NFL Expands Global Markets Program For 2023: More Teams, Nations, Activation
Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 07:51PM By Barry Janoff
May 23, 2023: Following what it called an impactful and fan-engaging first year, the NFL has expanded its Global Markets Program for Year Two, with 21 clubs participating in the program in 2023 across 14 international markets, up from 19 clubs across ten markets in 2022.
The Global Markets Program, which launched in January 2022, was previously known as the International Home Marketing Areas program.
The program grants NFL clubs access to international markets for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization activations as part of an important, long-term strategic effort to enable clubs to build their brands globally while driving NFL fan growth beyond the U.S.
The expansion of the Global Markets Program supports the NFL’s International Series, which in 2023 will see three games in the U.K. and two in Germany.
Being added for 2023:
• The New Orleans Saints have been granted international marketing rights in France — the first NFL club to select and be awarded the French market — in what is also the team's first entry into the Global Markets Program.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers have been awarded international marketing rights in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to complement their rights in Mexico, which they received last year.
"We are thrilled the Pittsburgh Steelers have been awarded the marketing and commercial rights to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland," Brett Gosper, head of NFL Europe and U.K., said via the league.
"With their deep roots and heritage, the Steelers make for a fantastic partner in helping to grow and engage with the passionate NFL fan base across the island of Ireland. Growing the game globally is a major strategic priority for the League and 32 clubs, and the Global Markets Program will continue to help accelerate the momentum and interest in our sport around the world."
Also granted rights in the Republic of Ireland are the Jacksonville Jaguars, who will expand their international rights beyond the U.K. for the first time.
• The Atlanta Falcons become the fifth club to be granted international marketing rights in Germany — in what is the club's first entry into the program.
Three of the original clubs with rights in Germany — the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — were granted rights in April to expand their presence beyond Germany to include Austria and Switzerland as part of the DACH region.
"We are thrilled to see the shared ambition of our teams in growing the NFL around the world,” Peter O'Reilly, NFL evp-club business, major events and international, said via the league. “And this expansion demonstrates not only the momentum of the Global Markets Program as we head into Year Two, but the value the participating clubs are already seeing from this important initiative.”
"We know that global fandom is accelerated through direct engagement with our clubs and players, and we are excited to see the continued impact of this program to reach and engage more fans and grow our sport at every level globally."
Year One of the Global Markets Program saw clubs “introduce successful initiatives across marketing, fan engagement and the commercial sphere, including growing Flag football in international markets.”
The NFL said participating clubs activated their rights around several NFL tentpole events.
That included the International Games in London, Germany, and Mexico in 2022, the 2023 Pro Bowl Games in Las Vegas, and the 2022 and 2023 NFL Drafts, the latter of which saw all 19 clubs with international markets rights announce themed picks from on-stage in Kansas City and remotely from around the world to engage fans globally.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to help grow the NFL internationally," Greg Beadles, president of the Falcons — which will be playing in London this coming season — said via the NFL.
“The league and the clubs have put a lot of effort into cultivating fan bases overseas and we are all seeing positive results from that effort. We view this as a long-term investment in continuing to grow the game of football and look forward to helping introduce America's game to new audiences."
The London Games are being presented by IG online trading and investments firm. The German Games are being presented by DKB (Das Kann Bank).
There will be no international game in Mexico in 2023 due to renovations taking place in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will begin the 2023 NFL International Games on Oct. 1 when they play the Atlanta Falcons in Wembley Stadium (ESPN+, 9:30 AM ET), Jacksonville’s tenth regular season “home game” in London.
On Oct. 6, London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will see the Buffalo Bills face the Jaguars (NFL Network, 9:30 AM), with Jacksonville playing its second regular-season game in the same season — and back-to-back — outside of the U.S., a first for the NFL.
On Oct. 15, the Tennessee Titans will play the Baltimore Ravens, also in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET).
As part of its commitment to play regular season games in Germany for four years (beginning in 2022) the NFL will play two games in 2023 in Frankfurt, having played the inaugural Germany game in Munich on Nov. 13, 2022, when Tom Brady and the Buccaneers defeated the Seattle Seahawks.
On Nov. 5, the Chiefs will play the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt Stadium, home of Eintracht Frankfurt (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET).
On Nov.. 12, the Patriots face the Indianapolis Colts, also in Frankfurt Stadium (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET), to complete the 2023 NFL International Games.
When the NFL made the decision to play its first regular-season game in Germany, the league knew it already had solid marketing, media and fan support in the country.
Numbers now show that the impact may have been bigger than even the NFL had predicted.
The game, played in Allianz Arena — home of FC Bayern Munich — saw the Buccaneers and Brady defeat the Seahawks, 21-16.
The NFL said that game generated a total economic impact of 70.2 million euros — $76,892,900 U.S. — for the City of Munich, with 32.2 million euros ($35,379,734) in direct spending, according to the 2022 NFL Munich Game Impact Assessment report.
There were 69,811 in attendance in the sold-out Munich’s Alliance Arena and a global audience of 8.2 million watched the game around the world, according to the NFL.
It was NFL Network's most-watched international game on record in the U.S. with more than 5.8 million viewers (does not count OTA viewing in Tampa and Seattle).
The league also said that Fanatics, the NFL's exclusive event retail operator for Europe, confirmed that “game-day merchandise sales at the Allianz Arena were the highest-ever recorded for an NFL game outside of the U.S.” Sales figures were not shared.
Global Markets Program (as of May 23, 2023):
Austria: Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Australia: Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles
Brazil: Miami Dolphins
Canada: Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks
China: Los Angeles Rams
France: New Orleans Saints
Germany: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ghana: Philadelphia Eagles
Mexico: Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers
New Zealand: Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles
Republic of Ireland: Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers
Spain: Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins
Switzerland : Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
United Kingdom: Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steeler (Northern Ireland only), San Francisco 49ers
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Brady, Bucs Game iIn Germany: $77M Economic Impact
NFL Tackles Worldwide Growth With Global Market Program
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