is now home to more than 160,000 push of a button, 24 hours a day, seven on 116 server systems to manage the hours of video content – which in- days a week. archive. This guarantees that 95 per cludes recordings of more than 33,000 cent of all requests lodged in the media matches. What is more, the archive is The data is stored in two tape libraries. portal can be handled automatically. constantly growing. It currently holds The entire digital memory of German The archive processes content with a around 11 petabytes’ worth of data, professional football is held on 1,100 data volume of 200 to 300 terabytes which equates to 11,000 terabytes or data tapes (which currently each have every day.

40 FOCUS: TOMORROW 200,000 files are held on a total of 1,100 data tapes. In all, this comes to a total of 11 petabytes. One petabyte equals 1,000,000 gigabytes. 500 gigabytes are produced in a single match. >160,000 hours of video footage are held in the archive. 95% of all requests to the media portal are handled automatically.

BROADCAST 41 CHAPTER#2 Venues

42 FOCUS: TOMORROW VENUES 43 The DFL and Messe Düsseldorf have together established the SportsInnovation as the new technology and industry platform for innovations from the world of sports.

MEET THE FUTURE OF SPORTS | MEDIA | STADIUM Experience innovation

44 FOCUS: TOMORROW VENUES 45 46 FOCUS: TOMORROW erman football is “on” for fans all G over the world 365 days a year – around the clock and on all channels. This is made possible by innovations, many of which are actually driven by professional football itself – ranging from television to digital media. Foot- ball is a “driving force for technological innovation”, in the words of DFL CEO Christian Seifert. The interplay between technological progress and high performance sport is of key importance to German professional football.

To continue to play a part in shap- ing these developments, the second edition of SportsInnovation is being held at the MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA on 25 and 26 March 2020 in collaboration with the organiser, Messe Düsseldorf. The focus will be on four core topics: As in 2018, Messe Next Gen Mobile, Next Gen Broad- Düsseldorf and cast, Next Gen Content Production the DFL with CEO and Next Gen Sport Experience. The Christian Seifert event is aimed at technology leaders, will welcome tech- companies in the sports sector, clubs, interested visitors representatives of the media industry, to the second edition marketing firms and start-ups. Like the of SportsInnovation premiere in 2018, it will be an event in March 2020. where the latest innovations in the world of sport will be presented live, high-quality production standard, showcases live and directly by watch- and brought to life, before guests’ eyes. enabling visitors to experience the ing the matches from the boxes and latest camera systems, data-collection business areas in the stadium. One unique selling point at the second methods as well as broadcast and SportsInnovation will be the innovation digital technologies live. Christian Seifert included these words matches between youth teams from in his speech at the opening of the first Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs that In 2020, around 50 exhibitors, 1,500 edition of SportsInnovation in 2018: will take place in the stadium along- international guests from the worlds “We have to remain innovative. We side the live showcases, presentations, of sport and the media, and numerous have to demonstrate proven entrepre- top-level talks and round tables. In journalists are expected to attend the neurial flair. We have to have the cour- 2020, guests will be able to watch four two-day event. Visitors will be able to age to take forward-looking decisions.” innovation matches. Sportcast, whose experience the latest technologies and Therefore, it is only logical that the DFL responsibilities include producing the innovations relating to 8K, AI, 5G and and Messe Düsseldorf are together basic signal for the Bundesliga and much more. The stadium’s main stage organising the second edition of Bundesliga 2 for the DFL’s domestic will also play host to a complementary SportsInnovation in 2020 and again and international media partners, will programme aimed at unveiling the turning the MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA – stage these games with no expense impressive innovations. In addition, it literally – into a playing field for compa- spared. This will build on Bundesliga’s will be possible to follow the exhibitors’ nies, marketing firms and the media.

VENUES 47 “SPORT IS THE STRONGEST DRIVING FORCE FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.”

Christian Seifert, CEO of the DFL

“IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE DFL TO BE AT THE CENTRE OF INNOVATION.”

Robert Klein, CEO Bundesliga International

“THE DFL IS DRIVING INNOVATION IN FOOTBALL TO BOOST THE BUNDESLIGA’S VALUE FOR OUR PARTNERS AND GROW ENTHUSIASM AMONG OUR FANS.”

Andreas Heyden, EVP Digital Innovations DFL Group

“FOOTBALL IN GENERAL IS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION.”

Alexander Günther, Managing Director Sportcast

48 FOCUS: TOMORROW

Helping start- ups get started

50 FOCUS: TOMORROW The first MIT Sports Entrepreneurship Bootcamp has taken place, with support from the DFL, helping talented young people to seize opportunities in the sports business and generating creative business ideas.

ow do I build a successful start- School of Management), Sascha L. complete with a business plan. At the H up in the sports sector? Togeth- Schmidt (Director, Center for Sports same time, they became part of a glob- er with TSG Hoffenheim, Sporttotal and Management, WHU Otto Beisheim al network of aspiring executives and and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of School of Management) and Erdin received an MIT certificate. Management, the DFL has organised Beshimov (Founder and Director, MIT the world’s first MIT Sports Entrepre- Bootcamps). MIT Bootcamps on a variety of subjects neurship Bootcamp in Germany. The have already been held successfully one-week programme, focusing on The bootcamp participants – young around the world. TSG Hoffenheim, innovation and technology, was held entrepreneurs, students, innovators Sporttotal and the DFL have performed at TSG Hoffenheim’s PreZero Arena and figures from the sports business pioneering work in organising the MIT from 7 to 13 September 2019 in – took advantage of the international Sports Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, collaboration with the Massachusetts platform to exchange ideas and gain thus underlining their claim to be Institute of Technology (MIT). inspiration. They learned how to drivers of innovation in international identify and evaluate opportunities high-performance sport. The programme consisted of work- in the sports industry and to work shops, talks and teamwork-focused together as a team to use the knowl- MIT is regarded as one of the world’s projects dealing with the latest devel- edge they had acquired to come up leading universities of technology, opments in the field of sports tech- with a concrete idea for a startup, while WHU is one of Germany’s most nology. The speakers sharing their prestigious business universities. MIT knowledge and experience included and the WHU Center for Sports and MIT and WHU professors, as well as Management conduct joint research prominent figures from the industry, in order to integrate content that is including Christian Seifert (DFL CEO), specifically relevant to the sports busi- Ben Shields (Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan ness into the MIT Bootcamp.

VENUES 51 CHAPTER#3 Digital Leader ship

52 FOCUS: TOMORROW Leader ship

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 53 Picture plus

In 2017, the DFL gave the Bundesliga a new, award-winning brand identity, which boosted the recognition value of on-air graphics. Today, augmented-reality content is also used regularly for this purpose.

54 FOCUS: TOMORROW

s this genuine? At first glance, In order to include the digital content in I there is hardly any question about the television picture, the aerial camera it, because the graphics are now too system’s video signal is combined with good to leave any room for doubt. It the digital content’s own tracking data, looks as though the Bundesliga logo which provide information about the and the club emblems are actually camera’s precise coordinates. These hovering over the middle of the pitch. pieces of information are both sent to However, as the camera comes a little the graphics software, which is used closer to the superimposed elements, it to place all the elements after a single becomes clear that it is an illusion. The calibration has been performed. As DFL is increasingly using augmented soon as the aerial camera system starts reality in its broadcasts, with the help moving, the graphics that have been of camera and computer technology. inserted follow the camera, creating “Augmented reality” is a term that de- the impression that the digitally cre- scribes the action of inserting graphics ated elements are actually located and that have been produced digitally into moving on the pitch. a real image. It literally does augment reality.

