Could The NFL Explore Other Markets Due To International Series Success?

The NFL launched the International Series in 2007 and it has gone from strength to strength in the 14 years since. The New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins were the first team to play an NFL game overseas in the United Kingdom when they faced off at Wembley Stadium. The NFL and its overseas operation were hopeful that the game would be a success.

It was met by a sell-out crowd at Wembley due to the passionate following of the sport in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. For 14 years, the series has grown and spread its wings to other stadiums in England, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sharing the usual load of four games with Wembley. Now, the NFL are planning to spread its wings further afield into mainland Europe with the launch of matches in Germany. Several cities are bidding for the right to host the event, although the standard of matches has been up and down.

For example, the Buffalo Bills, who are the leading contender in the NFL betting odds in the 2021 season at 5/1, were not present in the International Series. To enhance the popularity of the game further afield, the quality of the opponents may have to be increased, instead of sending weaker outfits such as the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Jets or Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins.

Adding a new venue in Europe is certainly a significant step, and there is a devoted NFL fanbase in Germany, which dates back to the days of NFL Europe when the Rhein Fire, Hamburg Sea Devils, Frankfurt Galaxy and Berlin Thunder were all franchises in the league that lasted for 13 years on and off. As a result, the NFL should have no issue selling out, whichever city secures the hosting rights.

Although the NFL is dominant in the United States and has a huge step over its rivals in the USA when it comes to the European market, the sport is lagging behind its rivals in Asia. Both the MLB and the NBA have a strong presence in the Asian market and have invested significant resources into growing their respective brands.

The MLB has a greater entrenchment in the hearts and minds of Asian-based supporters considering that there are many stars born overseas who have reached the upper echelons of the game, none more so than one of the current rising talents Shohei Ohtani. The NFL cannot compete in that aspect, and has not considered moving any of their games, pre-season or regular season, to the continent. The NBA has struck up a relationship between themselves and China, although it hasn’t been overly popular with members of the league.

An area that the NFL could look to explore in the future is the Indian market. The Glazer family, who own Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, attempted to buy an Indian Premier League franchise, realising the value of the league and one of the biggest fanbases in the world. If the NFL could harness that ability to the tune of a population of one billion, their profit margins would rise dramatically. The NFL already has a presence in India with games available on Star Sport, but a potential move to stage even one pre-season game could have dramatic consequences on the future of the sport as a global brand.