Bayern Munich has taken a line from Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” to describe its experience in the U.S. so far. Bayern Munich Head of Internationalization & Strategy Jörg Wacker on Tuesday talked about the club’s U.S. efforts and looked ahead at its upcoming move into China at the SpoBiS SPONSORs Business Summit. Asked what headline he would give Bayern’s experience in the U.S., Wacker said, “If you make it there, you’ll make it anywhere.” The club is convinced that football has an enormous growth potential in the U.S., in particular when looking at the large youth participation and the growing Hispanic population. Taking advantage of the large participation numbers, Bayern entered a partnership with Global Premier Soccer, which provides player development programs along the East Coast. The main focus of Bayern’s efforts will continue to be on increasing its brand awareness through media partnerships, promotional events and live experiences. Bayern Munich data shows there are about 18 million people in the U.S. who say they have an affinity for the club. To reach those potential fans, the club already launched an official U.S. website along with an online shop. While commercial aspects are currently not the primary focus of Bayern’s U.S. strategy, Wacker said, an increase in fan base could lead to an increase in value when renewing deals with existing partners. Wacker added that the club has already held initial talks with potential partners, reached out to various U.S. leagues, and established a network in the U.S. market. The Bundesliga’s new int’l TV rights deal with 21st Century Fox, which will start this summer, will play a significant role in promoting not only Bayern’s brand, but also the league itself. Wacker: “The stronger my brand, and the stronger my product, and not only the product FC Bayern but the Bundesliga as a whole, the more money channels are willing to pay for the rights.” He added that the club hopes to announce its first U.S. media partnership within the next three months.
TAKING IT FAR EAST: While Rudolf Vidal and his N.Y.-based team continue to deliver in the U.S., Wacker is already looking to the next market. He said that the club is currently working on a China tour for this summer. In addition, Bayern together with partner DHL will launch its own e-commerce platform to sell merchandise in the country, something that has been a problem in the past. “It can’t happen that a fan has to wait three or four weeks for a product and then has to pay an additional €30 for shipping," he said. “We have to adapt to the market and the culture.” Discussions about whether to open an office in China are ongoing. The topic of regional partnerships is also currently being discussed by the club, with Wacker saying the most important question is not the money, but whether a potential partner fits the Bayern Munich philosophy.
