DHL, FC Bayern expands cooperation in gaming market

1 min readJul 25, 201712:06 AM

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DHL and Germany’s FC Bayern Munich yesterday announced the expansion of their cooperation with innovative activations within the video gaming market, specifically in the FIFA 18 game set to launch in September 2017.

This is DHL’s bid to tap on the massive potential of the computer games market, which analysts predict will grow its revenue from US$493m in 2016 to US$1.1b in 2019.

In 2015, DHL helped the club to launch its online flagship store on Tmall Global. As the team’s official logistics partner and e-commerce full service provider, DHL plays a key role in delivering official merchandise to FC Bayern fans in China.

During the team’s 2017 Audi Summer Tour to Shanghai, Shenzhen and Singapore, the Bavarian club confirmed its desire to further engage with its fan base in China, providing fans with the latest club merchandise, such as jerseys and other FC Bayern products.

FC Bayern is one of the world’s biggest football club with over 280,000 members and one of the most successful, having won five UEFA Champions League titles, three Club World Cup trophies as well as 27 German national league championships.

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What this means

This partnership expansion into gaming, specifically FIFA 18, is a shrewd move for DHL, building on its existing logistics and e-commerce success with FC Bayern. By engaging fans in the rapidly growing gaming sector, DHL deepens its brand association with a major club and captures a younger, digitally native audience for its e-commerce services. This contrasts with more traditional retail entries like Capella Hotel Group in Japan, showing an agile, digital-first market penetration strategy. The move pressures rival logistics providers to innovate beyond traditional merchandise delivery. The primary risk lies in effectively translating gaming engagement into tangible merchandise sales. We will be watching for the next fan engagement campaign or digital activation from this partnership.

Minjun Park

Questions & Answers

What specific video game is involved in the expanded cooperation between DHL and FC Bayern?

The expanded cooperation between DHL and FC Bayern is specifically focused on the FIFA 18 game. This particular game was set to launch in September 2017 as part of their innovative activations in the gaming market.

What is DHL's primary objective in expanding its cooperation into the computer gaming market?

DHL's primary objective is to capitalise on the significant potential within the computer games market. Analysts predict substantial revenue growth in this sector, making it an attractive area for DHL's strategic involvement.

How did DHL previously assist FC Bayern in China prior to this gaming market expansion?

In 2015, DHL assisted FC Bayern by helping the club launch its online flagship store on Tmall Global. DHL also acts as the official logistics partner and e-commerce provider for delivering merchandise to Chinese fans.

What is the projected revenue growth for the computer games market between 2016 and 2019?

Analysts predict the computer games market revenue will grow from US$493 million in 2016 to US$1.1 billion by 2019. This substantial increase highlights the market's growing economic importance.

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