German top-tier soccer club RB Leipzig will introduce virtual perimeter advertising from the upcoming 2025-26 season and has awarded a contract to the TGI Sport firm to roll out the technology.
The offering will allow advertising messages shown during Leipzig’s international Bundesliga broadcasts to be adapted to regional target audiences.
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For fans in the stadium, and for German TV viewers, the perimeter advertising at Red Bull Arena will remain unchanged. However, in the international broadcast feed, digital overlays will enable the content to be tailored to specific international markets.
Virtual advertising allows the 18 Bundesliga clubs to offer their sponsors region-specific advertising opportunities by creating localized broadcast feeds with different advertising for international audiences – using a software-based, automated solution that requires no additional technical effort within the stadium.
The Bundesliga first approved the use of virtual advertising in 2018.
Leipzig said the technology “strengthens our global sponsor communications and unlocks new potential in international marketing.”
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By GlobalDataMatthias Reichwald, RB Leipzig chief commercial officer, said: “With virtual perimeter advertising, we can better meet the growing international interest in RB Leipzig.
“At the same time, we are creating tailored, flexible opportunities for international marketing, both for existing partners and for new ones. We are also helping to strengthen the Bundesliga’s presence in global markets.”
Dominik Scholler, vice president for product management and innovation at the DFL, added: “As the DFL, we support Bundesliga clubs like RB Leipzig in the introduction of virtual perimeter advertising, which enables targeted, market-specific communication with international audiences.
“Thanks to a software-based technical solution, the advertising boards at the Red Bull Arena can be digitally adapted for the world feed and international viewers in real time without the need for additional equipment or staff inside the stadium.
“This innovative approach, based on close collaboration between clubs and the DFL, is a positive contribution to the international marketing of the Bundesliga.”
Last year, TGI Sport, the sports infrastructure, technology, and media rights business part-backed by Bruin Capital, acquired UK virtual advertising firm Supponor to strengthen its offering in this space.
Supponor is one of two software-based solutions approved for use in the Bundesliga, alongside Swiss advertising solutions and sports rights firm uniqFEED’s AdApt software.
uniqFEED received league-wide approval from the DFL German soccer body last month to deploy its AI-powered virtual advertising technology across the Bundesliga and will provide competition to TGI Sport.
Supponor was granted league-wide approval by the DFL in 2022, with Borussia Dortmund becoming the first team to deploy it. The firm also provides the technology to Bayern Munich.
Notably, TGI Sport further expanded its operations in the DACH region after recently acquiring Sporteo, the Liechtenstein-based sports management agency.
Sporteo's services include sports sponsorship and marketing, sports technology, LED advertising, and integrated sports communications.
