In the battle for young people’s attention, clubs need to offer something that they can identify with—and that’s good news for marketers because unlike older, more traditional fans, young fans care less about wins and losses. For them, the score doesn’t matter nearly as much as the story. They’re choosing clubs that reflect their values, style, and sense of self.
To unpack how clubs are rethinking their strategies when it comes to this elusive demographic, WSC Sports brought together two of the best marketers in European football, Alexander Mühl, Director of Marketing and Digitalization at Borussia Dortmund, and Stijn Van Hemelrijck, Media Director at RSC Anderlecht.
Here’s a look at four key strategies that came out of the discussion.
Incorporate your legacy
Clubs with rich histories often face the challenge of balancing tradition with relevance. For Borussia Dortmund, the key has been treating legacy not as a static story, but as a dynamic asset that can be adapted for new generations. From revamping its visual identity to embracing pop culture aesthetics—like neon yellow kits from the ‘90s—Dortmund is reimagining its legacy through design, fashion, and cultural collaborations. For those not as fashion-forward, ‘90s fashion is en vogue, so bringing back those throw-backs is something not only appreciated by younger fans, but older fans as well, who can appreciate the element of nostalgia from their youth and young adulthood.
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Legacy and tradition are definitely strengths. But the way you tell the story of that tradition has to evolve. You have to rethink it to make it relevant for younger target groups.”
Borussia Dortmund
Tell the story the right way
With fans consuming content across TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and more, a one-size-fits-all content strategy is a thing of the past. One piece of content means 5 formats, 3 different tones, and zero copy-pastes. Platform-native content is the new baseline.
Mühl explained how Dortmund’s content team now builds platform-specific versions of each story—something made scalable through AI-powered tools. “It’s not just about what we post, it’s how we present it, where we share it, and who we’re speaking to,” he said. “We’re following our fans’ behaviors to guide everything from channel strategy to editing style.”
This type of approach echoes a greater trend we see across the board. That fandom isn’t fueled by footage alone—it’s also heavily influenced by identity.
Build a brand that’s bigger than the final score
For RSC Anderlecht and Media Director, Stijn Van Hemelrijck, a turning point came when they asked themselves a thoughtful question: Why would someone choose to become a fan if they’re not winning? The response: shifting from results-focused storytelling to a bigger brand identity centered around talent development, community, events, and culture.
We had to go from a result-driven connection to an identity-driven connection. We opened up the brand to stand for more – things like inclusivity, integrity, and creativity – so people could connect with us beyond football.”
Like it, Love it, or Live it
Both clubs emphasized the importance of understanding different levels of fan engagement—and designing experiences accordingly. At Anderlecht, the team uses a simple but powerful model: fans who like the brand (casual followers), fans who love it (engaged supporters), and those who live it (die-hard, match-attending loyalists).
Their “like, love, live” framework echoes a greater trend that we’ve seen in sports content. Fandom isn’t binary—it’s a spectrum. So to attract the largest possible audience, marketers need to create different types of content to serve each layer of fandom.
As Van Hemelrijck put it, “The potential of our at-home fan base is massive. Not everyone needs to come to the stadium—but we need ways to make them feel part of the club.”
Winning the next generation won’t come from simply creating more highlights or clips. Surely, you must scale production to be able to deliver enough content to all levels of fandom. But true long-term relationship building (some call it fanship) will come from knowing who you are as a brand, meeting fans where they are, and building stories that matter—on and off the pitch.