The Bundesliga in the U.S.

The Bundesliga, Germany’s premier football (soccer) league, is assessing its global broadcast and marketing strategy, with special focus on the very lucrative but highly competitive U.S. market. Its CEO Christian Seifert believed that a strong international position was vital to continued success in the global sports and entertainment market. Competition in the U.S. consists of other international leagues, especially the English Premier League (all of whose matches are on NBC platforms) as well as the major U.S. professional sports and college sports. Bundesliga’s CEO believed its globally known clubs (especially Bayern Munich), the success of German national teams in past World Cups, and the league’s capabilities as a diversified media company represented attractive elements for its prospective expanded U.S. broadcast presence. The case includes descriptions of the Bundesliga, its national and international broadcasting contracts, its development into an integrated full-service media company, the U.S. sports market and the presence of international football on U.S. TV, and the approaches of other leagues. The principal case focus is the strategy to “win the marketplace of U.S. sports broadcasters and consumers.” Numerous exhibits provide detailed information on revenues, broadcast markets, and the U.S. sports environment, as well as Bundesliga’s structure, brand vision, and value chain elements.