Its use was tested in live productions back in 2016, and viewers saw augmented-reality technology for the first time in the 2017-18 season. Oversized 3D models of the players, arranged on the pitch in their tactical formation, were shown from the perspective of the aerial camera system. Today, this method has long been in use to integrate a variety of additional elements, such as the table, pairings or statistics, into the broadcast signal.

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40,000 pieces of digital content are produced in collaboration with the 18 Bundesliga clubs at the Bundesliga Media Days before every season. The photos and videos created there form the basis for the use of many items of augmented reality content.

TABLES FIXTURES

Almost all graphics elements More than a still. Before can be brought into stadiums the match begins, the clubs’ by means of augmented real- names and emblems and the ity technology. One example Bundesliga logo appear in is the league table, which the centre of the stadium as in this case is presented as animations. At first, only a cube and can thus be flown the two sets of club colours around by the aerial camera are shown. They are then system. This way, the two pushed out to the sides and halves of the table are each thus form the basis of the displayed on a different graphics that are shown to side of the cube. viewers.

58 FOCUS: TOMORROW At home in the stadium with augmented reality.

PLAYERS RESULTS STATS

It is essential to use the Most augmented reality con- Augmented reality elements aerial camera system for tent is used before or after can be used meaningfully for this kind of display. The the match. Tables and sta- presenting statistics. The system is installed for at tistics are a popular ele- information is presented least 15 Bundesliga matches ment in productions for the clearly, quickly and con- every season. It would not International Product Port- cisely in a single image, be possible to make the in- folio (IPP) in particular. which can be supplemented dividual 3D models of every with words spoken by a com- single player move without mentator, as required. the aerial camera system’s camera dolly. The special feature is that the virtual images of the players seem to follow the camera.

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 59 DFL Digital Sports uses applications their tiles repeatedly also includes the from Vizrt to put this into practice clubs’ own colour schemes. This up- technologically. Vizrt, a company dated brand identity does even more established in Norway in 1997, is one to take particular account of the de- of the world’s leading providers of mands of digitalisation and of changes content management systems that are in media consumption. used to incorporate graphics into live broadcasts. The DFL also uses Vizrt’s The new corporate identity of the DFL products to include conventional on-air Group was developed by the DFL and graphics such as the scoreboard, goal DFL Digital Sports with the support of tallies or 2D team line-ups. The images the renowned design agency Mutabor used for these player-related graphics and in cooperation with the global come from the compulsory media graphics service provider RCS and the days held before the start of every sea- Argentine TV production company Working son, when photos are taken of all the 4HUMANS. This rebranding earned the players belonging to the Bundesliga DFL – among other prizes – the 2018 clubs. As soon as the photos are avail- German Brand Award in the Digital together able, they are prepared for use in the Brand of the Year category. Vizrt tools. The system will have been with populated with this material no later than two weeks before the start of the renowned season. experts. All graphic representations in the DFL world are based on the corporate identity – which was given an award-winning relaunch in 2017. The individual elements of the various logos were made clearer, more recognisable and fresher, and the visual appearance of

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DFL DIGITAL SPORTS

Anytime, anywhere

62 FOCUS: TOMORROW DFL Digital Sports is the Bundesliga’s digital centre of excellence. The company makes it possible to experience the competition anytime and anywhere in the world.

f you are in Asia and feel like eating into four separate segments: Content, Isome good German food, you now Business Analytics & Operations, Prod- have no trouble finding it in Singapore, uct & Technology and Visual Design. China, Vietnam or Malaysia. Almost everywhere, there are restaurant The Content segment covers not just chains promoting German cuisine – the IPP but also the production and and the Bundesliga. Venues in Asia dissemination of editorially created regularly show matches from Germa- content through the Bundesliga’s ny’s top flight. This is made possible own digital platforms and those of its by DFL Digital Sports, which occupies licensees. DFL Digital Sports now runs an important position within the DFL a total of 15 different digital channels Group through its work producing in eleven separate languages. It uses content for the International Product Instagram, Facebook and similar out- Portfolio (IPP). Within the IPP, the DFL’s lets to reach 18 million Bundesliga fans digital subsidiary provides internation- – anytime, anywhere. al licensees with live coverage of all Bundesliga games, as well as high- “We work every day to constantly lights and magazine formats and other refine our offering and to provide our content. In the 2018-19 season, this fans with relevant content in line with gave around 60 international media our brand image,” says Andreas Hey- partners access to more than 1,000 den, CEO of DFL Digital Sports. He was hours of content. appointed as EVP Digital Innovations DFL Group on 1 July 2019. It is in this DFL Digital Sports was set up in Co- capacity that he is responsible for the logne in 2012 to meet the needs of the pooling of the DFL’s digital innovations. digital transformation – at home and abroad, internally and externally. For One part of the content-refining pro- this purpose, the company was divided cess is a monitoring strategy, which

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 63 230 production service providers work for DFL Digital Sports on its IPP and digital productions. This work accounts for more than 20,000 bookings in every financial year. 63,000 minutes of content were produced for the International Product Portfolio in the 2018-19 season. 15 different digital platforms are run by DFL Digital Sports. The Bundesliga’s channels communicate in eleven separate languages. 2012 the DFL Digital Sports was founded.

64 FOCUS: TOMORROW “We live in a world where we have more access to data than ever before. We have forms the foundation for product-level moved entirely to the cloud and is also decisions in the Business Analytics to structure this providing a modern, future-focused & Operations segment, in both the data and make it application programming interface microcosm of the digital channels and (API), which is already making the the macrocosm of the DFL Group as a usable.” automated distribution of Bundesliga whole. “Data-driven decision-making Andreas Heyden content possible. “Our aim is that our is essential,” Heyden explains. “We live EVP Digital Innovations DFL Group, products and services will make us a in a world where we have more access CEO DFL Digital Sports pioneer and a model for others, includ- to data than ever before. We have to ing other football leagues,” Heyden structure this data and make it usable. says. We are also creating the foundations that will enable us to tailor our content The DFL Digital Sports Visual precisely, both now and in the future, Design team also plays a key part in to the needs of each individual fan.” the development of the DFL subsid- The technology provided by the DFL’s iary. While the DFL‘s Corporate and partner company WSC Sports, which is Brand Communications/Public Affairs capable of producing automated film department is responsible for the clips using artificial intelligence, also global image of the Bundesliga, helps here. Such AI-based services Bundesliga 2 and the DFL, the DFL have the potential to open up com- Digital Sports Visual Design team gave pletely new possibilities regarding indi- the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the vidually tailored content and auto- DFL Group new brand identities. The mated playout. DFL received several design awards for that work. In addition, the in-house The Product & Technology segment creative agency works with partners, manages the entire process of run- licensees and clubs to devise promo- ning and refining DFL Digital Sports’ tion trailers that enable fans world- web- and app-based technical infra- wide to experience the unique feeling structure. Here, DFL Digital Sports has of “football as it’s meant to be”.

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 65 At the Cologne Broadcasting Center, the DFL produces video content – from whole matches to individual goals – for all its international licensees. The Bundesliga orchestra

66 FOCUS: TOMORROW

The range that a director’s work covers is as varied as the composition of the workforce. People with widely differing fields of expertise work together on the IPP.

here is no missing his voice out T in the corridor. “Oh, Raffael. Oh, Raffael. Oh … Goooooooaaaaaaaaal,” Garry Preston cries as the Borussia Mönchengladbach forward puts his team into a 1-0 lead away to Hannover 96 on Matchday 29 of the 2018-19 Bundesliga season. The British com- mentator, wearing a cowboy hat and a beige short-sleeved shirt, cannot stay in his seat. He stands praising the goal-scorer from his glass commentary box. However, that box is located not at the HDI Arena in Hanover, but at the Cologne Broadcasting Center (CBC).

