The DFL is cooking up a new party trick for fans of FC Bayern and other clubs in the Bundesliga.
The Bundesliga is one of the most famous football leagues and holds a sizeable fanbase beyond Germany. Bayern Munich is a major factor in the global appeal of the Bundesliga. In furthering the agenda of global popularity and greater engagement, a new item of paraphernalia will be introduced in the coming season, namely — debut patches and associated trading cards.
What exactly is it?
Per a report by the football kit reporting dynamo Footy Headlines, Bundesliga clubs will feature a debut patch for players in their first Bundesliga appearance. It will serve as a milestone for the player making their first professional appearance in the BuLi as well as add a memorable moment for the fans. Post that, the match-worn patch would be removed and incorporated into a “special” trading card. Topps who are the official trading card partner with the DFL would then release the special debut card.
Purely a marketing gimmick?
Inspired or you could say imported from the MLS, this is meant to increase engagement as well as hype around the debut of players. A lot of us have dabbled in Topps or any other trading card at some point in our lives and the appeal is understandable. For example, a “debut” Müller or Schweinsteiger card would be a special one in any Bayern fan’s collection. Jamal Musiala and Lennart Karl are the latest instances where the youngsters have gone on to do unbelievable things in their debut seasons.
But, there is a big catch here. Ideally, the match worn patch would be very personal and should remain with the player or the club. However, with it being sold off it would create mega auction items for Topps collectors but leave nothing for the debutante. While this adds a lot of value and brings more eyes on debutantes, it is still a bit of a stretch to not let the player have their debut patch.
If it helps to bring more people into the game more often, then yes it would be doing its job. However, these can have their own impact on young players’ minds in the pursuit for a desirable debut card. It is vital to balance the marketing push against the mental well being and development of young footballers through their most impressionable times.
With that said, let us know how you feel about the latest marketing trick up the DFL’s sleeve. Also, if you could pick one “debut” card from the current squad and one from Bayern’s history, who would they be?
Category: General Sports
