The National Football League (NFL) is the heart and soul of America. It’s the poster boy of the American Sporting landscape, standing on the grounds of teamwork, determination, and perseverance — the values on which the American dream was built. The NFL’s magnum opus — the Super Bowl — is also a great ambassador of modern American society — cheered on from all corners and continues to thrive with each passing year. Its grandeur and high sponsorship deals also provide us with a glimpse into the consumerist strength of America. What’s truly impressive about the NFL, however, is its financial prowess.
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It’s no secret that the NFL is the richest league in the world with an annual revenue of $18.6 billion. But earning this mammoth revenue sum by just being prevalent in North America is truly impressive. This shows the massive potential that the NFL has if introduced to the rest of the world, and the NFL has already begun steps to grow the league internationally.
The first attempt was made way back in 2005 when Mexico City became the first city to hold a regular NFL game outside the USA. The league then attempted to tap into the London market in 2007 with a matchup between the NY Giants and the Dolphins. Since then, the league has been working to dominate this new market, and perhaps the most profitable of them all — Germany.
.@Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has played games in London, Mexico City and Frankfurt, Germany, as part of the @NFL‘s International Series. Asked about the prospect of a game in Spain, Kelce said it would “legendary” and that he welcomes any and all overseas games. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/3R3A81hETG
— KSHB 41 News (@KSHB41) February 8, 2024
On paper, Germany is far away from American values and sports style. However, as per a survey in 2021, American football, surprisingly, was Germany’s second most popular sport. According to some estimates, nearly half a million German residents routinely tune into the country’s Sunday NFL double-headers. The most impressive stat, however, was recorded in 2022.
The American football frenzy was seen on a ground level when the Allianz Arena in Munich sold out its 75,000 seats [3 million waiting in a virtual queue] for the much-awaited clash between the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Considering all these factors, Germany has now become the NFL hub outside of the US, a tag once given to London.
Are NFL games in London profitable?
The NFL’s venture into the UK market was predicted to be a smart move considering how the London market favors the 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff times. Keeping the commercial and cultural aspects in consideration, many expected American football to be a massive hit in London. The league, hence, had its first match in London in 2007. However, much to their surprise, the turnaround wasn’t positive. This led to only one more match for the city in 6 years.
However, the league hadn’t given up on London yet and re-entered the market in 2013 with two games. Two games turned into 4 in 2017, and it seems to be going steady for now.
The UK audience, thanks to persistent efforts by the league, has started liking the product with turnarounds being stellar. The UK growth plan has been strategic for the NFL, which focuses on having more Jacksonville games in London due to the franchise owner’s native connection with the city.
Unfortunately, the Jaguars are amongst the least successful franchises in the NFL. Moreover, with the games being streamed for free on BBC, the league is running losses for playing in London. This has also led to many top teams not choosing to play in the UK.
Despite the losses, the UK fanbase is growing regularly for the NFL. Apart from the three cities, the league recently revealed its plans to focus on Sau Paulo, Brazil next. They also plan to understand the Canadian market in the near future.
