Bayer 04 Leverkusen has become the first Bundesliga club to receive stadium-specific approval from the German Football League (DFL) to use the so-called “Parallel Ads” technology in the 2023/24 season.
The “Parallel Ads” technology from provider TGI Sport enables the Bundesliga leaders to show different advertising partners in the national and international TV signal on the BayArena’s LED boards. “On the one hand, these can be partners who want to advertise in these target markets. On the other hand, the system can also be used to advertise any international club activities,” says Markus Breglec, Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer at Bayer 04.
First international partners
TGI Sport works with the picture frequencies of TV production. In this alternative product to software-based virtual advertising, the TV cameras record different images of the LED boards at defined intervals.
While stadium visitors and viewers on TV screens in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) do not notice any change, the image of the LED boards can be adapted for international viewers using the technology in the international broadcast signal. In future, an international feed with parallel advertising will be produced in addition to the existing perimeter board feed for the DACH region. Bayer 04 has reportedly already secured its first partners for the playout of advertising messages in international target markets.
Bayer 04 had already equipped the LED boards at the BayArena when they were purchased in 2019 so that the “Parallel Ads” technology could be used in the future. According to the Bundesliga club, the advantage of the system is that it “enables a very high quality of advertising”, as the adapted image is not virtually superimposed over the original, but played directly over the LED boards.
From Serie A to the Spanish FA
TGI Sport is no stranger to the international playing field. For example, the company, which belongs to New York investment firm Bruin Capital, recently signed a contract with the Spanish soccer association RFEF. In 2022, TGI Sport acquired the Interregional Sports Group (ISG). The British provider of virtual advertising works with Serie A soccer, among others. The contract between ISG and the Italian league has a term of five years and applies to all 380 matches per season.
