The NFL has easily taken over as America’s No. 1 sport, but it’s doing the work to become popular internationally.
Recent trips to London and Germany to play games bring the total number of matchups overseas to over 50. The approach began in the 1970s when a preseason game in Tokyo took place, which opened the doors for the American Bowl. A series that began in 1986 brought football to Spain, London, and Australia. It was shut down, but fast-forward to 2005, and the first-ever regular-season game was played in Mexico City.
This season alone, the NFL will host five international games, one of which was in Week 10, when the Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Giants, 20-17, in Munich, Germany.
“I think you’re going to see a very global NFL, not necessarily with franchises, but maybe like have one playing games on a global basis,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in April, via The Athletic.
There is a possibility a franchise will be introduced internationally into the league, with London being the landing spot. The league had its first game in London in 2007, and it was an immediate success.
Sellout crowds and the economic impact wasn’t something to be ignored during games at Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley Stadium. We’re talking 80,000-plus in attendance, and those that aren’t in attendance, had plenty of fan engagement from home, across the Atlantic Ocean, and all other teams in the league promoted the matchup.
There’s also a connection between Sin City and London.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority sponsored the three NFL games in London in hopes of promoting extra visits to both popular cities. Three airlines also signed on — British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Norse Atlantic offer non-stop service between London’s Heathrow International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport.
“We peaked in the U.K. and Ireland in the 2017-2018, time frame, at about 800,000 visitors from that area to Las Vegas. Last year, we were at about 550,000,” LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill told the Las Vegas Review Journal in September.
For next season, the NFL hopes to have eight international games in Spain, Mexico City, Brazil, the UK, possibly Ireland, and Germany.
The game continues to grow when we didn’t think it could get any bigger.
