Fan-centricity: Bayern Munich overestimate themselves, Schalke are modest

Many Bundesliga football clubs like to present themselves as fan-friendly – but what happens when the fans see things differently? Researchers from the Technical University of Munich, the German Sport University Cologne and Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts have explored this question in a recent study.

The paper, published in the latest issue of the *European Sport Management Quarterly*, examines how clubs’ public self-presentation in terms of their so-called ‘fan centricity’ aligns with fans’ perceptions. “Fan-centricity describes a club’s consistent focus on its supporters – that is, nurturing relationships with them, taking their views into account and giving them genuine influence over the club’s culture and decision-making,” says Professor Sebastian Uhrich from the Institute of Sport Economics and Sport Management at the German Sport University Cologne.

Several studies were carried out for the research. Among other things, the researchers compared the assessments of 53 current and former Bundesliga managers (regarding their own and other clubs) with the opinions of 1,590 Bundesliga fans. The results are clear. “If clubs present themselves as more fan-centred than fans perceive them to be, the credibility of the management suffers – and fan engagement declines as a result,” summarises Dr Siemen Kampen-Schmidt, who completed his PhD on the topic of fan-centricity at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). “Conversely, if clubs underestimate their fan-centricity and exercise modesty, their credibility increases, and with it, engagement – at least in German professional football.”

Interestingly, around half of the clubs’ self-assessments were close to how fans perceived them. “However, a third portrayed themselves as more fan-centred than the fans perceived them to be, and 18 per cent even underestimated how close they were to their fans,” adds Prof. Dr Jörg Königstorfer (TUM). Particularly large discrepancies were found at Bayern Munich, FC St. Pauli and Hertha BSC Berlin, which were perceived by managers as being more fan-centred than by fans (overrating). FC Schalke 04, Hamburger SV and 1. FC Nürnberg, on the other hand, underestimate their fan-centricity (under-rating).

This provides a clear recommendation for action for the management of football clubs. “Anyone who views fan-centricity merely as a PR tool risks losing the trust of their core target group in the long term,” says Prof. Dr Johannes Berendt (Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts). “What matters is how credibly fan-centredness is put into practice.” It is important, he adds, to consistently implement a fan-centred approach rather than merely managing the club’s image. The specific measures depend on the club’s positioning and range from dialogue formats and opportunities for fan involvement to transparent social media communication.

The full study is available here: https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2025.2525870

Academic contact:
Prof. Dr Sebastian Uhrich, Institute for Sports Economics and Sports Management, +49 221 4982-6120, s.uhrich(at)dshs-koeln.de