Borussia Dortmund, heavyweights from German soccer’s top-tier Bundesliga, have entered into a multi-year deal with sports-focused AI-powered video content provider WSC Sports.
Through a tie-up unveiled today, Dortmund now have access to WSC Sports’ AI platform, which automates the creation and distribution of video content. Games played by the team will be analysed in real time and then split into video clips and highlights which can be distributed to fans both via social media platforms and then the BVB-TV in-house service.
In addition to this, five years of previous Dortmund games will be analysed from the club’s content archive. This means that all video content can now be repurposed into any necessary aspect ratio, to fit any platform.
Using a vertical 9:16 ratio, for example, will “help the club better connect to younger fans,” WSC Sports has said.
The club will also be able to maximise the value of its digital intellectual property, based on creating new revenue streams for digital inventory and assets.
Aviv Arnon, WSC Sports’ chief business development officer and co-founder at WSC Sports, has commented: “BVB has seen firsthand the possibilities that our AI-powered video content solutions enable through our collaboration with the Bundesliga. Now the club will bring those same innovative solutions home, to supercharge content production and facilitate more original storytelling, which will ultimately increase engagement levels across all club platforms.“
Sascha Fligge, director of communications at Borussia Dortmund, added: “Our digital content strategy is extremely important as the key way to engage our global fanbase who cannot be with us physically at every match. We are delighted to partner with WSC Sports whose AI-powered technology will propel our ability to produce and share more great content around the games and, importantly, in the period between live matches.”
Earlier this month, it was unveiled that Dortmund had generated a 22% increase in revenue for the 2023-24 season, thanks to their run to the final of Europe’s elite UEFA Champions League (UCL) club competition.
For the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, the Bundesliga side brought in €510 million ($560.4 million), which represented an increase of almost €91 million from the previous year.
This resulted in the club posting a profit of €44.3 million for the financial year, up €34.8 million from €9.5 million in 2022-23.
WSC Sports, meanwhile, announced the extension of its partnership with Belgian soccer’s top-tier Pro League in mid-September. The original tie-up between the two dates back to 2019.
WSC Sports also has a similar deal in place with the Bundesliga itself.
