Verschiedenes

For Borussia Düsseldorf, the signing of Olympic champion Fan Zhendong from 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT to the record champions is a major coup. In this interview, manager Preuß discusses the reactions to the spectacular transfer, the role played by Düsseldorf’s idol and ambassador Timo Boll in the deal, and his vision for working with the Chinese superstar beyond sporting matters.

Andreas Preuß, Borussia Düsseldorf, with you as manager, has managed to bring Olympic champion Fan Zhendong from ‘eternal’ rivals 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT to the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. Did you notice the subsequent hype following the announcement of the mega-transfer?

It was overwhelming and still is. Apart from numerous enquiries from the media, we’ve received an incredible amount of feedback, including a great deal from China, and even from Fan Zhendong himself, who is very happy that the news is out. In China, the reactions via Weibo and his other channels were outstanding, even by Fan’s standards.

What does positive feedback look like in such an extraordinary situation?

It’s completely different. For instance, following the transfer announcement, Dang Qiu and I were recently invited to a Chinese New Year celebration at a hotel in Düsseldorf, just as we had been in previous years. Normally, we never played a special role there, but this time the town hall rang beforehand to ask if the mayor could mention Fan Zhendong. When we arrived, there were of course mainly Chinese people there, but also politicians, state secretaries, ambassadors and consuls, and it felt as though everyone gave a speech, and Fan Zhendong and Borussia Düsseldorf were mentioned in every one. During the reception, we also had the opportunity to meet the Chinese ambassador, which I consider very valuable.

Why?

Because this contact will multiply, as there is huge interest. In Düsseldorf alone, we have a massive Chinese community with 8,000 people from China and almost 800 Chinese companies. I’ve only just learnt that Düsseldorf is the hub for Chinese companies across the whole of Europe.

Have Borussia’s social media accounts gone viral yet?

We’ve been maintaining accounts on the Chinese platforms Weibo, Xiaohongshu and Douyin for quite some time now – and there’s been a sustained response across the board. However, since Fan Zhendong’s decision, we’ve had a lot on our plate, and not just in the social media sphere.

Such as?

We currently have a great many areas to explore. These include looking into larger venues for one or two home matches, ways of involving existing and potential partners, the organisation of ticketing, merchandising in general and our fan shirts in particular. Some things simply haven’t been finalised yet given the short timeframe. What we mustn’t forget is that we’re not just marketing Fan Zhendong; he’s part of our team, and we’re marketing our team.

But Fan is likely to play a special role in your marketing plans and broader strategic considerations, isn’t he?

We need to discuss with him what he does and what we – taking his personal marketing rights into account – can do together. We definitely want to bring him on board and treat him well and fairly. We therefore have no interest in partners who try to exploit Fan and aim to achieve the maximum possible media impact for very little money. But that we do something together with him – yes, I think that has to be the case.

What characterises such discussions?

We have to learn a great deal in a very short space of time – much like Saarbrücken did last summer. We’re dealing with different people, entirely new experiences, different scales, and a different culture.

What is the most important aspect of this learning process?

Ultimately, a lot of it revolves around Fan – naturally. But we’re still a club; we existed before Fan Zhendong and we’ll continue to exist after him. Fan knows that we have other players too and, as wonderful as it is that he’s joining us, we won’t become FC Fan Zhendong. But that’s not something he wants at all. Fan wants to be part of a team, part of our Borussia family, and not just be hyped as an individual athlete. All of this needs to be brought into a sensible balance, even if it’s lovely at the moment that this hype has built up and so many people are already looking forward to it with great anticipation.

How would you describe the future situation?

A real symbiosis is emerging. We’re seeing this curiosity reflected from all sides – from fans, the media, partners, politicians, and even the head of the Chinese School in Düsseldorf: everyone says this is something really big, for Fan too.

Could the fan factor finally turn Borussia into a global club?

In my view, we were already somewhat global before. But of course we’ll become even more global, because the large Chinese community is spread literally everywhere in Europe and across the rest of the world, apart from Germany. These are by no means just tourists with a camera; they are Chinese people living permanently in other countries with a keen interest in table tennis and Fan Zhendong. As a result, we now have a more international reach; as a result, we are of interest practically all over the world; as a result, we have already become more global.

When Fan’s signing was announced, you already mentioned new marketing opportunities. What exactly do you have in mind?

It should and certainly will work both ways. We have already spoken to existing partners and other companies based in Germany who want to make an impact in China. Conversely, there is, for example, a solar panel manufacturer in Shanghai that wants to sell its products in Germany.

