In Singapore, Prof Dr Dieter Mayer represented the FCB members' club committee following the departure of president Herbert Hainer. In our interview, the senior vice-president explains how a club like FC Bayern unites cultures on international trips.
Prof Dr Dieter Mayer - The interview
With 300,000 members, FC Bayern is the biggest sports club in the world. Does this also result in a certain responsibility to showcase yourself internationally as a club?
Dieter Mayer: "It is absolutely clear that our heart lies in Bavaria, that we have our home in Munich. But when you have such an international appeal as a club, it is also our responsibility as a club to reach out to our fans: We want to meet them, get to know them better, be close to them and establish connections among ourselves. Only very few fans in Asia have the opportunity to come to us at Säbener Straße or the Allianz Arena - but they should also feel part of the family. And in a family, you visit each other."
What does this one-two with the international fans look like?
Mayer: "Among other things, we were at the Paulaner Bräuhaus in Singapore, where we met up with over 300 fans from a wide variety of countries: from Germany, but also from China, India, Indonesia, even Australia - and we were greeted by many with a Bavarian 'Servus'. We want to convey our philosophy, our values, our 'Mia san Mia' - and on that evening it was a wonderful experience to see how people from different cultures were united by a common passion. Our two Legends Giovane Élber and Claudio Pizarro also play a very important role: they are examples of what it means to become a member of the FC Bayern family. They stand for the exceptionally high identity factor of our club."
The reaction at the end of the Audi Summer Tour:
What will the club take away from this trip?
Mayer: "That we are a global family. That doesn't mean we ever forget where our home is. On the contrary. But we are also aware of how great the unifying power of FC Bayern is. The encounters with the fans were incredible, the reception at the games with over 160,000 spectators proof of how popular the club is in the region. The reception given by the Governor of Tokyo Prefecture and the visits to the German Embassies were also important. We were able to fly home with a very good feeling, having gained many insights and experiences we can share with the people back home. I learned in Singapore that the motto and the name of the national anthem is: 'Forward Singapore!' It is an essential task for us to keep taking FC Bayern forward as a whole club. In this respect, we'll take the motto of Singapore home with us as well - and of course the very nice game with the 4-3 win after trailing 2-0 against Liverpool to wrap up a successful Audi Summer Tour 2023."
FC Bayern have arrived back in Munich. Find out all about the tour here:
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