From the CBC, perfectly orchestrated content is produced for the Interna- tional Product Portfolio (IPP), which the DFL’s Audiovisual Rights department is responsible for and which DFL Digital Sports produces and Sportcast distributes the content for. All 306 Bundesliga matches each season, the Supercup and the relegation playoffs for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2

68 FOCUS: TOMORROW FACTS & FIGURES

> 130

On a Bundesliga weekend, more than 130 staff are on duty at the CBC to produce the world feed.

are processed in Cologne for international viewers – along with every 306 single goal of the day, every unusual incident and every piece of technical All 306 skill. Around 60 licensees all over the Bundesliga matches world have access to the IPP. Preston are also processed is just one member of the 130-strong for international ensemble that works week in, week licensees in the course out to make sure the Bundesliga offers of a season. audiences around the world a truly immersive football experience, or to put it in other words: #FootballAsItsMeantToBe.

Senior executives at the DFL spent more than a year fine-tuning the cur- 200 rent production concept for the CBC. Since 2015, the company has been IPP products are using this as the basis for its handling broadcast in of all Bundesliga matches for the inter- more than 200 national market with English-language FIFA member states. commentary – at the home of the greats, where 23 German broadcasters ply their trade. Anybody who visits the premises at Cologne’s Picassoplatz 1 on a Saturday during the Bundesliga season can literally sense all the cogs in the wheel working together. The atmosphere is extremely focused, > 30 with the only source of sound being commentators like Preston. He and The DFL offers more than 15 other colleagues make up the DFL 30 products for international Digital Sports commentary pool. His licensees in the course of a co-commentators are former profes- single Bundesliga week. sional players like Karl-Heinz Riedle, Steffen Freund and Thomas Broich.

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 69 The control room at the CBC is connected to every single specialist team. It is all about fast, uncomplicated communication.

In all, 15 experts are on duty for the according to the needs of a variety of IPP. For selected key matches, the two target audiences and markets. The assigned commentators will be on-site DFL has no difficulty in providing its at the stadium, but as a rule games Japanese media partners with all the are covered from the six commentary must-see scenes involving Japanese boxes at the CBC. players in the Bundesliga or in supplying the US market with all the season’s DFL Digital Sports uses 39 rooms at goals by players from North, Central the CBC, where people with widely dif- and South America. fering fields of expertise work together to provide footage to Bundesliga fans More than 30 different products are around the world: commentators, created at the CBC for the IPP, most graphics operators, data experts, of them video formats. This means sound engineers, archivists, live log- that the final whistle in a match does gers, video editors, quality managers, not mark the end of the day’s work for cutters, picture directors – and artificial the ensemble – even for commenta- intelligence. Once specific require- tors like Preston. Next, there are still ments have been entered, the AVGen brief summaries, highlight shows and and Clipro tools from the Israeli com- matchday clips – such as moves of the pany WSC Sports deliver automated matchday, goals and saves – to be pro- highlights that are tailored and played vided with sound, cut and delivered.

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Around the clock The content hub is the Bundesliga’s digital ambassador. Based in Cologne, it produces content for 15 digital platforms in 11 languages. ologne, Germany, 3:30 p.m. on fans at that precise moment. On the TV C Saturday – kick-off time in the wall in the middle of the hub, today’s L.A., New York, Bundesliga. The DFL Digital Sports matches are being shown. Rio, Tokyo – digi- content hub now has hardly any seats tal communication unoccupied. On this match day, 20 The content hub is now fully up and also means cons- editors are gathered at their desks, running. The Bundesliga’s app and tantly adapting to which are arranged in a circle. On websites have to be filled with content the needs and hab- their monitors, they have a variety of – in German, English, Spanish, Polish, its of the relevant social media analysis tools open, such Japanese and Chinese. The Bundesli- target markets. as Crowd-Tangle and TweetDeck – to ga’s YouTube, Instagram and Facebook The time of day is enable them to check which topics are accounts need to be populated, as well a major factor in resonating most with the Bundesliga’s as its German, Japanese and English this.

74 FOCUS: TOMORROW FACTS & FIGURES

DFL Digital Sports clusters channels into three categories: owned, operated and third party. Owned channels are Twitter accounts – plus the Chinese the website and the app. fine-tune specific content strategies. social media platforms Sina Weibo, Instagram, for example, Through this process, it has become WeChat and Toutiao. is an operated chan- apparent that, in Latin America, for nel. Outside platforms instance, long-form articles are much There are seven different clocks hang- that are supplied with more effective on the web and the ing on a wall, showing the time in Los content are third-party app than direct, live reporting. It is a Angeles, New York, Rio de Janeiro, channels. data-driven cycle. Cologne, Moscow, Beijing and Tokyo. They serve as a reminder to everyone On average, the DFL Digital Sports that the Bundesliga’s digital commu- team publishes more than 100 posts nications are an international oper- on the various Bundesliga channels ation. The team in Cologne provides each day, which equates to 525 every numerous markets, such as the USA, week and more than 27,300 in the China and Latin America, with videos, course of a year. To meet this demand, graphics, animations and images from HUB the company has a worldwide network the highest level of the German game. of staff. Many of them are freelancers In this context, the content hub also working from Dubai, Paris, London or collaborates with local media com- Buenos Aires. This enables regional panies in Africa or Thailand, among digital trends to be identified more others, which receive a constant supply quickly and used for the company’s of content to raise the Bundesliga’s own communications. The primary profile there even further. As part of purpose of those communications? this work, every concept, product and Engagement. The focus is on interac- story is adapted to suit the particular 18 million people tion with fans around the world rather platform and target markets. follow the Bundesliga’s than on reach. This strategy is proving social media channels successful, with interaction levels three The data from the digital channels is (figure valid as of Au- times as high as interaction for the analysed daily, weekly and monthly. gust 2019). Premier League. The findings are used to constantly

1 billion views on the GIF platform GIPHY: the Bundesliga has more views than any other top European league (figure valid as of August 2019).

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 75 5 t open-air concerts and sporting better speeds, minimising delays in A competitions alike, one trend is data transmission. establishing itself. Spectators at major events want to be able to share their The future is 5G, and in order to shape experience, ideally in real time. But in it together, the two digital partners are large crowds, slow data connections G launching a real-time network at their can make this a real challenge. How- first Bundesliga stadium as early as the ever, there is a promise of better things 2019-20 season. At VfL Wolfsburg’s to come in the form of 5G. The DFL VOLKSWAGEN ARENA, 5G will be up and Vodafone are bringing this new and running in autumn 2019 – for the generation of mobile communications first time in the Bundesliga. This will into stadiums. The telecommunications boost available network capacity for group and the DFL have launched a The DFL and football fans by more than 60 per cent. two-year 5G cooperation deal beginning with the start of the 2019-20 Vodafone are Products that the partners are devel- season. bringing 5G, the oping also include an app that aims to provide fans in the stadium with This is laying the foundation for an new mobile real-time information and match data even better digital infrastructure at using augmented reality – directly to stadiums. The aim is that it will enable communications their smartphones, before, during and spectators in the stands to use apps, after the match. The intention is that for example, much more easily and standard, into fans will be able to see, for example, smoothly than before. This is a logical stadiums. The idea the speed of the striker who is starting step forward, as fans are more and his sprint towards the opposition’s more often online when they come to is that this will also goal. This flow of information draws stadiums, and the Bundesliga continues on 1,600 match events and 3.6 million to draw in spectators, with an average create a new range position points collected by the DFL of almost 43,000 tickets sold for every of digital services during a Bundesliga game. The data game. A large proportion of those is analysed live and transmitted to crowds use their smartphones inside for fans in the smartphones immediately via 5G. The the stadium, too. app will present the data in visual form future. and provide users with graphics, fig- Providing a stable network for so many ures and continuous play assessments. people in one place at the same time is a challenge. Thanks to 5G, the digital The ultimate aim is to offer statistics world and the emotion of a live event fans accurate, lightning-fast analysis – are coming closer together: it provides live and directly to their own devices.

