Questions and answers on the DFL’s International Product Portfolio
3 April 2019 – This Saturday (6:30 p.m. CEST), the Allianz Arena will host “Der Klassiker”: FC Bayern München versus Borussia Dortmund. It will be the 100th time that these two clubs have played against each other in the Bundesliga. Not only in Germany is this match whipping football fans into a frenzy but also around the world. The clash on the 28th matchday of the 2018-19 Bundesliga season will therefore be a key component of the DFL’s International Product Portfolio – but what does this imply? Important questions and answers:
What is the International Product Portfolio?
With the International Product Portfolio – IPP for short – the DFL provides its international media partners with moving image and social media content from the Bundesliga – from the live broadcast of entire games with English commentary to interviews and show formats.
How long has the International Product Portfolio been in place?
The IPP was inaugurated at the start of the 2005-06 season and has been constantly enhanced since then. For its launch, four matches from a Bundesliga matchday were prepared for international licensees. The media partners also had access to one preview and one highlights video. Today, a variety of content is produced.
Which formats are included in the International Product Portfolio in 2019?
The DFL’s IPP comprises over 30 different product formats. The commentated live games form a key component here, as do reports, documentaries, show formats, interviews and content for the licensees’ social media channels. An average of 60,000 minutes is spent producing content for all products every season. There is a pool of 15 English speaking commentators for the live matches. There are also 16 co-commentators that are set aside for the reporters – including former professional footballers such as Patrick Owomoyela, Karl-Heinz Riedle and Steffen Freund. Following every season, the products are assessed by the licensees using a specially developed online questionnaire. The feedback supports the consideration of adjustments to existing formats and the development of new ideas.
How many licensees have access to the IPP?
The formats of the International Product Portfolio are distributed to more than 60 licensees worldwide. The IPP content is available in all 211 FIFA member countries. The biggest media partner is FOX Sports which distributes the product in over 80 countries.
Are the same products offered to all media partners?
In principle, yes. However, some formats are adapted to the needs of the respective licensee. In this context, for example, the DFL Group is working closely with WSC Sports. The Israeli company has developed a technology that automatically creates highlights based on various parameters which are aimed at previously defined target groups. Japanese licensees, for example, primarily receive highlights that include scenes of Japanese Bundesliga players.
Who is responsible for producing the IPP?
The DFL’s Audiovisual Rights department is responsible for the strategic development and orientation of the IPP. From an editorial perspective, the IPP formats are created by the DFL subsidiary DFL Digital Sports. The DFL subsidiary Sportcast is responsible for the entire technical production infrastructure in the Cologne Broadcasting Center (CBC).
How are the products distributed to licensees from a technical perspective?
The content is distributed to media partners in three ways. The content is made available to licensees by satellite, via a fibre-optic link or file-based download. Sportcast is responsible for the global distribution, together with its longstanding partner Eurovision.