Last month saw the Brazilian government make a landmark decision by blocking the usage of the popular microblogging site “X”. While for most NFL stakeholders, this decision should have been white noise, it had unexpected consequences for NFL beat writers. Because in a hilarious turn of events, the “X” ban in Brazil resulted in journalists covering the Eagles-Packers game resorting to their wives to tweet live updates for them.
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As part of the NFL’s International Growth Strategy, the league decided to organize 5 NFL games this season in international markets. The first matchup, as part of this initiative, was held yesterday in Brazil’s Corinthians Arena. On a normal game day, social media is usually buzzing with reporters using “X” to deliver live updates from the ground to the fans.
But the unique situation in Brazil forced NFL beat reporters to creatively deliver their game day coverage by taking the help of their wives. Many, including top female NFL journalist Dianna Russini, saw the funny side of it and reacted accordingly.
The wives of the Philadelphia beat reporters tweeting for them back in Philly/NJ because their husbands aren’t allowed to tweet in Brazil may be my favorite sidebar story of the week. I hope they let it rip tonight. #Eagles #Packers
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) September 6, 2024
But for the journalists in Brazil, this was a serious matter, as they would have faced serious repercussions from the Brazilian government if found using the social media platform.
The tussle between Brazil’s Supreme Court and “X” owner Elon Musk dates back to earlier this year. The Brazilian Supreme Court had mandated Musk to send a legal representative from his company, but after repeated inaction from “X”, the country’s judiciary finally took the bold step to ban the usage of the platform. The ban will continue until its demands are satisfied by Musk & Co.
For the NFL stakeholders, however, this wasn’t the only problem they faced during their Brazilian tour.
NFL players reportedly struggled on Brazilian turf
In theory, playing in Brazil to increase the NFL’s exposure is a great idea. After all, Brazil is one of the most sports-loving countries in the world. Thus, it was not surprising to see a sell-out at Corinthians Arena. However, what shocked many was the poor condition of the turf.
While it’s hard to blame any one stakeholder for the state of the turf, it was simply embarrassing to see players slipping and changing cleats constantly after almost every play. The Eagles debutant, Saquon Barkley, started the trend of slipping on the turf, struggling to stay on his feet during his first possession for his new team.
Soon after, rosters of both the teams were seen changing cleats with HC Matt LaFleur admitting during the halftime that “the turf is a problem for sure”.
The poor quality of the turf certainly affected the game and the viewing experience, as countless NFL fans took to social media to share their frustration. Even LeBron James shared his two cents on “X” by tweeting – “Man this field sucks!!!”
The Corinthians Arena is a soccer pitch, designed to enhance speed, agility, and avoidance of contact. However, the league should have ensured the field was adequately prepared for an NFL game, which is significantly different from soccer. The only silver lining from the pitch debacle is that, fortunately, very few players sustained injuries as a result.
