Fan festival at Bayern Park

Herbert Hainer rode a rollercoaster together with Bavarian State Minister Ulrike Scharf, later the president of FC Bayern cut a possibly record-breaking cake with Heidi Beckenbauer to mark the 125th birthday of the German champions. The highlight was a talk with World Cup winner and FCB legend Klaus Augenthaler, while donations were also presented for a good cause. The fan festival at Bayern Park, organised by the ‘Red Bulls Taubenbach’ fan club and its president Rudi Grabmeier for around 6,000 supporters of the Reds, was a huge success. In addition, €12,500 each was raised for FC Bayern Hilfe eV, the Franz Beckenbauer Foundation and the Kurt Landauer Foundation.

A day like this has an impact beyond sport, said Hainer, who acted as patron and was replaced by his second vice-president Walter Mennekes in the course of the afternoon because he had to head off to FC Bayern Basketball’s decisive quarter-final at the SAP Garden in Munich. “At an event like this, fans get to know each other, network, arrange trips to FC Bayern together – that's the FC Bayern family,” he continued.

Augenthaler told the excited visitors that events such as this never existed during his playing days: “When I look around here, everything is red and white – I’m in the right place! I never experienced anything like this.” Heidi Beckenbauer explained that her husband Franz had “always been passionate about social commitment, so thank you to all those who also look out for those who are not so well off”. Being aware of its social responsibility has characterised FC Bayern and its fans for decades, explained Ulrike Scharf, Bavarian Minister of State for Family, Labour and Social Affairs: “Today is a great Bayern Day. Bound by 125 years of history – the fans can feel that too. They can be proud that so much money has been raised for people who are in need through no fault of their own.”

In another talk during the afternoon, Mennekes, together with stadium announcer Stephan Lehmann, explained the club's numerous member dialogue formats. By way of example, the duo had travelled directly from a corresponding event in Bonn the previous evening. Afterwards, Mennekes and Lehmann were awarded honorary membership of the ‘Red Bulls Taubenbach’. Then, like Hainer and Augenthaler before them – who are also honorary ‘Red Bulls’ members – both patiently stood by to sign autographs and take selfies. The evening at Bayern Park in Lower Bavaria ended with a concert by the Spider Murphy Gang. “Our fan club is celebrating its 30th anniversary – FC Bayern its 125th birthday: it was a great day for everyone who was there,” summarised Grabmeier. 

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