Bayern Munich announced a partnership with Global Premier Soccer, one of the largest youth football organizations in the U.S. The partnership will allow the Bundesliga club, which recently opened a N.Y. office to further expand its footprint in the country, to bring elements of its own youth academy, including coaches, curriculum and uniforms, to the more than 55,000 kids and 5,000 coaches supported by GPS in the U.S. Bayern Munich academy coaches will come to the U.S. on a regular basis to help teach other coaches training methods and principles, and players in the academy could also have the opportunity try out for teams in Germany in the summer. Bayern Munich U.S. Managing Dir Rudolf Vidal said that the club is continuing to take steps to further build its brand and make a deeper connection with football fans in the U.S., but "it’s very important to foster the development of youth players, and that’s why we made it our first priority."
FINDING SUPPORT: Allianz will also provide support to both FC Bayern and GPS in the development of U.S. youth football. The Munich-based financial services company will provide U.S. players a chance to attend its annual Allianz Junior Football Camp, where youth players can both meet and train with the club's players. Also, as the sponsor of FC Bayern's women's team, Allianz will support the development of programs aimed toward young girls. In a prepared release, Allianz noted the new partnership "will help to further increase its footprint within U.S. soccer while also being a great way to underline its brand positioning among youth and American families from coast to coast."
