The Bundesliga opened its N.Y. office on Thursday, becoming the latest European football entity to reach across the Atlantic. Robert Klein, CEO of Bundesliga Int'l, the league’s subsidiary responsible for global sales and marketing, said that the league has been working on opening a U.S.-based office for more than a year. Bayern Munich was one of the first European clubs to have a full-time office and staff in the U.S. when it opened its doors in June '14. While Bayern has grown in the U.S., no other Bundesliga clubs have made the leap, something Klein wants the office to help facilitate. "Bayern has done a great job with its event presence and what it has done with digital and social media," he said. "Going forward, we will ignite these efforts with multiple clubs, players and partners." Bundesliga founded Bundesliga Int'l in July '17 to help grow the league’s int'l business footprint as well as help its media rights sales. Klein said that the league views the U.S. as an "absolute key market." He added, "From a starting point, the U.S. is the biggest entertainment market any way you look at it. The popularity of soccer has grown exponentially, and with the awarding of the 2026 World Cup, we really feel this is a great time to be coming into the market."
GETTING STARTED: The Bundesliga office, which will be located on Park Avenue in the Union Square neighborhood, is expected to have five or six employees to start, with additional space and desks available to reps of any of the league’s clubs. The office will be led by Exec VP/Strategy Arne Rees, formerly ESPN’s GM of int'l digital business. Rees said that the office’s goals will be two-fold: to do media deals in market, and further develop the league’s brands. "We view this in a long-term perspective; not accelerating too fast as it can’t be artificial," Rees said. "Over the next 10 years, soccer will continue to grow in this country, and we really want to see the Bundesliga in the consciousness of the American fan." While Klein said that he is fairly certain the league would never pursue hosting an official match in the U.S., akin to what La Liga is looking to accomplish, he believes that there is plenty of room for all football properties to grow in the U.S. Klein said, "The more interaction and passion that any league or club activity can create, the better."
