A natural void that creeps into the life of the Bayern Munich fan when the season comes to an end. We are left with months before the team will be playing meaningful games again and while endless speculation about transfers and wage negotiations can fill some of the time, a true Bayern fan should embark on an off season project. And there is no better project than using the downtime to make more Bayern fans.
Now, if one is older, in a stable relationship and economically sound position one can make new fans the old fashioned way, but that can be both expensive, life disrupting, and won’t really pay off for some years. The more direct route to make more fans is to recruit them from the people around you.
This is not going to happen by accident. Sure, occasionally someone will ask you about the natty jersey you are sporting and the conversation might lead them to learn about our magnificent club and start following it, but you cannot rely on the winds of fate to do your job for you. You need to make a conscious effort to recruit people to join the Bayern family.
First off you need to pick your subjects carefully. They should be quality individuals, not the “to and fro” types who will be long gone at the first sign of trouble, but rather people you believe can be counted on to get stuck in for the club when dark clouds surround us.
Then you need to conduct yourself in a manner that makes your subject want to emulate your passion for the club. On a day-to-day basis, each fan is an ambassador for their club, and just how they act, speak and conduct themselves reflects not only on themselves but on the club they follow. Everyone knows at least one person who is personally distasteful that loudly supports a side and that makes you think “if X supports Liverpool I am staying far away from that team.” Projecting confidence, integrity, stability and humility will go a long way towards being a strong Bayern recruiter.
While a manual on how to recruit new Bayern fans might be useful, sometimes examples are just more helpful. Below we will briefly describe my favourite successful recruitment activity, and more current, very challenging, ongoing project.
The non-sporting genius
The night before the Bayern-PSG Champions League final I had a good friend of mine and his family over for dinner. Now that chap is a flat out genius. He is a top doctor, internationally recognized specialist and educator, having won almost every accolade he can for his field. You would have to search far and wide to find a more dedicated physician. But he has almost zero interest in sports of any sort. I suspect he could barely tell the difference between a soccer ball and a cricket ball.
Well you don’t get to that level in medicine without working crazy hours for years. He is well known at this hospital for working long shifts and often working 20 to 40 days straight without a day off — and he almost never grumbles about it. What he does like to grumble about (from time-to-time) is how younger doctors don’t want to work as hard as he does and often don’t seem as committed to medicine as they should be.
So, over dinner on this occasion he expresses his displeasure at the fact that he was scheduled to have the next day off but now had to go in to round on several wards because so many of the young doctors had booked the day off to watch “some stupid sports event”, i.e., the Champions League final.
Sensing an opportunity I slid into action. I explained to him that the event in question was the Champions League final, who the teams were in the game and just how important it was. He was not overly impressed.
So I switched tactics, and suggested to him that if all of his residents and fellows were taking time off to watch the match that it was a pity that his patients would have to miss it because many of them were likely fans too.
I challenged him to wear a Bayern scarf on this rounds that day and just see what happens. He agreed and cheerfully donned a scarf I had been given by the Dallas-Fort Worth supporters club when I visited them. I also taught him the names of a few of our players and waited to hear back on how it went.
It went brilliantly. He reported back that his patients would be more animated and energetic when they spotted this scarf and talked to him about the match. He said their mood universally improved, and low and behold not a single one of his patients turned out to be a PSG fan. He was stunned and pleased at the reaction of these folks to his scarf and him dropping a few names, and was certain it had done them good.
He remains a Bayern fan to this day, but frankly still has his doubts about the work ethic of young doctors.
Chalk one up for the good guys!
Invading Spain
My current project is a tough one, but what good is a challenge if he does not seem impossible when you take it on?
I have a good friend from Madrid. e has been (not surprisingly) a Real Madrid fan his whole life. If I understand things correctly, his father is a socio.
He is a very hard working, dedicated, and ambitious man, working very long hours to establish himself and his wife in his newly adopted country of Canada.
Last summer his dream came true and he and his wife welcomed the arrival of their first child, a young boy.
They were filled with joy. I sensed an opportunity.
So as any good friend does, I started buying gifts for the young man. Some for a purpose.
A close look at the inside collar of this outfit will reveal that that is not just any bear on the front of the outfit buy our very own Bernie! The game is afoot!
But eventually one has to become a little more bold and make a move to start pulling the young man into the orbit of a more virtuous club, so the next gift was a little less subtle. Fortunately, my good friend took it in the friendly manner that it was intended.
The mission was well underway now! In response to seeing this video, the baby’s grandfather got on a plane from Madrid and delivered a huge amount of Real clothing and toys for the baby. But I am not deterred. I have the advantage of proximity and it will be me kicking the ball around with the lad as he grows up. The struggle for the soul of a child is underway and I plan to win it!
So use the off season to get out and recruit more Bayern fans. There is always room for one more in the Bayern family.
Have you already been bringing in new fans for this great club? Feel free to share your stories of introducing people to the family in the comments section below.