MGCC PERSPECTIVESMAY JUN 2018 7 COVER STORY T he FIFA World Cup is besides the Olympics the biggest sporting event of the world held every four years in different countries across the globe At its best football has the marvelous ability to cross barriers of language race and gender to bring together people from all walks of life But football is of course also a lucrative business between sponsors TV deals expensive merchandise and ticket sales Europe s top clubs not only compete for titles but also spend unbelievable amounts of money to sign world class players and talented youngsters who they hope will turn into shining stars on an international stage Although the most successful and popular clubs are European based there is no shortage of football fans in Asia Generally the English Premier League EPL attracts the highest number of supporters in Asia clubs like Manchester United recognised early on that the Asian market holds an enormous potential Indeed Manchester United was among the first EPL Clubs to travel to Asia for friendly games and pre season tournaments dating back to the mid 1990s The Bundesliga with FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund leading the way then followed suit Over the last couple of years several Bundesliga clubs have travelled around Let s Go Germany Football is one of the most popular sports worldwide Legions of fans including in Asia religiously follow their favourite teams over the course of a season and during major tournaments But how are German football and the Bundesliga perceived in Asia Can the German league keep up with its European counterparts by Katrin Figge Ph ot o by 1 23 RF

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