Uli Hoeness now open to Bayern Munich starting an eSports division

Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness might just finally be changing his mind on eSports. The 67-year-old has long been opposed to starting a competitive gaming division at Bayern, but it seems as if the idea is starting to grow on him. In a recent interview captured by SportBild, Hoeness said that Bayern are now in proactive discussions once again for potentially bringing eSports to the club:

Internally, we’re in a relatively lengthy process of discussing this topic. But there’s still no decision.

As recent as last summer, Hoeness was still strictly opposed to eSports, saying that it didn’t “fit the profile” of Bayern:

According to Hoeness, eSports do not fit the image and profile of Bayern Munich, despite how successful the club’s first ever HackDays were back in January. Competitive gaming, though, is quite different than the digitized components that were focused on during the HackDays to create a more engaging, interactive experience for Bayern fans.

Finally, his stance is changing, and he’s seriously considering making a different decision in the coming months. Hoeness plans on sitting down with the rest of the club’s hierarchy soon to reach a final decision on whether they should introduce eSports or not:

We’ve agreed that we’ll continue to pursue the issue in the coming months and then try to make a decision that’s right for all of us.

Wide usage of different technologies in day-to-day life for the average person is part of what’s making Hoeness reconsider eSports at Bayern:

We’re living in a time when topics are changing. Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence; we don’t even know what will be there in three or four years.

Bayern would join a cast of other Bundesliga clubs that have already hopped on board with eSports departments; RB Leipzig, VfL Wolfsburg, Schalke 04, Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, and FC Nurnberg have all tapped in to the competitive gaming scene already.