Analysis of influence factors on the image of German football clubs with different financing models

: an empirical study

Abstract

The main research question of this dissertation is how attitudinal factors like investor engagement, commercialization and tradition in football influence attitudes towards football clubs with different backgrounds. Borussia Dortmund was examined as an example of a traditional club with a long history and RB Leipzig as an example of a newly formed investor club. The literature review showed that despite similar sporting successes in the recent past, there is a large discrepancy between the images and brand strength of the two clubs. RB Leipzig is seen as a symbol of commercialization. The club is rejected because of Red Bull as a financially strong investor. Borussia Dortmund is also highly commercialized and backed by several investors. For this reason, quantitative research was conducted to reveal the extent to which attitudes towards the two clubs are linked to other attitudinal factors. The study also aims to reveal what the biggest differences in the perception of the clubs are and what RB Leipzig can do to strengthen the brand value. The results of the primary research have shown that attitudes towards RB Leipzig correlate with attitudes towards the other factors. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, is rated independently of other factors, both emotionally and in terms of performance. Furthermore, it was found that Borussia Dortmund stands out from RB Leipzig primarily due to its tradition, active fan scene, authenticity and regional ties. Consequently, these are the primary factors that the club must improve to strengthen its brand image.

Date of Award	29 Jun 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Krzysztof Chmielewski (Supervisor)