Social media storytelling in football has changed dramatically in recent years. Football clubs have moved far beyond simply posting match results and fixture announcements. The biggest clubs now operate almost like media companies, complete with scripts, casts and carefully planned episodes. Meanwhile, amateur clubs are proving that you don’t need a big budget to reach a wide audience. Sometimes, all it takes is a smartphone, good timing and a sense of humour. This contrast is what makes football on social media so fascinating right now: The tools are much the same, but the resources couldn’t be more different.

When a Football Club Becomes a Streaming Platform

This summer, Borussia Dortmund launched its own mini-series, “Auf Deckel”, in collaboration with Manera, a media company specialising in cultural marketing. Set in a traditional chip shop in Germany’s Ruhr region, the series stars content creator and comedian Ryko alongside Patina Records rapper Tarek One – two locals who embody the spirit of the region. The episodes also feature a range of guest stars, including Rayan von Blumengarten (“Du bist gut genuuuuug”) in episode three. A total of six episodes have been released on BVB’s Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels.

The clever part, however, is the timing: One episode even manages to weave the announcement of new BVB signing Konstantinos Karetsas into the storyline. No separate promotional video, no formal press conference – just part of the action, right there in the chip shop. BVB has experimented with unconventional ideas before, so “Auf Deckel” is less of a one-off stunt and more a natural continuation of a strategy that focuses on authentic cultural marketing rather than traditional advertising.

When the Sponsor Becomes the Punchline

FC Bayern also shows just how much work can go into producing a single social media post, especially when a sponsor is involved. In a TikTok video created with Viessmann, viewers are introduced to “FC Bayern’s best-kept secret department” and its “Gegenpressometer” – a fictional measuring device designed to look like a typical Viessmann technical product, supposedly used to measure the intensity of counter-pressing. The joke works so well because it cleverly brings two worlds together: football tactics and the look of heating technology, rather than simply sticking a sponsor’s logo on screen.

This is one side of storytelling in professional football: high production values, carefully developed concepts and clear communication objectives.

@fcbayern

Have you heard about FC Bayern’s best-kept secret department yet? 🤫👨‍🔬🌱

♬ Original audio – FC Bayern

When a Social Media Trend Is All You Need

FC Bayern demonstrates the other side of the equation in another post. A simple skills edit featuring Michael Olise ahead of the new season uses a popular TikTok transition trend: the video cuts from a steaming plate of food straight to the mist filling the stadium. The caption reads: “The coldest transition you’ll see today”. No sponsor, no elaborate production, just a familiar format that has been popular on TikTok for years. The result: 1.9 million likes – and significantly more reach than the elaborately produced Viessmann sketch.

The lesson is simple, but often overlooked: Social media reach doesn’t automatically depend on the production budget. What matters is how well a format fits the platform and the moment. A well-timed transition can often outperform even the most expensive campaign.

@fcbayern The coldest transition you‘ll see today! 🥶 New season, new Michael Olise Edit 🤫 #Olise #Edit #FCBayern 🎶 @THIZZYVOMBLOCK ♬ BLOCKKIDS – THIZZY52

“I’m a huge football fan myself, and that’s exactly why I find it so fascinating to see how differently clubs tell their stories today. Some produce content like streaming platforms, while others simply film on their phones outside the clubhouse. Both approaches work, as long as they feel authentic.”

Linus Burkel, PR Consultant and Football Fan

Amateur Football Uses the Same Tricks – Just Without a Production Team

Amateur football clubs have embraced this approach too. SG Eintracht Bötzow, a club playing in the local Kreisoberliga, posted a TikTok video showing a “coach’s punishment”. The team gathers outside the clubhouse after losing a challenge, and the coach gives them a choice: “Dance or run”. What follows is a self-deprecating dance routine. For a club at this level, 44,000 likes is an impressive figure, showing that you don’t need a film crew to build a sense of community and reach a wider audience. All it takes is genuine humour and the confidence not to take yourself too seriously.

@eintrachtboetzow „Kreisoberliga level, Kreisliga-style punishment. 😂 Coach says: Dance or run! The result: I got the shoes, I got the dress… 💃🔥“ #Kreisoberliga #Trainerstrafen #Amateurfußball #TanzEinlage #eindorfeinverein ♬ original sound – Samantha Davis

Amateur clubs are now using these trends strategically, whether to promote upcoming matches that might otherwise go unnoticed or to recruit new players. Instead of relying on dull club flyers, they package their messages in the same meme formats that are already popular on TikTok. And the approach isn’t limited to football. The youth handball team at HSV Frankfurt (Oder), for example, promotes an away match using a cycling race clip turned into a humorous transition. As long as the trend fits, the context is secondary.

@hsvffo.mja A match announcement from one of our previous games! #handball #spielankündigung #fy #fyp #meme #hsvfrankfurt #training ♬ Originalton – HSV Frankfurt (Oder)

Social Media Storytelling in Football: Two Leagues, Two Goals, One Toolkit

Ultimately, professional and amateur clubs tell their stories for very different reasons. BVB and FC Bayern use social media to communicate their brand value, cultural relevance and sponsorship partnerships in a way that resonates beyond the terraces. Even kit launches and new player announcements become entertainment. Amateur clubs like Eintracht Bötzow use exactly the same social media tactics to get noticed, build a sense of community and attract new members or players along the way. Their budgets may be worlds apart, but the tools they rely on – humour, timing and a good instinct for what works on each platform – are remarkably similar.

TL;DR:

• BVB and Manera bring cultural marketing to life through a mini-series (“Auf Deckel”), even weaving a new player announcement into the storyline.
• FC Bayern shows both ends of the spectrum: an elaborate sponsored video with Viessmann versus a simple Michael Olise skills edit using a popular transition trend – with the latter achieving greater reach.
• Amateur clubs like Eintracht Bötzow reach surprisingly large audiences with simple, self-deprecating videos built around social media trends – without any production budget.
• These same trending formats are increasingly being used by amateur and youth teams to promote upcoming matches and recruit new players – even beyond football, as the handball example from HSV Frankfurt (Oder) shows.
• Whether it’s a high-end production or a smartphone video, good storytelling comes down to timing and authenticity, not budget.

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