A club logo is seen behind TV lights at the offices of German football club FC Bayern on March 14, 2014 in Munich, Germany. (Photo : Getty Images)
German football club Bayern Munich opened its China office in Shanghai on Wednesday as the Bundesliga powerhouse aims to expand its reach in the country.
"We're delighted to establish our second permanent presence here in Shanghai. This allows us to intensify our contact with the fans, with clubs, with associations and other institutions," Bayern's CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in a statement posted on FC Bayern Munich's website.
"We've had nothing but wonderful experiences on our previous trips to China, and we've felt the high esteem our club enjoys here."
Rummenigge said the office, its second overseas branch next to New York, will enhance its communications with fans, football clubs, associations, and other organizations in China.
"We could feel that the [Bayern Munich] club has a great reputation in China," he added.
Bayern joins other European soccer powerhouses Manchester United, Barcelona and Wolfsburg into making inroads into the Chinese market.
Bayern's office is located at the German Center in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park in Shanghai's Pudong District, where it will serve as the operational base for the club's Asian tours as well as partnerships in youth football and additional marketing activities.
"We have over 136 million followers in China," said Jorg Wacker, Executive Board Member for Internationalization and Strategy of Bayern Munich.
"From now on, we want more direct talks with our fans. We will bring suitable solutions to China's football market, especially youth football. More tailor-made activities for Chinese fans will be organized to make the club's image more vivid."
Rouven Kasper, managing director of Bayern Munich (Shanghai) Co, said China's e-commerce market offers huge opportunities for the clubs. "We would like to sell products tailor-made for China," he said.
In addition to its new office, Bayern operates a soccer academy in Qingdao, Shandong Province. It plans to open a second school later this year.
Bayern Munich will play Arsenal in Shanghai on July 19 and AC Milan in Shenzhen on July 22 during the 2017 International Champions Cup China tournament. The club will then fly to Singapore against Chelsea and Inter Milan on July 25 and 27, respectively.
