NFL Looks to Expand Games Abroad
Photo by NBC Sports
Germany hosted their first NFL game last weekend with a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks. Leading up to the game, there was a lot of talk about how well German fans would appreciate the game, given soccer is the biggest sport in Europe. However, the fans did not disappoint, as they exceeded expectations and caused more buzz than the games held in London.
Following a very successful game in Germany, the NFL is looking to expand their presence to more than just Germany and England. So far, the league has expressed interest in Spain and France as new host destinations for a game during the season. The league’s analysis of fan growth and commercial potential put those two countries on the forefront of the NFL’s list of possible host countries.
The Bears and Dolphins have “home marketing” rights in Spain, which gives them an even better chance at hosting a game during the regular season. Teams currently have international rights split amongst teams in ten different countries, but France is not one of them. If they want to host a game, it will be harder than a country that already has marketing rights with a team.
Currently, teams are required to play one home game abroad every eight seasons. That being said, they are allowed to play more often if they please. The Jaguars have a three-year deal to play in London at Wembley Stadium. It’s clear that some teams would like to play more games abroad than what is required, and this could help expand the NFL’s global footprint.
In Madrid, Spain, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is under renovation to allow the soccer field to have the capability to retract and make way for artificial turf that can be used for an American football game. The stadium would have a capacity around 80,000 people, which is just under the biggest stadium in the U.S.
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With the vast amount of soccer stadiums across Europe, there is no reason why the NFL can’t expand to other countries that are interested in hosting games. The biggest issue that the NFL will face is field conditions. Following this week’s game in Germany, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin tweeted about the poor field conditions. Obviously, this is a problem that needs to be addressed or avoided, which is possible given the stadium renovation done in Spain.
