A view of the front page of Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. The club is shortly going to add Arabic language content to their website. Currently, the club website has English, Spanish, Chinese, German and Japanese content on its site. RIGHT: Andreas Jung, Deputy Executive Board Member of FC Bayern Munich, speaking to The Peninsula in Doha, yesterday. PICTURE BY: KAMMUTTY VP
BY ARMSTRONG VAS
Doha: German football giants Bayern Munich are set to launch an Arabic version of the club website, a senior official of the Bundesliga side informed.
The club presently has a multi-lingual website catering to English, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese fans besides the German one. The club also periodically carries articles in French and Italian.
“It is important for us (Bayern Munich) to communicate our ideas through the Arabic language. We thought having an Arabic language website and it is a must, it is a kind of service for fans which we are looking at, and we are working in that direction,” Andreas Jung, Deputy Executive Board Member of FC Bayern Munich, told The Peninsula yesterday.
Jung was in Doha to discuss with Qatari officials the club’s winter camp at Aspire Academy.
The camp will be held from January 2 to 9 next year.
The German club official said matches involving his club have attracted more fans from the Middle East region for the last few years and the Arabic website was the need of the hour.
“We have supporters and people from Middle East who are interested in Bayern Munich. The interest for our matches on Dubai Sports channel and Al Jazeera Channel is getting increased viewership. We have a reason (for that).
“We have a long history in that area (Middle East). We have been having camps in Dubai, played some matches in Abu Dhabi and now we are in Doha,” said Jung.
Jung, who handles Information Technology at Bayern Munich, said internet is an important medium for the club to keep in constant touch with fans.
“The interaction between fans and clubs is much stronger with the advent of the internet. You create our own platform; we can post our videos and also show our TV Channel to fans. Internet has helped us to create new things, more information for fans and so on.”
Jung said Internet also has helped the club to combine economic and sports maters.
“We can now show content of our partners. It has helped us to make brand Bayern Munich stronger. So, it has given us a much wider platform.”
Jung said football-crazy Brazil, one of the emerging economic powers, is one of the target areas for Bayern Munich where it wants to make inroads, but for the moment the club is focusing on the Middle East region.
The club - which has a Chinese partner - is open to the idea of having an Arabic partner on board.
“It is always an option for us. If we can have a Chinese partner, then, why not an Arabic partner. For sure, why not, it can happen, if some Arabic companies see a chance to associate with German market, German sports and brand, then why not. I think sure it will work, if it fits their ideas (Arabic Companies).
“I think at first we show the people the brand Bayern Munich. And this is why Arabic website is important for us. People should understand and also know the values that Bayern Munich stands for and then see for themselves. It is possible, alliance with Arabic companies. Every partner is important for us, every area is important for us, because, as we understand we are a global brand in sport and it is not just a German brand,” said the Champions League runners-up official.
The Bavarian club lost to Chelsea in last season’s Champions League final at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, in a penalty shoot-out.
THE PENINSULA
