November 12: Bayern Munich has appointed Bilibili as its official regional media partner in China, deepening a relationship that began when the club launched on the video platform in 2021.
Bayern was the first major European club in Bilibili. Since then, their content has exceeded 820 million views, they have the third most followed club on the platform and in the first three months of this season they have registered more than one million interactions, at the top of the international ranking.
A key part of the deal is a monthly live show produced with Bilibili from a studio in Shanghai, hosted by local hosts the club has worked with for years.
“China is a key market for FC Bayern,” said Rouven Kasper, board member for marketing and sales. “We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Shanghai office, we were active in the region from an early stage and have had a continuous and authentic dialogue since then.”
Stefan Mennerich, director of media, media rights and communications, said Bayern are “among the top three internationally in digital platforms in China”.
The club has run six sticker and decoration campaigns using the platform, some with commercial partners such as Paulaner around Oktoberfest, more than any other international club. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did a live Q&A in May. Almost 4,500 Bilibili creators regularly post about Bayern, more than half from outside the sports category.
On November 12, Shanghai hosts the second match of creators Bayern x Bilibili, with the presence of the legend of the club Javi Martínez. Claudio Pizarro appeared in the first in Chengdu last year.
The approach mirrors Inter, which launched on Bilibili and REDnote this month. With LaLiga coverage in China disrupted by the Mbappé dispute, clubs with their own channels and direct relationships with fans are better protected from the political risks of the market.