DFL and Relevent Sports agree to long-term partnership focused on strengthening the Bundesliga in Americas

Working directly with Bundesliga International, Relevent’s extensive network will support the DFL in its next round of media rights sales across the Americas, as well as acquiring new regional commercial partners
The long-term partnership begins immediately, with Relevent building a dedicated Bundesliga Americas team
Partnership signals the next stage of the DFL’s growth strategy in the region, with Relevent supporting the league in capturing more of the growing football fanbase throughout the Americas

19 September 2024 – The DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga is breaking new ground in international marketing to further grow interest in and the popularity of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in the Americas. Together with leading multinational media, sports and entertainment group Relevent, the DFL will significantly expand its marketing and sales activities in the region — including North, Central, and South America as well as the Caribbean — over the coming years.

Beginning immediately, the DFL and Relevent will build out a Bundesliga Americas team featuring experts for content, marketing, PR and sales who focus exclusively on the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. With branches in New York City and Guadalajara (Mexico) and a significant expansion of the existing staff, the Bundesliga Americas team will boast greater proximity to local markets and media companies and produce cross-media content that appeals to fans in the 35 countries across North, Central and South America by tailoring material to the interests and trends of the region and focusing on Bundesliga players from these countries.

Marketing of media rights from 2026-27

Based on a mutually agreed strategy and joint sales approach, Relevent will market the media rights to Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches across the Americas from the start of the 2026-27 season, which will run over several rights cycles. Additionally, Relevent will support the Bundesliga’s media and sponsorship sales beginning with the 2024-25 season through a localized approach involving creating tailor-made content for the various target markets, leveraging existing content creators, partners, and media outlets, and exploring avenues for fresh and creative organizations to join the network.

As part of the joint strategy, the DFL has the authority to decide on the direction, as well as the final selection of media partners and regional sponsoring partners. Both the Supervisory Board of the DFL subsidiary Bundesliga International, which is responsible for international marketing, and the DFL Executive Committee approved the cooperation before it was concluded. The key figures were also presented to all 36 professional clubs at a DFL Members Assembly.

“Exactly the right time for such a partnership”

Steffen Merkel, DFL CEO: “The American market is currently in an exciting development phase and offers great potential for the Bundesliga. Last summer, the Copa America was held in the USA and the next mega-events in the region are on the horizon, with the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA World Cup 2026. These events will drive even more enthusiasm for football, especially among a younger audience. In this respect, it is exactly the right time for such a partnership with the Relevent Sports Group, which has built up an enormous reputation in recent years and stands for ambition, expertise and growth. Together, we will make great strides forward in the marketing of German professional football.”

Peer Naubert, CMO of DFL subsidiary Bundesliga International: “The talks with Relevent Sports were characterized by great trust and a passion for German football, as well as a clear vision for the increased presence of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 on the American continents. Given the trajectory of football in general and the Bundesliga in particular, we believe there’s still a lot of untapped potential in the region. With this strategic deal, we want to leverage commercial growth and take the Bundesliga brand to the next level. The office opening in 2018 was the cornerstone – now we want to write the mid and long-term success stories for the Bundesliga in the Americas.”

Danny Sillman, Relevent CEO: “We’re thrilled to be working with the Bundesliga to continue growing German football’s footprint across the Americas. We know the football market in the US and the broader region is growing quickly, and we’re excited to launch a ‘Bundesliga Americas’ team to capitalize on that interest with a locally targeted, content-driven approach that helps expand and deepen the league’s fanbase in North, Central, and South America.”

Boris Gartner, Relevent President: “This partnership marks a significant step forward in Relevent’s mission to bring the best of international football to audiences in the Americas and help grow the sport. The long-term nature of this collaboration will allow us to expand the Bundesliga’s presence in the region by leveraging our expertise and networks. We’re eager to create new touchpoints for fans and partners to experience and engage with one of the world’s most historic and celebrated leagues, featuring some of the sport’s most devoted and vibrant supporter bases globally.”

Support from Relevent in the organization and marketing of club trips to America is also included in the partnership agreement.

Headquartered in New York City, Relevent has built comprehensive internationalization strategies for several of the most influential entities in global football. As North America’s preeminent football marketing and media organization, Relevent boasts a proven track record of delivering significant partnerships across media rights, sponsorships, events, and content marketing and has realized increases in value over previous rights cycles for many of its partners.

The Bundesliga has a long history with the Americas, having seen more players from the US make their name in Germany than any other European top league, including the first American to score in the Bundesliga, Tom Dooley, as well as Bundesliga Legend Steve Cherundolo, who played over 300 top-flight matches and was nicknamed the ‘Mayor of Hanover’ after a 19-year career with the club. In addition to world-class stars like FC Bayern’s Alphonso Davies, the league is also the home of the exciting young talent, such as VfL Wolfsburg’s Kevin Paredes, who played for the US team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Bundesliga Legends Paulo Sergio, Ze Roberto, Pavel Pardo and Claudio Pizarro are just some of the stars to have come from across South America and find success in Germany, while the likes of Bundesliga, World Cup, and now two-time Copa América winner Exequiel Palacios is treading the same path with Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Further information on the future work of Relevent’s Bundesliga team in America will be announced in the coming months.