76 FOCUS: TOMORROW It’s alive!

The Active Pixx app brings images to life. The DFL uses duced at the end of 2018. Each month the technology in shows various “Making Of” scenes various projects. from the Media Days programme, and three of the calendar pages are marked to indicate that they can be used with the Active Pixx app. See the app in action with this magazine – you can use it above and on pages 47, 61, 111 KALENDER and 118. 20 CALENDAR elling stories also means chal- T lenging your audience’s expec- But how does the app convert photos tations, whether it’s your readers, lis- to videos? A visual label isn’t neces- teners or spectators. DFL Digital Sports sary, though it serves as an identifying 19 has found a way to create a special feature for the user. The camera in your kind of storytelling, with astonishing smartphone or tablet in conjunction The DFL calendar ap- results. Together with Pixxolino, the with the app is all you need to start the pears at the start of company behind the Active Pixx app, process. As soon as you have cap- every year. The youngest the DFL is bringing static pictures to tured an image with the camera, the edition used Active Pixx live with video clips. app scans the photo’s contours and technology for the first analyses the information. The under- time. The DFL Group has been working with lying software recognises which video the Duisburg-based company since matches the scanned photo on the 2018. One of their joint projects is the Pixxolino server in a matter of seconds, DFL 2019 calendar, which was pro- and plays it on the smartphone screen.

DIGITAL LEADERSHIP 77 CHAPTER#4 Data & Analytics & Projects

78 FOCUS: TOMORROW Analytics & Projects

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 79 Big data 80 FOCUS: TOMORROW

SPORTEC SOLUTIONS

The DFL’s data factory

82 FOCUS: TOMORROW he modern football fan wants technology, has become an estab- Tto be informed as well as enter- lished presence on the German football tained. Supporters still yearn for the landscape, its growth and reach having pleasures that arise from a goal being expanded substantially. The company scored or a defender making a crunch- now directs more than 100 freelance ing tackle, but they also seek a deeper staff to collect and process data, fur- understanding of the game with the ther underlining its importance both Sportec Solutions help of sports data. And the clubs, of nationally and globally as a leading course, need every bit of data available media and content specialist. uses the latest to be able to perform at the highest methods to collect, levels on a daily basis. In the Bundesliga For example, the total length of passes and Bundesliga 2, Sportec Solutions is in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in store and distrib helping to satisfy the growing thirst for the two seasons 2017-18 and 2018- ute data from the knowledge. 19 came to an estimated 19,000 km. All in all, there were over one million Bundesliga and As a subsidiary of the DFL, the Co- passes with an average length of Bundesliga 2. As logne-based company has been roughly 19 metres. collecting, storing and delivering a reliable partner official match data since the start of the Since the 2011-12 season, the DFL and technology 2017-18 season. As well as informing has obtained the official match data, supporters, the process has proved furthermore operating the biggest driver for clubs and to be hugely beneficial to clubs, who Bundesliga database including all can gain access to the data they need historic data since the opening season licensees, the DFL to give them a clearer picture of the 1963-64 – making it a never-ending subsidiary per strengths and weaknesses of both supply for data-driven storytelling. their own team and of the opposition, forms an impor allowing them to focus on improving Since the beginning of Sportec tant role. on-field performance. Solutions, there have been a couple of innovations that turned out to produce Since 2017, Sportec Solutions, a some astonishing figures themselves: joint-venture with deltatre, a glob- Scouting feed operators have trav- al leader in the field of sports data elled around the world the equivalent

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 83 2017 Sportec Solutions started operations. 4.42 billion pieces of data have been obtained by Sportec Solutions since then. 65 million pieces of data are obtained on one match day in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. 19,000 kilometres is the aggregate length of all passes made in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

84 FOCUS: TOMORROW “Sportec Solutions has positioned itself at the forefront of innovation in the field of sports data of 21.7 times and have monitored Significant steps forward are already 1,391 football matches (see page 92). production and being taken. Tracking and event data, This has produced almost 92 days analysis.” currently compiled with the help of a and 5.84 terabytes of video material. semi-automatic image recognition sys- Sportec Solutions’ ability to be flexible Dr Hendrik Weber tem, will expand in scope over the next and react quickly to an ever-evolving Managing Director of Sportec Solutions three to five years as new algorithms marketplace has been one of its core and performance indicators are created. strengths, making the production of Working alongside leading providers, the world’s most comprehensive live player movements can be traced to sports data collection possible. produce consistent and reliable sports performance data. The ability to virtually Sportec Solutions has been at the recreate scenes from a match on-screen vanguard of several important recent is also expected to improve as the tech- developments. One is the introduction nology develops, creating innovative of the Commentary Live System. An- examples of virtual or mixed reality. other is greater transparency in the use of video assist technology thanks to The use of predictive statistics will also the company (see page 95). “Sportec become more prevalent. Thanks to Solutions has positioned itself at the the growth of artificial intelligence and forefront of innovation in the fields of advanced statistical models, a player’s sports data production and analysis,” data can be extrapolated to provide an says Hendrik Weber, Managing Direc- analysis of likely future performance. tor of Sportec Solutions and the DFL’s Sportec Solutions’ data modelling also Head of Technology & Innovation. “We helps with the creation of advanced see ourselves as a Centre of Excellence player metrics, for example the use of and will continue to build on our suc- “expected goals” as a measure of how cess to improve and enhance the use many goals a player or team should of data services and technology in the have scored based on the quality of Bundesliga and beyond.” shots taken.

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 85

DATA FEEDDATA

DELIVERY

DATA ANALYTICSDATA STORAGE DATA HUB data oints p ata vents chnologies SUPPORT FOUL illion d atch Receiving data live from the stadium EVENT DELIVERY DATA m illion e m per m 3.6 ports te GOAL SHOT CORNER GOAL

per season 1

xperts for data s e data OLUTIONS data NTROL & nd a CO POSITIONAL DELIVERY DATA Tracking Quality Center receiving data live from the stadium LITY ervices s QUA SPORTEC S

“Center of Excellence” products, DATA data

600 events events 600 he field, he with

data data 25 frames25 per second per match About 1, round t SCOUTING FEED SCOUTING Tactical camera for clubs and media ATA erators p istributed a ameras SITIONAL D OLLECTION d Optical system camera tracking supported by tracking o C PO 16-20 c EVENT COLLECTION DATA Speaker delivering data about the match via phone directly from the stadium

and partners is recorded by FOCUS: TOMORROW FOCUS: shots and passes)

Sportec Solutions Sportec ON THE FIELD (e.g. player positioning, All the action on the pitch 86 The DFL’s subsidiary produces a full range a full range produces subsidiary The DFL’s and sports data match adressing services of the stadium. It all begins at technology.

ecosystem Sportec SolutionsSportec REPORTS DATA EDITORIAL INFO PACKS MEDIA PARTNERS Match data is published in Providing attractive data storytelling Enriching the national and international various reports, benchmarking material on players, matches and coverage of the Bundesliga through data and and illustrating player and league-wide information stories about the match match performance

