When it came to the group photo on the Allianz Arena pitch, the jackets ended up in a pile - the shirts of the different fan clubs should be visible after all, and even the drizzle didn't matter. The 30 participants of the Arbeitskreis Fandialog (AKFD - Fan Dialogue Working Group) made a good team image; mainly in red and white shirts - united in the colours of FC Bayern and yet diverse. They were a sight to behold as they adopted their new rules of procedure before the home game against VfB Stuttgart.
At the end of the two-hour meeting, Jan-Christian Dreesen summed up. "We are very pleased with the rules of procedure of our working group on fan dialogue. The members have put a lot of time, commitment and passion into this process, which is really extraordinary, certainly not something that can be taken for granted and shows once again how much passion our fans put into FC Bayern. With these rules of procedure, our club is already proactively fulfilling the DFL's licensing regulations on the subject of club-fan dialogue. FC Bayern is thus a pioneer." The vice-chairman thanked everyone involved in the process that was initiated five years ago: "You all fill this reform with life, and that's the only way it can work." Dreesen also welcomed the election of Melanie Humann as dual leader alongside the previous AKFD chair Hansi Gehrlein ("13 Höslwanger e.V.") and welcomed two new members. Alexander Gruber from "Rollwagerl 93 eV" will in future bring in the topic of inclusion, and Alessandro Morbio from the fan club "Queerpass Bayern" the topic of diversity even more. "They are an great addition and represent the broad spectrum of FC Bayern fans," said Dreesen.
In her introductory speech, Humann recalled "many evening and night-time phone calls" before the rules of procedure took shape. The chairwoman of the fan club association "Bayern Mitte 2013" said she was very pleased to be able to represent the interests of the fan dialogue working group together with Gehrlein in the future: "Our new rules of procedure are a very important step that we now have to fill with life. It means more work and certainly some discussions, but that's a good thing because it means further development. I am also particularly pleased about our two new members, who enrich our working group with their perspectives on the topics of inclusion and diversity." Gehrlein appealed to the initiative of those present when it comes to making a difference. In addition, he said the task is to "take all fans with us. In our circle are families and seniors, the Ultras and representatives from the Südkurve, regional contacts from all over Germany and beyond, and now we also have two new representatives - that's all part of a club and club life. FC Bayern unites us all, and together we can make a difference."
In future, the club-fan dialogue will meet at least three times per season in order to contribute to a positive fan culture, to strengthen the identification of the fans with the club and to enable them to participate in important issues. FC Bayern will take the results of the dialogue on board, take them into account in the decision-making process and, within the framework of the club-fan dialogue, provide feedback on how the results have been incorporated into the club's work. A good fan dialogue can only take place if it is well organised, said Raimond Aumann, director of fan and fan club support. He added that the new rules of procedure represent another milestone. "Your commitment cannot be taken for granted," praised the former FC Bayern goalkeeper. "You have worked out this reform yourselves, it comes from your ranks, and we would like to thank you." At the end of the meeting, there was applause once again, then Sabrina Salzweger from club number 12 handed out muffins for everyone on the occasion of her wedding in July - and in the end, this was also a harmonious group picture: a colourful FC Bayern family.
FC Bayern's legendary Südkurve brought up a milestone anniversary this year:
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