Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg is counting on Volkswagen’s global reputation in its search for int'l partners and awareness. “Internationally we, despite the current situation, rely on the respectable name of our parent company Volkswagen Group, which is recognized as an international brand," said Thomas Röttgermann, the club's managing director. He was referring to VW’s involvement in a global emissions scandal, which is set to cost the carmaker billions in fines. Outside of Germany, a club owned by a globally operating company automatically represents sustainablity and respect, which gives Wolfsburg an advantage, Röttgermann said during a presentation at the SpoBiS conference in Dusseldorf, Germany. The team's current success -- finishing second in the league in '14-15 -- helps as well, he added.
HOME AND AWAY: For more than two years Wolfsburg has produced two individual broadcast feeds of its home games. One feed is for the domestic German-speaking markets, and the other one is for int’l audiences. Because the main cameras are located opposite each other on the two long sides of the pitch, Wolfsburg has been able to establish a separate LED ad board section for the int’l market. And the concept works, Röttgermann said. The boards currently feature 19 partners from eight countries. Over the past two years, the LED ad boards have created more than 48 billion ad contacts as the club's home games are shown in more than 200 markets. Wolfsburg has sold 90% of its int’l LED inventory, Röttgermann said. The club is the only one in the league that produces two separate game feeds. The additional costs for production and int'l sponsorship acquisitions are the likely reasons other clubs have chosen not to produce a separate int'l feed. The end goal, however, is virtual advertising or digital overlay, Röttgermann said. Instead of having a separate feed for the entire non-German speaking world, virtual ads could be tailored to specific countries. Wolfsburg believes the experience the club has gained over the past two-and-a-half years selling ads to int'l companies will be a big advantage when digital overlay becomes standard. Röttgermann pointed to North America, Brazil, China and the UAE as the club's top int'l markets. "We are already in those markets to acquire customers for the double production," he said. "Because of it we believe we are well-equiped to penetrate those markets even more once virtual advertising is available."
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Source: VFL WOLFSBURG
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