"It's important not to get carried away"

Borussia Dortmund seem to have taken a liking to Asia. Last year the club travelled to Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, while this year China is on the agenda. What makes the Far East so enticing?
"In Asia, we're experiencing a real interest in European football. Alongside the English Premier League, the Bundesliga is increasingly becoming a focal point too. And Borussia Dortmund represent an essential part of the Bundesliga. The BVB brand is well-known, as we have regularly played Champions League or international football over the last five years. Thanks to our colours, we are also highly recognisable. After all, there are not too many clubs who play in black and yellow. We also receive a lot of attention and appreciation during such trips thanks to our triumphs in the 1997 Champions League and the Club World Cup in Tokyo later that year. The Asian market is not only interesting for the Bundesliga as a whole, but for BVB in particular."

What opportunities are there to close the gap to the Premier League or to catch up completely?
"Our concept is geared towards sustainability. That's why we have an office out in Singapore; that's why we're now going back to Asia. We've defined this region as a target market. It's the same as in your private life. If a place you've known for a long time and like is fun and gives you joy, you have to go there more often. Now we're going to China and are considering what we can do next year. For us, it is an interesting prospect in the long-term. A common accusation levelled at the English is that they're business or commerce-driven because they fly in, take part in a friendly, take their share of the money and leave again. If you want to gain a foothold somewhere, then you need to do things right."

Did the Bundesliga miss the boat to a certain extent when it comes to the Asian market?
"We're latecomers, of course. But that doesn't have to mean that we're too late. Ultimately, there are also some things in Germany that work better here than they do in other counties. A few weeks ago I left Shanghai on a Thursday morning and then, on the morning of the next day, I attended an anniversary match in the Stirnbergstadion with the representatives of SpVg. Erkenschwick. Shanghai was cool, but Erkenschwick was equally cool. You need to find a healthy balance. It is important that we don't make the mistake of focusing everything on Asia or the Far East in general; rather, we need to continue to focus our attention on Germany."

"At BVB we don't just lend our name to something; we become part of it"

Is playing the two Manchester clubs so early in the season an opportunity or a risk?
"Obviously it's a demanding challenge on a sporting level but the other two clubs are both facing the same problems. For us, it is an enormous opportunity to face super-interesting teams such as Manchester United, who have José Mourinho in charge, and Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola is at the helm. We're the only non-English team at this tournament in Shanghai. If we want to attract attention, then it's easier to play against these teams than against a small club. The organisational elements were taken care of for us, too."

Borussia Dortmund have a partnership with Malaysian club Johor Southern Tigers. Does this arrangement only exist on paper or is it something that is actually put into practice?
"Eddie Boekamp, the Sporting Director of our Youth Department, is in constant contact. Three Dortmund coaches in BVB colours are in Johor, where they work with youngsters and train coaches. Youngsters and players travel from Johor to Dortmund in order to continue their footballing education here. But we do not simply use this model as a blueprint for other markets. We always try to do things on an individual basis. For example, we now have a cooperation in Thailand and our own BVB Soccer School out in Tokyo. That's what sets us apart from the English. At BVB we don't just lend our name to something; we become part of it. The English, on the other hand, do a lot of things resembling a sort of franchise system. They sell their logo and their marketing rights. In return they receive x Euro and the rest is done by people on location. In our case, however, there are always Dortmund faces involved."

"There are clear limits when making compromises"

Though the Bundesliga has managed to increase revenues from overseas TV marketing to more than 150 million euro, there is still a lot of catching-up to do....   
"The greater the Bundesliga's presence in China and other Asian countries becomes, the more attractive it will be for television and the more prepared TV broadcasters will be to spend money on the league. The Bundesliga doesn't even get five million euro from Chinese television, yet the Premier League has just concluded a contract with one Chinese broadcaster worth 55 million euro. We will and must try to find a healthy middle ground. The probability of Asian television broadcasters spending larger sums of money on the Bundesliga will be considerably higher if its clubs have a constant presence on the markets."

Does that not make it necessary to consider more flexible kick-off times? In the Premier League some matches begin at 12 CET so that they can be broadcast in Asia at prime time.
"Our bread and butter comes from Germany. The most important thing is that football continues to work here. We live from the people who come to the stadium. We could make changes like switching kick-offs to 12 CET and I assume that it would also be sold out - but then it's no longer Dortmund, it's no longer our BVB. We need to prevent that from happening. You need to make compromises, but there are clear limits when making compromises."

Due to the popularity of Christian Pulisic, there are a number of new opportunities opening up to BVB on the US market. Have there also been considerations about stepping up the club's presence in America?
"We're doing it step by step and decided to concentrate on Asia first of all. Because we believe that progress will be quicker there. We're also working simultaneously in the USA: we have social media channels, an American online shop and we communicate a lot in English. The club's first tour to the USA certainly isn't five years away. But despite all of these efforts to gain a foothold in foreign markets, our core business is still Germany. This is where we play football."

Interview: Wilfried Wittke