Douyin becomes partner of FC Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Munich and video-sharing platform Douyin have entered into a partnership. Douyin, which is known outside of China as TikTok, becomes FC Bayern’s official partner for short videos in China, where it is a fast-growing and currently the most popular social media platform. It is the company’s first partnership with a football club.

“FC Bayern opened its office in Shanghai in 2016 as the first German football club to implement a clear, long-term plan in China,” said Jörg Wacker, FC Bayern board member responsible for internationalisation, strategy and merchandising. “Our staff there ensure a direct exchange with our fans and partners. We’re excited about this partnership with Douyin because it’s a company that offers the perfect opportunity in our digital world to make FC Bayern approachable and come alive. Particularly in a time dominated by Covid-19, being able to communicate through digital platforms is important. That trend won’t abate after the pandemic.”

FC Bayern Asia president Rouven Kasper added: “FC Bayern is seen in China as the most innovative football club in terms of communication. With our partnership with Douyin, we’re taking the next important step. The majority of communication in China takes place on social media. Short videos are the new trend. With Douyin, we can offer our fans unique content and have the chance to further increase our profile. The goal is to be an essential part of our fans’ everyday lives, even in China.”

“As one of Europe’s most successful football clubs, FC Bayern has a very strong fan base in China. In the light of the Bundesliga restart, Douyin is delighted to cooperate with FC Bayern, our first cooperation with a football club. I hope Douyin and FC Bayern will produce great content about the club and players in the future. Douyin can use the platform’s creative and interactive features to help FC Bayern attract even more young fans in China.”said Ye Jueming, head of Douyin Sports. 

FC Bayern launched its official Douyin account in July 2018 and now has nearly 800,000 followers. Players such as Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski are also present on the platform. FC Bayern is also the first football club to produce a weekly interactive livestream format on Douyin, offering fans a deeper insight into the club, thus creating an even stronger bond to its Chinese fans.

Douyin, as well as its global sister platform TikTok, is owned by the Chinese technology company Bytedance. Douyin has grown consistently and rapidly in recent years, passing 400 million active daily users in the first quarter of 2020. It is by far the biggest short-form video platform in China.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused challenges for Bayern all around the world: