NEW YORK --
Expanding its U.S. presence, German champion Bayern Munich is launching a partnership between its youth academy and Global Premier Soccer.
Bayern coaches will spend about five weeks annually in the U.S. working with GPS, which organizes 75 youth clubs in 11 states. Bayern hopes the deal with lead to developing American prospects.
The agreement was announced Wednesday at a news conference with Bayern Munich managing director Rudolf Vidal and Wolfgang Dremmler, the head of Bayern's youth academy and a starter for the West German team that lost to Italy in the 1982 World Cup final.
"We are excited to partner with GPS, a leader in the youth soccer space, on this first of many initiatives we will be undertaking to foster a deeper connection with our millions of fans living in the States, and all soccer fans in the U.S.," said Rudolf Vidal, managing director of Bayern Munich U.S.
Bayern opened a New York office in July and is hoping for increased exposure in 2015-16 when FOX starts a five-year contract to take over U.S. television rights from GolTV, a network with limited distribution that has held them since 2006-07.
"The fact that 5 players in the starting 11 for Germany at the World Cup came through the FC Bayern Youth Academy speaks for itself," CEO Joe Bradley said in a released statement. "It is also important to note that Bayern also has a professional women's team, and we look forward to the impact of this partnership on both our male and female players."