DATA STORYTELLING data

FANS Benetting from the tailor-made GAMES LIVE COMMENTARY multimedia football events AND BETTING SUPPORT produced by the DFL and Utilising match data Delivery of key statistics its subsidiaries data for fantasy and stories to bring and virtual gaming commentary to life

BUNDESLIGA APP, STATS CENTER, CLUB WEBSITES Match data available to everyone, everywhere DATA 2 SOLUTIONS data at anytime data

ON AIR GRAPHICS Using data and data in-house analytics expertise to provide tailor-made products and services for its partners and licensees

INNOVATION data data KEY PERFORMANCE AUGMENTED AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT INDICATORS KPI VIRTUAL REALITY FOR DATA DRIVEN Created by data analysts Empowers fans AUDIO STEERING to gain new insights and immerses them With live positional data into the match in the match of the ball data

REFEREE TECHNOLOGIES data

VIDEO ASSISTANCE GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY Running the leading centralised, Delivering maximum precision, VA-Centre, making the match fairer to the millimetre and in a fraction of a second data

TEAM PERFORMANCE Benefiting from data insights CLUB SCOUTS Using data to identify talents

DATA 2 PERFORMANCE data

INFO WORLD CLUB ANALYSTS, Cloud-based platform ATHLETIC TRAINERS IN STADIUM MATCH ANALYSIS ISMA for all match insights AND SPORTS STAFF Providing top conditions for clubs and video analytics Supporting data-based decision-making processes

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 87

Tracking

With the introduction of the fifth generation of its tracking system in the 2019-20 season, the DFL is again boosting the scope of its match-data collection and setting standards for reliability. to perfection

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 89 hey are almost impossible to FACTS & FIGURES T make out, but they themselves miss nothing on the pitch: since the start of the 2019-20 season, the stadiums in the Bundesliga and There are two operators Bundesliga 2 have even more camer- on duty during every as for tracking purposes in use than match. One of them uses before. Depending on the venue, there a controller like the are 16, 18 or 20, to be precise – and one shown on page 88 to precision is what it is all about. capture teams’ ball possession and the ball’s The extra cameras have nothing to do consultation with clubs and stadium status. with the production of the basic signal operators and installing the extra infra- for the DFL’s media partners. What has structure required. At each site, all the happened is that Sportec Solutions, data is transported by fibre-optic cable Each club in the working with its partner ChryonHego, to a purpose-built server room, which Bundesliga and has launched the fifth generation of is cooled specially and secured against Bundesliga 2 receives its tracking system in time for the new power failures. This is where the data the data obtained by season. The cameras are an essential processing takes place: the server uses Sportec Solutions. part of this because they boost both the incoming video signals to deter- the scope and the reliability of data mine the positions of players and the collection. ball every 40 milliseconds.

Their images are the basis for all the Staff of the tracking partner Chryon- position-based statistics collected Hego work at their own quality centre during a German professional football monitoring data quality to ensure it is match, including acceleration values for satisfactory at all times and checking players. This data is now gaining a new that the transmission of the data to quality. With six cameras each in the Sportec Solutions is working smooth- main stands and on the touchlines, plus ly. There are two operators on duty more behind the goals and corner flags, during each match. The ball operator the total of 16 to 20 cameras make uses a controller – similar to the kind sure that individual players can be that comes with a gaming console – identified in complex match situations, amongst others to capture teams’ ball such as corners or free kicks. Any possi- possession and the ball’s status. The bility for confusion can be clarified by a ball’s status indicates whether it is in change of camera perspective, offering play or not. This is then used to calcu- complete transparency. Through apply- late gross and net playing time. ing advanced machine learning algorithms (AI), the new tracking generation The data obtained in this way provides offers new opportunities for broadcast a valid basis for various users: not just and club purposes. the DFL’s media partners but especially the 36 clubs in the Bundesliga and After a research and development Bundesliga 2, which are provided by period of two years, there was a run- Sportec Solutions with all the infor- up of six months that was devoted to mation that has been collected. That inspecting the stadiums, determining means everything for everyone – and the best positions for the cameras in in top quality, too.

90 FOCUS: TOMORROW 16,18,20 Depending on the venue, there are at least 16 and up to 20 cameras capturing position-based statistics during matches in the Bundesliga starting with the 2019-20 season. 40 ms The positions of the ball and the players are determined every 40 milliseconds by the server using the video signals.

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 91 MEDIA PARTNERS Enriching the national and international coverage of the Bundesliga through data and Feedingstories about the match data football

FANS The DFL’s unique Benetting from scouting feed pro- the tailor-made LIVEalf-time COMMENTARY is just a few moments games have already been recorded HSUPPORTaway, and shortly before the vides both the 36 in this way to date – making tactical coaches get their teams ready for match analysis a lot easier for the clubs. the secondDelivery 45 minutes, of key the German statistics professional clubs its subsidiaries professionaland stories clubs’ video to analysts bring finish and media part- An innovation for the 2019-20 sea- preparing their clips of the first half. son is two cameras behind each of the Thesecommentary could include a goal to scored life by ners with special goals. These provide video analysts the team themselves, a move when the with two additional perspectives, over ball was in the opposition’s possession footage for and above the goals – provided by or the movements of the team’s own the scouting feed camera in the main forwards. match and tactical stand. The images produced behind analysis. the goals make it possible, in specific Objective accounts of the action are situations such as corners or free kicks, increasingly important, and not only to choose camera settings and thereby during the half-time interval.BUNDESLIGA In a APP, to gain a more in-depth insight into context where emotions, expectations the action. Thanks to a wide-angle or fatigue can otherwise colourSTATS impres- CENTER, lens, the scouting feed camera offers sions subjectively, video analystsCLUB are WEBSITEwhat Sportec Solutions provides. Since a view of all 20 outfield players at all a major factor in determining success the 2013-14 season, the DFL has pro- times. This is important, for example, or failure for players, coachesMatch and their data ducedavailable the time-coded scouting feed for the teams’ tactical formations, as assistants. to everyone,for everywhere all matches in the Bundesliga and well as for the movements of individual at anytime Bundesliga 2, plus the relegation play- players. Using video to work out your own offs and Supercup games – meaning data strengths and weaknesses, as well as a total of 617 fixtures each year. DFB These images are available not only to your opponents’, is an exercise that is at Cup games and matches involving the all 36 professional clubs but also – for its most successful when you have the national team or the under-21s are also specific matches – to the DFL’s media best possible footage. This is precisely produced on request. More than 3,000 partners.

92 FOCUS: TOMORROW DATA EDITORIAL INFO PACKS MEDIA PARTNERS Providing attractive data storytelling Enriching the national and international material on players, matches and coverage of the Bundesliga through data and league-wide information stories about the match

Datadata on

demand FANS

LIVE COMMENTARY SUPPORT Delivery of key statistics The Commentaryand stories to bring Live System commentary to life great art of deploying this accumulated also want to use individual facts about provides TV com- knowledge at the appropriate place in players, photos or audio clips from CLS their commentary as though they were – including files in which players speak mentators at the doing it completely off the cuff. their own names. Since the 2018-19 DFL’s internation- season, the CLS also incorporated The Commentary Live System (CLS) extensive notes functions, enabling al media partners developed by Sportec Solutions has commentators to make all their prepa- beenBUNDESLIGA helping commentators APP, at the rations directly in CLS and then to “tick with extensive DFL’sSTATS international CENTER, media partners with off” the information live as they used it. theirCLUB work sinceWEBSITE the 2018-19 information during season. It provides them with exten- CLS is another tool that the DFL is matches. siveMatch live match data data available for all Bundesliga using to consistently pursue its strat- andto Bundesligaeveryone, 2 games. everywhere Users can egy of applying its own expertise to alsoat accessanytime a lot of pre-formulated live offer its partners and licensees tailored facts about the games, which provide products and services and to con data viewers and listeners alike with an en- stantly refine them. In addition to the hanced experience. CLS enables users notes function, CLS was expanded to set their displays individually and during the 2018-19 season to include reparations usually begin as to see at a glance precisely those facts extra personalisation options, views P much as a week beforehand. and figures that they consider most and live tables. Whenever the video Commentators try to read and follow important for their live broadcasts. assistant becomes involved, CLS users everything that has been written and are automatically provided with details broadcast about clubs, players and In their preparations for matches, of the decision in the application, other protagonists and make notes commentators often prepare several direct and live. It is all based on a tool, about statistics and interesting facts. slips of paper with the most impor- specifically designed by Sportec Over the course of 90 minutes the tant information about the two teams. Solutions: the Video Assist Information next weekend, they then practise the Now, they can decide whether they System (VIS).

