Baltimore Ravens’ star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who boasts an impressive net worth of $40,000,000, is advocating for the NFL to expand its reach to new corners of the world. In a recent interview with GQ Sports, OBJ touched on various topics, including his comeback season with the Ravens.
Advertisement
He then expressed his desire to see the NFL target the Middle East for its expansion. OBJ has decades worth of experience as a professional athlete; he understands the global appeal of the sport and believes that taking American football to the Middle East could be a lucrative venture for the league.
Odell Beckham Jr. on NFL Expanding to the Middle East
OBJ was asked a number of questions in the interview, out of which, one question really struck out. Talking about playing in the NFL and its global reach, Odell Beckham Jr. was asked, “Have you ever thought about places you’d like the NFL to expand to?” The Ravens WR vividly expressed his thoughts on the matter.
OBJ mentioned London, Paris, and Germany as suitable options due to their existing interest in football. However, Beckham also brought up the Middle East in the conversation. He said, “London is an easy one. It would really work. Other places I’ve been where they have a little football? Paris, Germany, and I think another one that would be tough—you’d have to create a league over there—would be Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I’ve stayed over there for a little bit of time. They obviously have the funds to get it done.”
The NFL has global programs in place for the game’s development outside the US. The league has forayed into flag football and is pushing for its inclusion in the Olympics. Damani Leech, COO of NFL International said in early 2022, “Over the next five years, we want to expand NFL flag football.” The NFL is certainly looking to expand its potential into untapped markets. Thus, insights from the Baltimore Ravens WR about the Middle East actually makes sense.
OBJ Talks About His Stay at Drake’s House
In the same GQ interview where he reflected on expanding NFL’s global reach, Odell Beckham Jr. also set the record straight about his living situation with Drake. Apparently, OBJ was living at the Canadian rapper’s house for a brief while in 2016. During an interview with GQ Sports, he was asked, “You also lived at Drake’s house in LA for a bit. What was he like as a roommate?”
However, OBJ clarified the situation with his response telling us that people don’t know what they’re talking about. He said, “Well, I think people have a misunderstanding of that. He was actually on tour and I was living there. Everyone was like, “Oh, they’re roommates!” That wasn’t really it.” OBJ busted any misconceptions around that incident for sure. Beckahm Jr. and Drake have been good friends for quite a while and have always backed each other in public as well.
