Servus, Bayern fans! Would you like to find out how an online editor at FC Bayern experienced a match in the Allianz Arena? Then you've come to the right place with my blog about the Meisterschale handover after the Stuttgart home game. I'm Steffen, I've supported the red and white record champions since childhood and I've worked in the club media department at Säbener Straße for a few years. We report on all the teams from the men and women, to the reserves, to the men's and women's youth teams. We bring the legend of FC Bayern to your screens with all the emotions - 365 days a year. Today I'm taking you to the media centre, the press conference with Julian Nagelsmann, the press box and up close on the pitch - including a few special guests 😉. So: let's go! 👇
🔜 14:00: Off to see the champions again
Matchday! I'm on duty today (in case you're reading this later: Sunday 8 May 2022) for the website, i.e. fcbayern.com, and the FC Bayern app and, together with my teammates, I'm reporting live from the most beautiful stadium in the world. My working day starts around 14:00, I pick up my colleague Felix (he took the photo 😉) and with my laptop and smartphone in my bag, I head towards the Allianz Arena. From the multi-storey car park it's only a few minutes' walk to the press entrance. So let's get into the stadium or as they say here in Munich: Pack ma's!
🏆 15:08: There it is!
Oh yes, the beautiful Meisterschale. You don't need an extra Instagram filter for the Meisterschale to sparkle and make the eyes of many Bayern fans in the south stand next to me shine. I see them as I walk out onto the pitch to take some photos and videos for our homepage live ticker. Then we go back to the press area to prepare (more on that later), but then...
👋 16:15: Servus, coach!
… I make a detour to the mixed zone (where the players meet reporters after the game), which is only a short walk away from the media centre. Because, the German champions enter the hallowed halls! In the picture you can see our coach Julian Nagelsmann, who, together with assistant coach Benjamin "Benji" Glück, is one of the last to get off the bus. There is definitely a good atmosphere, because Glück hums a ballad classic and makes Nagelsmann smile. To be honest, I can't remember the song title. After Sunday evening only the catchy tune "FC Bayern, Forever Number One" is on my mind 😉.
🔝 16:44: To the press box
The lineup is here! Two hours of preparation and live ticker have gone by and the line-up can go online at 16:24 CEST. (kick-off is at 17:30). We then make our way to the media seating in the lower tier. In case you're wondering why the entire media area is orange and not red: orange is the color of communication (good knowledge).
💻 17:14: The (online) team behind the team
It's about to start! This is the view from our media seats. We can see the basic tactical arrangements better from up here than directly on the sidelines, but we're still close enough to hear shouts, whistles (i.e. all the emotions). Coach Nagelsmann is playing with Nianzou in central defence and Coman and Gnabry on the wings. Felix and I mainly take care of the match report, live ticker and follow-up reports and everything after the game on our channels.
🎙 17:52: The sound of the south stand
The social media team are in the row above us today, the video colleagues are mainly on the sidelines and the live commentators for the free web radio - who you can see here - are sitting right next to us. As usual, the web radio colleagues urge our players forward in German and English.
👀 18:17: Neigbour backs the win
"I think we're going to win!" says my neighbour, who you probably know: Paul Wanner. Our 16-year-old homegrown talent watched the game from the stands with his teammates Gabi Vidović, Chris Früchtl and Malik Tillman. One thing is for sure: the boys are cheering, gesticulating, analysing - and after 79 minutes they head towards the dressing room. They are on the pitch with their teammates when the Meisterschale is handed over. Malik is the first to join Jamal Musiala, who is sitting a few rows up. The shooting star is not fit to play after an infection. Just before the entire group has left, I ask Gabi how much he is looking forward to the Meisterschale. He forms a medal with his hand and points to his heart. What a day for our talents!
🥇 19:38: Only FCB are German champions!
Paul's guess is not quite right today, VfB, threatened with relegation, equalise to 2-2 and take a point from the game. We release the match report on the final whistle under high pressure and are now turning the live ticker and the picture gallery to the topic of the day: the Meisterschale! At 19:38, Captain Manuel Neuer lifts the silverware into the Munich evening sky - and the spectators get out their phones 😉. Then Munich cheers follow: Müller and Süle (take care, Niki!) on the fence in front of the south stand and all family & friends celebrate with our boys on the pitch - wonderful!
✍️ 20:37: Müller in the mixed zone
Felix continues in the media centre with the press conference, videos and the reaction article. I stay in the stands, get some fresh champions' air at 16 degrees, continue the ticker and do follow-up reports on coach Nagelsmann and record champion Müller. Speaking of Müller: As I walk from the stands towards the media centre into the mixed zone, I jot down a quote from the goalscorer, who is answering questions from the journalists: "It's always nice to win the championship. Especially when you see the staff and your teammates."
🔙 20:50: Back to the press club
In the press conference room (also called the press club), I talk to my colleagues - who are listening to Julian Nagelsmann, Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo and our media spokesperson Dieter Nickles.
The working day is now approaching its end. With the jubilant images of the south stand in my head, the noise levels of the fans in my ears and the screen in front of me, I put the content sent from the pitch by my social and video colleagues into the ticker. I then finalise and publish my texts, we set up push messages for the FC Bayern app (which you can download HERE) and update the start pages of the homepage and the app. Felix coordinates the last videos in the FC Bayern TV control room with the video colleagues. As you can see, the distances are very short as the workstations and the press conference podium are in the same room.
🏟 22:27: Till next year, Allianz Arena!
At 21:35, reserves vice-captain Maximilian Welzmüller (far left in the picture) asks us in his typical, mischievous manner to stop working and celebrate the title. Dear Maxi, mission accomplished! At 22:27 we leave the arena, a little wistfully because the next home game will not take place until the new season. Our club media team have one more game coming up next Saturday in Wolfsburg, after which, it's #MISS10N completed!
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