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 93 The BOLERO S is the communication tool for all referees in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. The partnership between the DFL and manufacturer Riedel Communications focuses strongly on pair- ing optimal sound quality with the best-possible network reliability to provide communication under highly professional conditions between match referees and the Video Assist Centre in Cologne. For a fairer game

The video assistant provides valuable help to referees in German professional football – with further developments every season. One important tool for all of the match officials is the BOLERO S – which stands for a new level of referee communication.

clash between two players in a message recommending a review only ways in which transparency and A the penalty box after a corner can be sent by the video assistant. the clarity of the video assistant’s work – was that a foul? A pass to a striker as These messages are communicated by have been improved even more. New he breaks through – was he offside? A a professional fibre-based intercom: camera angles also give fans even more skirmish between players – does this the DFL, which is responsible for the transparent insight into the activities amount to violent conduct? A referee technological organisation and infra- of the video assistant in Cologne. And has to evaluate well in excess of 300 structure of the video assistants in this if a check is performed during a match, situations in the course of a match, joint project with the German Football prompting the referee to go over to the and since the 2017-18 season, match Association, has opted for BOLERO S, a pitchside review area in order to com- officials in the Bundesliga have had an wireless system developed by interna- pare his perception of the incident with additional tool to help them here – the tionally recognized manufacturer Riedel the camera pictures on the monitor, video assistant, a technical aid that Communications in close cooperation viewers in front of screens can see the makes games fairer. with the DFL that has raised both respective scenes through the referee’s communications among the refereeing eyes. During an on-field review the TV With the Video Assist Centre (VAC) in team within the stadium in general signal shows exactly the sequences that Cologne, the DFL has created a central and those between the referee and the the video assistant gives the referee to workplace where the video assistants video assistant in particular to a whole perform the check. can work under highly professional new level. conditions. From there, they evaluate The VAC has been extended from six to match situations on the basis of all Since the beginning of the 2019-20 ten workstations. In addition, it has been available camera angles, and there is season, the video assistant is also used almost entirely revamped in summer also a calibrated virtual offside line to in Bundesliga 2. And the project saw 2019, including further improvements provide further clarity. This means that further developments: The Video Assist to the professional working conditions in the event of a clear and obvious error Information System enables faster such as a new lighting concept. Despite by the referee in case of goals, direct communication to the stadium and modern renovation measures, the prem- red card incidents, penalty claims and for fans watching on screens during a ise remains the same: the decision on to clear up cases of mistaken identity, check by the referee. These are not the the pitch is always made by the referee.

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 95 Goal ?

yesor no!

96 FOCUS: TOMORROW Has the whole ball crossed the goal line? Thanks to goal-line technology, there is no longer any FACTS & FIGURES doubt about it in the At the beginning of the Bundesliga. 2015-16 season, the goal-line technology was introduced in the Bundesliga.

Since then, 27 close decisions were made with the help of the goal-line technology in the Bundesliga and the relegation playoffs.

14 cameras are oal or no goal? That is no longer form of an acoustic signal through the installed in each of the G in any doubt – for the Bundesliga referee communication unit, while their 18 Bundesliga stadiums has had clarity about this matter for wristwatch also vibrates and displays to make the goal-line more than four years now. the message “GOAL”. In such cases, technology work. there are recordings to show TV view- The DFL introduced goal-line technol- ers what has happened. ogy in Germany’s top flight ahead of the 2015-16 season. At the heart of This goal-line technology is also this technology is a piece of software used at all home games involving that uses camera images to monitor Bundesliga clubs in the DFB Cup, the the exact position of the ball, even in DFB Cup final, the Supercup and the complicated match situations or bad relegation playoffs. Since its introduc- weather conditions. For this purpose, tion, a total of 27 decisions have been 14 cameras are installed in each of the made by the goal-line technology in 18 Bundesliga stadiums, and two of the Bundesliga and the relegation these are high-speed cameras in line playoffs. with the goal line for replays.

If the whole ball has crossed the goal line, the match officials receive a clear verdict within less than a second in the

DATA & ANALYTICS & PROJECTS 97 CHAPTER#5 Next

98 FOCUS: TOMORROW Levels

NEXT LEVELS 99 Game on

Millions of fans all over the world enjoy the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 – on their games consoles, too. By setting up the Virtual Bundesliga, the DFL embraced the eSports trend at an early stage – and has expanded this successful competition.

100 FOCUS: TOMORROW

FACTS & FIGURES

The Virtual Bundesliga Grand Final was aired globally. Fans could watch it worldwide via the EA Sports Twitch Channel and via streams of seven Bundesliga me- erman professional football dia partners. G is a magnet for spectators. In the 2018-19 season, more than 18.8 million tickets were sold for matches More than three in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. million viewers All over the world, fans eagerly fol- was the cumulative total low their clubs on TV, smartphones or reach of the nine live tablets – or they turn to their games shows of the Virtual consoles to get directly involved in Bundesliga Club Champi- hunting for goals and points with their onship. favourite teams. The DFL set up the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) back in 2012, becoming the first professional football 350,000 viewers league in the world to do so. To this was the total media day, it remains the only competition or- penetration of the ganised by a professional league that is Virtual Bundesliga Grand directly integrated into the EA SPORTS Final in Berlin. FIFA game. Since its introduction, VBL has enjoyed ever-growing popularity, with more than 120,000 participants in Germany alone playing against each other online in the VBL Open competition for individuals.

Partly in order to continue its pioneering role in eSports in general and the eFootball category in particular, and to carry on attracting fans all over the world to the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, the DFL expanded this successful competition in time for the 2018-19 season. Starting from then, the VBL Club Championship within the Virtual Bundesliga has enabled clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 to play against each other for the title of German Club Champion in eFootball.

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Impressions of the VBL Grand Fi- nal (top) and the VBL International Final, which took place in Ber- lin (right). The first VBL Club Champions were the 2018-19 players of SV Werder Bremen (left).

