The report covers standout campaigns from the top European football clubs and spotlights China’s social media platform, Douyin
Sports digital agency Mailman has released an in-depth report analysing the latest trends in football fan engagement, digital activations, and the evolving landscape of sports media across Asia.
The Red Card 2025: Asia Digital Performance Index provides a comprehensive look at how football clubs, leagues, and brands are leveraging innovative strategies to connect with fans in the region.
It includes standout campaigns from the top European football clubs in the past year, a spotlight on one of China’s leading social media platforms, Douyin, and a digital snapshot on key Asian markets, as well as a look back at the UEFA Euro 2024 championship and 2025 predictions.
Dominic Lytwyn, VP Social Digital at Mailman, an IMG company, said: “This report underscores the incredible potential of Asia’s football market. From innovative digital activations to the rise of platforms like Douyin, the region is at the forefront of shaping the future of sports fandom. Our insights aim to empower clubs, leagues, and brands to connect with fans in meaningful and impactful ways.
Key Highlights from the report:
1. Club Rankings
The Red Card 2025: Asia Digital Performance Index has ranked the world’s biggest football clubs based on a detailed analysis of followers, growth, and engagement across China’s most popular social platforms, including Weibo, Douyin, Bilibili, and RedNote. The winners are:
1. Manchester City
2. Manchester United
3. Fc Barcelona
2. Best Digital Activations Driving Fan Engagement
• Real Madrid’s collaboration with Olympic gold medalist Fan Zhendong, which went viral on Weibo, garnering 1 million engagements and 13 million views.
• PSG’s Chinese New Year jersey launch featuring singer Jay Chou and a group of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), creating a buzz across fashion, music, and lifestyle circles.
• Manchester United’s cross-industry success with influencer Lu Han, generating over 110 million impressions.
3. Douyin’s Role in Revolutionising Sports Content
Douyin, China’s leading short-video platform, has become a powerhouse for football content. The report breaks down how the platform is reshaping how fans consume sports across over 800 million daily active users, through:
• Pay-Per-View (PPV) models, enabling clubs to monetize live content directly.
• Algorithm-driven targeting, which has driven 2.7 billion views across 15,764 matches since 2022.
4. EURO 2024’s Impact in China
• 1 billion impressions and 7 million engagements across Chinese social media platforms.
• Virtual Billboard Replacement (VBR) technology, which tailored ads for Chinese audiences during live broadcasts.
• A surge in Chinese outbound tourism, with flight bookings to Germany increasing by 110% during the tournament.
5. Fan Insights Across Asia
• India: Football’s fanbase exceeds 300 million, with cricket remaining a dominant crossover interest.
• Indonesia: Motorsports and badminton are popular among football fans, with TikTok driving trends.
• Japan and South Korea: Baseball and K-pop offer unique opportunities for football clubs to engage new audiences.
6. Predictions for 2025
• Douyin’s PPV model expanding to cover 25+ global football competitions, generating nine-figure revenues for rights holders.
• DeepSeek revolutionizing fan engagement through personalized interactions and data-driven insights.
• YouTube solidifying its dominance as the go-to platform for sports content across the APEC region.
• Investment in China’s women’s grassroots football yields tangible growth.
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