Explore TSG Hoffenheim’s journey with SAP
TSG Hoffenheim has made a name for itself, both nationally and internationally, since it was promoted to Germany’s Bundesliga in 2008 and began qualifying for international competitions. The soccer club has also become a talent factory, developing international stars. In close cooperation with SAP, TSG Hoffenheim is pioneering AI-enabled solutions that give the club a decisive advantage in the modern soccer business, both on and off the pitch.
| Industry | Region | Company Size |
| Media, sports, and entertainment | Zuzenhausen, Germany | 350 employees |
expected time savings at stadium sales kiosks with preordering and fast-lane pickups.
transactions processed in the SNP Arena on sold-out match days.
employees benefiting from improved HR processes.
Managing Director, TSG Hoffenheim
Achieving success in all areas
TSG Hoffenheim immortalized itself in German Bundesliga history with its unique promotion story. The soccer club worked its way up from the amateur leagues to the Bundesliga in record time and has been successfully established for years, largely because of its excellent talent development program.
In fact, talent development is a central aspect of TSG Hoffenheim’s business model. By developing top players, the club generates important transfer revenues to help it stay competitive at the highest level, both economically and athletically.
The prerequisite for this is optimal working conditions for players and staff but also a modern digital infrastructure that enables data- and AI-enabled insights into the performance and fitness of players. Another important key to success is offering TSG Hoffenheim fans an unforgettable experience in the stadium. Sustainability is also an integral part of TSG Hoffenheim’s strategy, ensuring that sporting success, economic growth, and environmental and social responsibility are aligned for the long term.
Taking a fan-centric approach
To achieve flexible, simplified, and more-secure ticket sales, TSG Hoffenheim uses SAP Event Ticketing software. With this software, the club can initiate marketing and promotional price campaigns and manage day and season tickets on the go. Tickets are available in digital format, enabling fans to use the official TSG platform for exchange and transfer.
On game day, the SAP Customer Checkout application enables a smooth process for both fans and the club at more than 100 kiosks in the SNP Arena. Thanks to the option to preorder food and beverages by smartphone and a fast lane for pickup, fans in the stadium can get their orders more quickly. The club benefits from real-time monitoring and live forecasting of sales throughout the stadium, helping ensure that drinks, food, and merchandise are always available for purchase. Fans can also order the jersey of their favorite player at a time that suits them through TSG Hoffenheim’s online store, which is based on the SAP Commerce Cloud solution. A chatbot is available during the purchasing process to answer questions.
To deliver a connected and scalable fan experience, TSG Hoffenheim relies on the SAP Engagement Cloud solution. This AI-enabled, omnichannel customer engagement solution offers powerful segmentation, personalization, and automation capabilities. For example, the club distributes approximately 10 newsletters per month with personalized merchandising, ticketing, match-day and club-related information, including AI-enabled product recommendations.
Head of Football Intelligence, TSG Hoffenheim
Digitalizing sports performance management
Part of TSG Hoffenheim’s recipe for success is a highly developed sports performance management system. The SAP Sports One solution helps the club digitalize its sports performance management by coordinating administrative, training, team management, and medical processes. To remain a top team, TSG Hoffenheim also uses the scouting functions of SAP Sports One. In the area of performance diagnostics, the solution helps consolidate and evaluate data on more than 200 different aspects of player performance, be it heart rate and pulse, athletic and cognitive performance data, or even subjective feedback from players.
TSG Hoffenheim is also co-innovating with SAP to pioneer and test new AI capabilities within SAP Sports One. The focus is on assessing how AI can support football-specific processes such as scouting and video analysis.
Managing Director, TSG Hoffenheim
Actively shaping the digital future of the various club areas
Without a powerful crew of employees behind the team, TSG Hoffenheim’s achievements would be unthinkable. With SAP SuccessFactors solutions, the club supports these employees through powerful cloud-based HR management software. This includes the SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting solution, which provides the club with a modern talent acquisition offering.
A central component of the club’s IT infrastructure is SAP Cloud ERP, the digital core of SAP Business Suite. It supports efficient management of various business areas, including finance, controlling, and business partner management. Data analysis is also an important key to success. With the SAP Analytics Cloud solution, the club can analyze data from ticketing, catering, merchandising, player performance, and financial data to make informed decisions. What’s more, the planning capabilities in SAP Analytics Cloud help streamline the club’s budgeting processes by enabling integrated forecasting, scenario modeling, and more-transparent financial analysis across departments. These improved internal budget-preparation processes are particularly relevant for TSG Hoffenheim as it prepares the mandatory annual financial reporting documentation required by the Bundesliga as part of the following season’s licensing process.
Innovation and responsibility shape the club’s identity, with TSG Hoffenheim striving to think sustainably on all levels. While the club is committed to being future ready, it must also adhere to legal sustainability requirements and regulations imposed by the Bundesliga. To provide sustainability reports in line with these requirements, TSG Hoffenheim decided to streamline its processes for identifying, collecting, calculating, and managing its sustainability data with the SAP Sustainability Control Tower solution.
In one of the world’s most competitive soccer leagues, it is crucial to stay one step ahead of the competition. The use of data enables TSG Hoffenheim to perform intelligent analyses in a business context, which has a significant impact on the club’s sporting and commercial performance. TSG Hoffenheim uses SAP solutions to enable a first-class experience, from ticket purchases to stadium visits and merchandise purchases. Meanwhile, SAP Sports One simplifies sports administration in different areas and unifies it on one platform. With connected HR, sustainability, sales, and business management systems, TSG Hoffenheim is equipped for a bright future both on and off the pitch.
Want to know more about TSG Hoffenheim?
TSG Hoffenheim: Uniting Fans Through Personalized and Data-Driven Engagement (SAP Business Transformation Story)
TSG Hoffenheim: Unlocking the Power of Data to Meet Sustainability Goals (SAP Business Transformation Story)
TSG Hoffenheim: Elevating Budget Planning Processes with Extended Forecasting and Analysis (SAP Business Transformation Story)
TSG Hoffenheim: Digitalizing Recruiting Processes to Field the Best Talent (SAP Business Transformation Study)
TSG Hoffenheim: Uniting Fans Through Personalized and Data-Driven Engagement (SAP Business Transformation Study)