VBL brings the

The 22 clubs taking part completed took place in Berlin in May 2019. After Bundesliga and a total of 231 games, and in the end hundreds of thousands of FIFA 19 Bundesliga 2 to SV Werder Bremen became the first matches in the VBL Club Championship, German eFootball Champions, ahead of the VBL Open and the VBL Playoffs, the new audiences VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Mönchen 24 best individual players in Germany gladbach. The nine live TV shows on qualified for the VBL Grand Final, in around the globe. Pro Sieben MAXX achieved a cumu- which Michael “MegaBit” Bittner of lative total reach of more than three SV Werder Bremen became the million viewers, and the broadcast with German Champion and Mohammed the greatest penetration had an aver- “MoAuba” Harkous was the runner-up. age of 120,000 viewers. Harkous then went on to win the FIFA eWorld Cup in London in August 2019. Both gamers from the VBL Open, the public online qualification stage for the They are all also playing in FIFA 20, in Virtual Bundesliga, and professional faithfully reproduced Bundesliga club gamers from the VBL Club Champi- stadiums, complete with authentic LED onship were able to qualify for the perimeter advertising space, which VBL Grand Final, in which the German each club can fill as it wishes in con- eFootball Championship was contested sultation with its existing partners and as an individual title. That competition sponsors – an important extra plat-

NEXT LEVELS 105 FC Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund or Borussia Mönchengladbach: Three examples for in-game-advertising in EA SPORTS FIFA. You can see the exact same partners as in the real stadiums.

form to present to a young target au- The Virtual Bundesliga will be refined dience. In FIFA 19, all Bundesliga clubs and professionalised even more in were already able to have authentic the future. This is a logical next step perimeter advertising, and in FIFA 20, because, especially in view of its ex- this opportunity is also available to all pansion in the 2018-19 season, it has clubs in Bundesliga 2. become apparent “that even in the first season of the VBL Club Championship, Furthermore, the VBL has an important the German eFootball Championship part to play in the Bundesliga’s inter- has been seen by clubs as a major title nationalisation strategy. For example, in this area,” in the words of Andreas tournaments in what is known as the Heyden, Executive Vice President VBL International Series have now Digital Innovations DFL Group. “It is been held abroad for the second time. yet another competitive brand for They took place in Malaysia and India the DFL,” he says. “We already had and succeeded in bringing the Virtual the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga closer Supercup – and now we also have the to a larger international audience. Virtual Bundesliga.”

106 FOCUS: TOMORROW >250,000 total views were reached by the 222 online matches of the Virtual Bundesliga Club Championship. 2,200,000 impressions and 140,000 engagements: The Twitter channel of the Virtual Bundesliga played an important part in the 2018-19 season.

120,000 gamers take part in the Virtual Bundesliga in Germany alone. 1,700,000 page views in the 2018-19 season: The website of the Virtual Bundesliga was a constant buzz for the players, media and fans.

NEXT LEVELS 107 One-two with the world

Since 2018, the DFL has enabled all clubs to extend their marketing with virtual advertising to the international stage. They are being supported in this effort by Bundesliga International.

108 FOCUS: TOMORROW

t all happened on 26 February Clubs have officially been permitted to ing. Second, this enables the system I 2018. International viewers watch- work with this service provider, which to identify whether an object, such ing the Bundesliga match between is based in London and Helsinki, since as a player or the ball, is in the field of Borussia Dortmund and FC Augsburg the start of the 2018-19 season. vision. all saw the same game, but not the Bundesliga International coordinates same pictures. This was the day when and advises between clubs, providers, In the outside service truck, all the virtual advertising was used in the agencies and partners, while Sportcast information comes together and is Bundesliga for the first time, which organizes the technical implementa- processed and transmitted to the meant that the content of the advertis- tion. broadcast van. Via the Bundesliga ing panels around the pitch varied from fibre network, the additional signal one target market to another. In other For clubs to be able to use this tool for is transmitted to the Cologne Broad- words, viewers in the USA saw differ- their marketing, they need to do some casting Center (CBC). In Cologne, ent advertisements from Bundesliga preliminary work on both technology another member of staff inserts the fans in Thailand. Today, this technology and infrastructure. For example, cali- advertising clips for each of the target is used on nearly every matchday in bration begins hours before a match markets – EMEA (Europe, Middle East, the Bundesliga. kicks off. The pitch, the area around it Africa, Russia), Americas (North and and the positions of the advertising South America), Central Asia and SAJO Work on implementing the plan and panels are defined down to the last (Southeast Asia, Japan, Oceania) – re- contacting providers started back millimetre. Supponor collects all the sulting in four separate signals. Before in 2015, and the evaluation process data in one of its own outside service they are transmitted to the European began in spring 2016. Tests were con- trucks. The two main cameras from Broadcasting Union (EBU), an oper- ducted in several stages to determine Sportcast positioned in the grandstand ator in Cologne verifies whether the which of the technologies selected are fitted with additional hardware virtual advertising complies with the would best meet the requirements. as well as a separate tripod head. In DFL’s quality standards and guidelines. Ultimately, the Finnish company the stadium, two special LED boards If the operator has no objections, the Supponor prevailed, and they conduct- are installed to communicate with the four signals are sent via EBU to licen- ed the successful live test at SIGNAL camera hardware via an additional sees – and viewers then see the signal IDUNA PARK on 26 February 2018. information signal. These ensure, first, relevant to them. that all the adjacent LED panels can also be covered with virtual advertis-

The TV signal makes its way to the DFL partner Supponor’s outside service truck through the cameras in the stadium. Once it has reached the truck, all the technical preparations are made for transmitting the virtual advertising. The signal is sent via the DFL outside broadcast van to the CBC, where it is checked and sent out to the DFL’s media partners.

110 FOCUS: TOMORROW Same scene, different picture. Technology is used to make a perfect job of providing German professional football’s various target markets with perimeter advertising. This opens up new sales opportunities.

NEXT LEVELS 111 BUNDESLIGA INTERNATIONAL

Taking the Bundesliga global

112 FOCUS: TOMORROW Succeeding the DFL Sports Enterprises, the Bundesliga International is responsible for the marketing of the audiovisual, he success of the Bundesliga has In addition, Bundesliga International’s Tcaptured the imagination of the sponsorship rights, Commercial Partnerships division world. For several decades, German utilises sponsorship and licensing as football has grown internationally brand and digital additional revenue streams. The league thanks to continued success on and off licenses through a has a wide portfolio of partners that the field. The Bundesliga is now one includes Derbystar, Sky Deutschland, of the greatest sports leagues on the global network of Tipico and Topps. planet, evident by a growing number over 80 partners. of fans tuning in each week through The longest license partnership is with traditional and new media platforms. EA Sports, producers of the FIFA com puter game. They are also key partners To capitalise on this, Bundesliga in the league’s eFootball competition, International was set up in 2017, the Virtual Bundesliga, which has succeeding DFL Sports Enterprises, attracted more than 120,000 players which had been a full subsidiary of the each season since its launch in 2012. DFL since 2008. It is responsible for marketing the audiovisual, sponsorship Whilst media and commercial part (partnership) rights, brand and digital nerships are crucial to the sustain licenses through a global network of able growth of revenues, Bundesliga over 80 partners. International also delivers a range of international initiatives and activities Thanks to the work of Bundesliga designed to bring fans closer to the International, the league is now li game using “Football As It‘s Meant To censed in more than 200 FIFA member Be” as the mantra driving this strategy. states, with partnerships established with leading global and regional media A global network of digital partners, networks. With over 400,000 TV hours including the likes of 433 and several broadcast every year, these licence social media influencers, are being holders offer the perfect platforms to used to reach audiences across online promote the league. platforms. Localised digital content,

NEXT LEVELS 113 >400,000 TV hours broadcast every year: The licence holders around the world offer the perfect plaform to promote the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. 3 regional offices have been established by Bundesliga International so far: Singapore (2012), New York (2018) and Bejing (2019). >200 FIFA member states hold licenses of the Bundesliga. >500 on-ground activities are delivered around the world each season by Bundesliga International and the leagues’ clubs.

