When the team stepped onto the Hard Rock Stadium pitch in Miami on Saturday evening for a friendly with Manchester City, there was a great burst of applause accompanied by loud cheers in the stands. It was further proof that the Reds made the right decision to travel to the USA as part of the Audi Summer Tour 2018. Jörg Wacker, FCB Board Member for Internationalisation and Strategy, talked enthusiastically about his impressions of the trip: "We experienced happy fans who had the opportunity to see their team."
That's why Wacker's final conclusion was a positive one. "It was a great tour. I look back on it very happily," he continued, "We were able to train under super conditions and achieved our goals on every level. We had a nice trip here," agreed Executive Board Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
A short tour with many insights
The German record champions spent eight days in Philadelphia and Miami, and Rummenigge praised the shortening of the trip compared to last year, saying: "It was the right length." Wacker agreed. "We did the right thing in deciding on two cities," he added, explaining just why these two were chosen.
"We experienced Philadelphia as a city with German roots and Miami is considered the gateway to South America. We were able to learn a lot here." In addition to the sporting aspects of the two friendlies, those responsible had the opportunity to gain a lot of experience and further develop FC Bayern as a club and brand through interaction with representatives of both cities, the NBA or the NFL.
Thoughts for next year
Consequently, despite the two defeats against Juventus (2-0) and Manchester City (3-2), Wacker summed up the experience as "very positive". The results on the pitch were of course also down to the fact that, due to the World Cup, FCB were on tour with lots of young players and few international stars. "It was right to leave them in Munich," Rummenigge stressed once again.
However, the fans in the USA should also soon be able to enjoy all of the players. Currently, the Reds alternate between touring America and Asia on an annual basis, but the club is considering changing that, as Wacker explained: "We're toying with the idea of going into the same market two years in a row. We'll discuss it in peace and quiet." The impressions left by the Audi Summer Tour 2018 have taught FC Bayern a lot. The trip was definitely worth it!
Topics of this article