The German Football League (DFL) is taking steps to enhance the appeal of the Bundesliga to international broadcasters with the introduction of a whip-around show designed for global audiences. Named 'Goal Arena – the Bundesliga Konferenz,' this new program offers simultaneous coverage of up to five matches every Saturday afternoon (CET) to international media rights licensees of the DFL. The concept is based on the widely popular domestic format known as 'Bundesliga-Konferenz,' which has been a staple of German football broadcasts. This format simultaneously covers multiple matches and is currently exclusive to pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland in Germany.
Similar to the Bundesliga-Konferenz, the international program utilizes L-frame feeds to display scores and data from concurrent kick-offs alongside live coverage of a featured match and clips showcasing notable moments from other games. During the inaugural edition of the program, 17 of the DFL's media rights licensees broadcasted it to their audiences.
To make the content accessible to a broader global audience, the international whiparound feed offers English-language commentary. However, broadcasters have the option to dub the feed with local-language commentary, as demonstrated by Viaplay in Poland and Denmark during the opening weekend.
The 'Goal Arena – the Bundesliga Konferenz' includes a 10-minute introduction and a full-time recap, providing viewers with comprehensive coverage of the matches. This initiative represents the DFL's ongoing efforts to increase the Bundesliga's attractiveness to international broadcasters, drawing inspiration from the global popularity of formats like NFL RedZone.
In recent years, the DFL has also introduced interactive feeds that allow viewers to customize their live Bundesliga coverage, offering features like replaying highlights at any time and interacting with clickable data and graphics. These interactive feeds are currently offered by various broadcasters worldwide.
Furthermore, the DFL has explored augmented reality technology and even experimented with streaming live coverage of the Supercup match in a vertical 9:16 format tailored for smartphone users. Dominik Scholler, head of international audiovisual rights at the DFL, expressed the organization's readiness to provide an all-inclusive, ready-to-air media product to its international media partners. Media outlets such as ESPN in the US, Sony India, and Viaplay in several European countries have already embraced this new offering, further expanding the global reach of the Bundesliga.
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