114 FOCUS: TOMORROW “Our focused strategy is enhanced by the latest innovations, featuring Bundesliga stars, is also providing new headquarters. The team also includes being produced to create engaging regional offices established in Singa- narrative that builds greater affinity products and pore (Asia-Pacific) in 2012, New York with fans. platforms to reach (North and South America) in 2018 and Beijing (China) in 2019, whilst a Bundesliga International and the our fans in various strategic partnership agreed in 2018 leagues’ clubs also deliver over 500 ways.” also ensures the Bundesliga has an on-ground activities around the world on-ground presence in India. This each season. This includes Bundesliga Robert Klein multinational network means that the Experience events featuring footballing CEO Bundesliga International Bundesliga is now closer than ever to legends like Lothar Matthäus, plus a its fans across the world. number of activities such as mini-tournaments, coaching sessions and view- “Combining the power of traditional ing parties. media, online platforms, marketing activities and commercial partnerships, In addition, Bundesliga International Bundesliga International is uniquely conducts and supports clubs with a set up to deliver content to our global number of projects including grass- fanbase where they want it, when they roots and CSR activities, fan events and want it. Fans and business partners educational and knowledge-sharing alike demand customised and localised forums. They also support club tours solutions to feel the emotional connec- across the world as teams hold training tion with our league, clubs and super- camps and friendly matches through- stars,” says Klein. “Our focused strategy out the year. is enhanced by the latest innovations, providing new products and platforms Leading this international operation to reach our fans in various ways. is CEO Robert Klein, who heads up Greater engagement is fuelling growth a staff of more than 40 colleagues in audiences, which will help us achieve from across the world. This includes our goal in becoming the world’s most over 30 staff working in the Frankfurt popular sports league.”

NEXT LEVELS 115 Implementing and operating tomorrow’s tech has driven the DFL since its foundation.

116 FOCUS: TOMORROW Highlighting some of DFLsʼ (tech) innovations of the past

2006 SPORTCAST Since its formation, the DFL subsidiary has performed TV production for more than 9,500 live matches. It is respon- 2007 2007 sible for the entire value chain, from producing the basic NEW ANGLES HD SAT COMMUNICATION signal at the stadiums through to distributing the product The establishment of new camera angles through the HD SAT Communication specialised in the satellite trans- around the world. use of state-of-the-art systems such as the Spidercam mission of live images at an early stage and made an and chip-based goal cameras is a consistently important important contribution to the comprehensive roll-out of aspect. the HD standard when it was first introduced.

2009 LIVECAST TV PRODUKTION With two identical HDTV outside broadcast vehicles, LIVECAST TV Produktion provides important support for 2011 2011 the introduction of new technical innovations, among OFFICIAL MATCH DATA GERMAN FOOTBALL ARCHIVE other things. Like HD SAT Communication, Livecast TV The first tender for the official collection of Bundesliga The DFL owns the world’s largest digital football archive, Produktion is a subsidiary of Sportcast. match data marked the start of a pioneering project that now comprising more than 160,000 hours of historical is now managed by Sportec Solutions. film and video material.

2012 2012 2012 VIRTUAL BUNDESLIGA SCOUTING FEED & CLUB SERVICES DFL DIGITAL SPORTS The DFL establishes the Virtual Bundesliga. It is the first The specially designed and standardised scouting feed, To meet the continuous growth in interest in the Bundes- professional football league to do so. Players of also known as the “tactics cam”, is produced for internal liga, the DFL realises its digital presence via its subsidiary EA SPORTS FIFA use Playstation and Xbox to score for match and video analysis by the clubs and DFL’s media DFL Digital Sports. Since 2012, it has been responsible their favourite team. Starting with the 2018-19 season partners. The globally unique services and products for creating digital content and distributing it nationally the DFL enriches competition, hence starting the provided by the DFL for its 36 clubs include the official and internationally via a wide range of platforms, among Club Championship. Now, clubs of the Bundesliga and match analysis portal, match reports and data feeds for other things. Bundesliga 2 compete to become the German eFootball further processing. champion.

2015 GOAL-LINE TECHNOLOGY Goal or no goal? Since the 2015-16 season, the Bundesliga has been able to offer 2016 maximum clarity when it comes to this vital question ULTRA HD thanks to the introduction of technology from the British Since autumn 2016, the DFL has made several provider Hawk-Eye. Bundesliga matches available to its live media partners in state-of-the-art Ultra HD quality.

2017 2017 2017 SPORTEC SOLUTIONS FIRST INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ASSISTANT Formed in October 2016, Sportec Solutions’ responsi- MATCH ANALYSIS CONFERENCE The pilot phase of the video assistant in the Bundesliga bilities have included collecting, storing and supplying In order to drive innovation and promote a dialogue with began at the start of the 2017-18 season as part of a official DFL match data since 1 July 2017. The company other experts, the German Football Association (DFB) ar- test period lasting two years in total. The pilot phase was also initiates and manages innovative topics in the field of ranged the “First International Match Analysis Conference preceded by a one-year preparation phase involving a sports technology. of the DFB Academy” in Frankfurt am Main in November total of 127 offline and 114 pre-live tests. 2017 in conjunction with the DFL. The event was attend- ed by more than 220 guests from around the world.

2018 2018 2018 SPORTSINNOVATION VIRTUAL ADVERTISING DFL FOR EQUITY As an innovation leader for sport, the DFL is establishing Individual solutions for every target audience: Using Israeli start-up Track160 represents the DFL’s first equity an international platform for new technological develop- the virtual advertising partners and clubs can send their investment under its “DFL for Equity” program. The DFL’s ments: “SportsInnovation” was held for the first time on messages to fans around the world – simultaneously stake of around 10 percent in Track160 secures it a variable 8 and 9 May 2018 in cooperation with Messe Düsseldorf and in any language. deferred profit share. In August 2019, DFL agreed a under the motto “MEET THE FUTURE OF SPORTS – cooperation with Athletia as part of the “DFL for Equity” MEDIA – STADIUM”. investment strategy.

2020 SPORTSINNOVATION

TO BE CONTINUED...

FOCUS: TOMORROW 117 IMPRINT

Published by: DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga e.V., Editor in Chief: Christian Paul Guiollettstraße 44–46, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Creative Director: Jürgen Kaffer Phone: +49 69 65005 0, Art Director: Thorge Geerdts www.dfl.de Image Editing: MWW Medien GmbH Responsible: Christian Pfennig Managing Editor: Heiko Hamann (DFL, Member of the Management Board/Executive Editor: Matthäus Kosik Vice President Corporate and Brand Communications, Management: Sandra Harzer-Kux, Soheil Dastyari Public Affairs) Head of Project: Kevin Wehmeier Head of Corporate Communications: Infographics: Nils Kasiske, Thomas Kappes Christopher Holschier (DFL) Picture Desk: Sibel Soycetin (TERRITORY) Head of Project Management: Philip Sagioglou (DFL) Cover Photos: Jan Kornstaedt Project Management: William Harrison-Zehelein (DFL) Photos: Katrin Denkewitz, Jan Kornstaedt, Support: Steffen Merkel (DFL), Moritz Mücke (DFL Digital Sports), jenswenzel-photography.com, Messe Düsseldorf, Peer Naubert (Bundesliga International), Daniel Parker (Bundesliga Dominik Asbach, DFL, Getty Images, picture alliance/ International), Christina Porcelli (Sportec Solutions), Christoph Soeder/dpa, Felix Gemein, EA SPORTS, Oliver Pribramsky (DFL), Hendrik Weber (Sportec Solutions), Borussia Dortmund Henning Wenzel (Sportcast) Visual Design: Thomas Markert (DFL, Executive Creative Director) Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is Editorial and Production: strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. TERRITORY Content to Results GmbH Bei den Mühren 1 20457 Hamburg Phone: +49 40 3703 5003 www.territory.de [email protected]

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