The last 200 days before the move into the SAP Garden as the second venue alongside the BMW Park have long begun. Alongside the ongoing games and sporting planning, preparations for the next milestone for Bayern basketball are in full swing. So, it's time for a visit from FCBB Managing Director Marko Pesic and a conversation with the 47-year-old about the path to the new hall and the sporting situation.
Marko, we met for an interview at the construction site of the new SAP Garden, which will be inaugurated at the end of September. How important would the first German Championship since 2019 be regarding the move into the new arena?
Marko Pesic: Our goal is very clear: We want to move into the SAP Garden as champions — or as double winners, as we already have the cup. It would not only confirm that we have definitively regained our stride after four years without a championship celebration, but it would also ease our ability to carry forward the steadily growing enthusiasm we've built up throughout the year. We've already sold out more than 20 times this season, which has never happened before. You can feel — especially after the German World Cup victory with three of our players — that basketball has finally arrived in Munich. Moreover, it is not always the same people coming to our games: in the EuroLeague, we have a different target audience than on the weekend. With the double win, we would really take off.
What is the significance of the cup victory for the rest of the season?
It made it clear to the team that they are on the right track. Until the unfortunate loss against Vechta in mid-March, we had not lost nationally for four months — such series give confidence. But we also won the cup in Oldenburg last year and then made some mistakes. So, while we can ride the wave, we must be careful not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
"The first half of the EuroLeague season was tough"
You said years ago that the foundation for an arena like the SAP Garden is to establish a basketball culture in Munich. Has that been achieved?
It's an ongoing process. Munich will always be a football city; that will not change. But I believe that basketball — especially with this season — has found its place in the city. Our performance is recognized, and people respond to us. There is also a great connection with the club. We have worked hard for that. The identity that has developed resonates with the pulse of the city. And the SAP Garden will be beneficial to Munich as a sports venue: due to its diverse use and because the new arena will attract players who you wouldn't expect to come to Munich. The feedback we are already getting from our team about the SAP Garden is immense.
You once said success is not solely defined by the outcome on the court — what is your mid-season assessment, on the final stretch before moving into the new arena?
I am aware that the public is primarily interested in titles when it comes to FC Bayern, but it is also essential to guarantee a certain level of sustainability, ensuring that the business continues even when a title is missing. Like this year, with strong fan support in BMW Park and many sold-out games, even though we haven't won a championship in four years. People now understand what they can expect from us and what we can deliver — and we continue to expand that strategically.
Things are going well domestically, how do you see the international progression?
The first half of the EuroLeague season was tough. We lost many close games. The team had the quality to reach the top eight; there is no doubt about that. But with Pablo Laso as the new coach, who first had to establish his vision and understand where he was, along with a few new players, it was clear we would need an adjustment period, and it was hard to gauge how long it would take.
Your vision a few years ago was to make Munich a "basketball hub" in Europe. How far along are you on this path?
The initial idea was to establish basketball in Munich and, due to the city's geographical location, to bring as many events here as possible. The SAP Garden will make us even more attractive, for example, for the EuroLeague Final Four or European and World Championships. I'm confident we will make Munich a hub for European basketball in the coming years.
"Identity is a key word at FC Bayern"
What does it mean in the fast-paced world of basketball — is there a "Munich way," or is that too romantic?
In basketball, the turnover rate is significantly higher than in football. And yet, we have managed to cultivate the club's identity from within. Therefore, it is not too romantic to speak of a "Munich way." Behind the scenes, we have hardly any turnover among our now more than 60 employees; many have been here since the beginning — nine or ten years — and they convey to the team and the fans what FC Bayern stands for. You can't write identity on a blackboard — you have to live it. In recent years, we've managed to keep a core of the team together, such as Vladimir Lucic, Devin Booker, or our three world champions Andi Obst, Isaac Bonga, and Niels Giffey. They follow in the footsteps of personalities like Steffen Hamann, Nihad Dedovic, and Paul Zipser.
What does a Serge Ibaka say about FC Bayern?
Before Serge signed, I told him that we are not yet at the level of the Toronto Raptors or Real Madrid, but we can offer him 100% commitment and the best possible environment. Our opponents are not just playing against five, but against all of us together. Serge Ibaka also feels this special cohesion. Often, players stay after training for coffee or lunch with the office. That is FC Bayern Basketball.
"BMW Park remains the living room..."
How much is the SAP Garden embedded in considerations for the upcoming season?
The challenge for next season is that, even though everything looks good operationally, the SAP Garden is naturally a black box for us due to the lack of experience. Everything is new for us. Therefore, it is important that BMW Park remains our living room and the SAP Garden becomes our grand hall. Overall, in our planning, despite all the anticipation, we are very conservative and cautious.
"...the SAP Garden will be the grand hall"
The SAP Garden can hold nearly twice as many fans as BMW Park. Do you need to offer even more spectacle in the roster to fill the arena with 11,500 fans — or is that risky because you don't want to become like the Harlem Globetrotters?
(smiling) The "Harlaching Globetrotters" are not the goal. We are FC Bayern. Three years ago, I wrote down a saying: "Modern basketball is the one that wins. The most spectacular basketball is the one that wins." That attracts people, interest, media, partners, and so on. A team must fit the club and the overall concept. And that we already have a spectacular team is evident from the great response from fans. We will certainly not do anything crazy next year that we can't afford. We will become more successful step by step because we continue to invest steadily in infrastructure — in this area, we are a pioneer in basketball. Some top clubs are increasingly looking to us.
What is your personal ambition for FC Bayern Basketball?
My personal ambition is to further anchor our sport in this region. Additionally, it is important to maintain the closeness that has defined us over the years, from the staff to the players. This is crucial for the club's continued success. I am sure that FC Bayern will win the EuroLeague in the next ten years. The only question is how quickly that will happen. But that must be the ambition: to win the EuroLeague.
The complete interview with Marko Pesic can be found in the latest issue of FCB member magazine "51".
Photos: Dirk Bruniecki