Will Borussia’s ‘living room’ in its traditional hall still be sufficient in future to cope with the expected rush of spectators due to Fan, or will you be looking for a ‘second home’?

We are currently considering moving our first home match to a larger venue in Düsseldorf. To cope with the influx of spectators, we will also need to host a few other matches at a different venue. However, this will be planned to strike as balanced a balance as possible with our actual home matches at the ARAG Center Court.

Has it already been decided how often Fan Zhendong will play for Düsseldorf?

Probably more than ten matches; it could be a similar number to what we currently have in Saarbrücken. However, due to his other global commitments, Fan will choose for himself which matches he plays in.

What will it mean for Borussia and its appeal to other players in general that the Olympic champion – and, for many, the world’s best player – is playing in Düsseldorf?

Our players have reacted with great delight to Fan’s move to us. They believe that Fan will be an inspiration to them, that they can learn from him and will be stronger when playing together. But we also believe that, thanks to the pull of such a superstar, we as a club will be very attractive to other young players – after all, during Timo Boll’s long time in our team, many players grew alongside him.

What does the deal mean for the league as a whole?

Firstly, there is enormous potential for expanding our fan base right here in our local area. If we qualify, the major TTBL events will also attract a large audience. The league also benefits from broadcasts in China, which enjoy high viewership online, as well as in the USA, and these are expected to continue. The clubs where we play with our best team will benefit. The entire league is making its mark as far as China, which is very positive. We will engage even more in exchanges with China, which is also positive. Thanks to Fan Zhendong, almost everything that happens in the TTBL and is connected to it is of interest in China.

Your club, Borussia Saarbrücken, and Fan Zhendong himself mentioned Timo Boll and his well-known friendship with Fan in the club statements as a key factor in the transfer. How much of a role did Boll play in the move?

I believe his influence was very significant. At one point, I would have guessed around 50 per cent, but perhaps it’s 60 or just 30 per cent.

What accounts for the variation?

I had the feeling very early on that Fan really wanted to join Borussia, that he’s enthusiastic about Düsseldorf as a city, and that he’d find a new challenge here, as well as an established infrastructure and a well-functioning network. He knew – and still knows – exactly what’s going on at Borussia and in Düsseldorf. But then, of course, there’s that personal connection between Timo and Fan – which is why I think 50 per cent is a realistic figure.

Will Boll have a greater presence in Düsseldorf as a club ambassador than originally planned, thanks to his friend’s involvement with Borussia?

Yes – simply because of their friendship. But this also opens up new marketing opportunities.

Could you explain that in more detail?

Timo is Borussia Düsseldorf, but Timo is also Timo Boll. Fan Zhendong is Fan Zhendong, but soon Fan Zhendong will also be Borussia Düsseldorf. Just as Fan Zhendong is the face of Chinese table tennis, Timo is the face of German table tennis. There is certainly potential within this dynamic from which both of them – and perhaps we too – can benefit – and perhaps even more people and sectors.

What exactly do you mean by that?

That, beyond sport, something might gradually develop in politics and the business world. In a figurative sense, the exchanges at these levels are living examples of ‘ping-pong’ too, and perhaps, fittingly, Boll, Fan Zhendong and Borussia Düsseldorf might one day join in the ping and pong as well. Ping-pong has long since made many things possible – economically, politically, culturally and socially – and any exchange is, of course, a good thing. Perhaps the political sphere will recognise this new and unique constellation – the friendship between the best table tennis players from both countries at a club equally popular in Germany and China – and use it to foster mutual relations. Creating opportunities for exchange is the key.

From an ambitious vision to ambitions at the table: is the treble a must for Borussia from next season onwards?

It feels as though the treble is always a must in Düsseldorf: but for us, and for me personally, the most important thing initially was that, for the first time, an Olympic champion was playing for Borussia. The rest will follow. When I also look at the future Champions League squads of Saarbrücken with Truls Möregardh, Hugo Calderano and Patrick Franziska, or of Montpellier with the Lebrun brothers – any other team can lose to these sides, even a Borussia side featuring Fan Zhendong.

But surely you didn’t sign Fan just to shake up the competition in table tennis…

The impact of titles is one thing; in this day and age, publicity, engagement, marketing and media exposure are quite another. That’s why I firmly believe that, with Fan Zhendong on board from this summer, we will once again be Europe’s table tennis capital.

Thank you very much for talking to us, Andreas Preuß.

Florian Manzke