A communal Weißwurst breakfast at Säbener Straße, a visit to FC Bayern's top-of-the-table match against Bayer Leverkusen including a tour of the FC Bayern Museum in the Allianz Arena, and a meet and greet with FCB legend Thomas Linke - plus a few trips to the Oktoberfest: the trip to Munich by the US fan club ‘Mia San Nashville’ has grown into a wonderful tradition. This year, the 20 fan club members once again travelled over 7,700 kilometres to get up close and personal with their FC Bayern.
Personal dialogue with the fans
Alongside the fan and fan club support team led by director Markus Meindl, they always put together a varied programme. "FC Bayern is a Bavarian club that inspires fans all over the world," explains Meindl. "We're delighted that we now regularly receive visits from international fan clubs in Munich: We want to convey the feeling of coming home to the fans." Engaging in personal dialogue with the fans is part of the German record champions' club culture, "best done over a traditional Weißwurst breakfast. Many international Bayern fans now have a very close relationship with us through their fan clubs and their dedicated fan club chairs, and our club greatly appreciates this enthusiasm that spans oceans."
The fan club was founded in Nashville in 2016 with the aim of "meeting up regularly as a Bayern Munich family to watch our team's games together," explains fan club chair Emmy Nteziryayo. The number of members is growing steadily - next year the club hopes to reach the 50-member mark. Depending on the day of the week and kick-off time, between ten and 20 people gather in the Tennessee state capital to watch the German record champions' matches. "Planning for the trips usually starts in December, when we decide which Oktoberfest week is convenient for most of us," says Nteziryayo. During the stay in Munich, the programme includes sightseeing, the Oktoberfest, enjoying the nightlife, sampling various German dishes, shopping in the FC Bayern Store and, of course, an FC Bayern match.
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