FC Bayern München goes social – the value of social media for professional sports clubs

In 2010, FC Bayern München (FCB), one of the world's most successful football clubs, had just finished a successful season from a commercial perspective as well as on the field. With regard to its digital service portfolio, FCB had successfully established its digital content distribution and an e-commerce platform. However, the club seemed to have missed one major trend: the rise of social media. European competitors were already attracting large crowds on Facebook. The management was unsure about how social media would contribute to the digital strategy. In this teaching case, students need to prepare materials for a board meeting in June 2010, in which the digital road map for the upcoming season has to be decided upon. Furthermore, they are supposed to reflect on FCB's evolution from today's perspective. This teaching case helps understand how value can be generated through the use of social media. Additionally, it illustrates how social media enriches content distribution and how it contributes to fan loyalty.