FC Bayern Munich to Engage with Fans Real-Time by Deploying SAP BTP

FC Bayern Munich integrates SAP BTP to unify legacy data systems and deliver real-time personalized fan experiences.

FC Bayern, one of the largest and most successful sports clubs in the world, recently announced the deployment of SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) to better manage match-day operations, such as managing ticketing, parking, security, and in-stadium retail by responding to developments in real-time. This follows the sports club’s over two decades of partnership with SAP, with the club’s latest move aligning with its efforts in augmenting its SAP Cloud ERP Private Transformation.

Furthermore, FC Bayern’s primary challenge was to capture and understand large volumes of data comprising varied fan engagements, both at the stadium and among the hundreds of millions of worldwide audiences. More than 50 legacy systems across different system providers contained fan data, which created a hindrance in the club’s ability to comprehend them and, in turn, make match-day decisions and curate relevant experiences for its fan base. Relying on isolated methods of sharing information, such as SMS and radio, led to a lack of uniformity. The need was for a single, integrated system that could provide an eagle-eye view. The SAP BTP system provides an easy-to-use interface which enables users to gather and integrate data from multiple systems, including both SAP and non-SAP platforms.

Moreover, the integrated data interface enables organizations to conduct real-time data analysis through a single authenticated data source. The arrangement provides immediate advantages by improving match-day operations and enhancing fan experiences while also delivering essential data for future strategic development. Dominik Winter, Head of Development and Process for FC Bayern Munich, highlighted the benefits of leveraging SAP BTP’s functionality to understand fans at a deeper level, not only individually but also as a collective grouping.

However, Winter cautioned other organizations against following the club’s lead without a preliminary analysis of their data structure. He advised, “To use AI, you need to have good data. Talk to your users. What are their problems? What do they need to know? What processes are they trying to optimize?” According to CIO Bulletin, this development allows FC Bayern to maximize the value of its data, setting the template for others seeking to develop robust predictive capabilities backed by data.