What do I know about American football? Admittedly, not a lot – but certainly more than the average Brit. Growing up in Canada, just a stone’s throw from the Buffalo Bills, some things become ingrained in you from birth:
1. Don’t question Tom Brady’s supremacy.
2. The Super Bowl is an unofficial national holiday.
3. And the Detroit Lions … never (literally never) win.
Even if I can’t explain the finer points of a Hail Mary or the exact split of conferences and divisions, the NFL is just something you know about. And now, this distinctly American spectacle is attempting to go international, setting its sights on the UK.
Since 2005, the NFL has hosted regular season games internationally, starting in Mexico City. London has since hosted 36 games, now up to three per season. A partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013 guarantees at least two Jaguars games each year, plus one additional matchup. This season, games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley will feature the Jets, Vikings, Jaguars, Bears, and Patriots.
None of this is out of the ordinary, but what’s new is the NFL owners’ decision in December 2023 to double the number of international games from four to eight per season by 2025, with 2024 as a transitional year featuring five games across Mexico, London, and Munich. The motivation is clear: the promise of lucrative foreign markets and untapped fanbases.
The very identity of ‘American’ football and the ‘National Football League’ is deeply tied to American culture and nationalism
The biggest challenge? The NFL’s lack of an existing international fanbase. While it’s the most popular sport in the U.S., globally, its popularity pales in comparison to European football leagues or even the NBA. The very identity of ‘American’ football and the ‘National Football League’ is deeply tied to American culture and nationalism.
Domestic fans in the U.S. are also feeling the impact of games hosted overseas. The first international game of the season, in Brazil, saw the Eagles vs the Green Bay Packers face criticism over poor field conditions, significant streaming issues, and a lackluster crowd that seemed to cheer at all the wrong moments. Overseas games often involve low-stakes matchups, lacking the intensity to excite a new audience without specific loyalties. The NFL is betting on increased revenue, but this strategy risks alienating its core fan base by compromising their fundamental experience of the game.
Financial expansion is a familiar concept in sports. Recent years have seen various attempts to attract new capital, from the doomed Super League to new teams in the NHL and MLB, and Formula One’s introduction of the Miami and Las Vegas Grand Prix catering to a U.S. market. Even Premier League Chief, Richard Masters, has suggested the “door looks ajar” to hosting in-season games in the U.S., though it’s not currently in the plans. The reality is simple: money talks and sport responds. The NFL’s expansion is just another example.
The reality is simple: money talks and sport responds
However, there are alternate examples of successful expansion attempts that build around a team or league without transplanting the games themselves. The Dallas Cowboys’ recent Netflix docu-series America’s Sweethearts, which centred on their cheerleaders, drew huge streaming numbers and a large female viewership. Similar efforts by Formula One and League One’s celebrity-owned Wrexham have also successfully drawn international markets with diverse audiences. Alternatively, in 2023 the NBA announced SKIMS as their official underwear partner, appealing to a broader female audience.
The Kansas City Chiefs are quickly becoming the most well-known NFL team worldwide thanks to Travis Kelce’s very public relationship with Taylor Swift – and while many fans complain about the connection, they cannot deny the financial benefits of increased viewership and a widening fanbase. Each of these examples preserves the basic experience of watching and attending NFL games for existing fans, while also opening up to international markets.
It seems futile to criticise the NFL’s efforts at international expansion—this is the inevitable direction for major sports leagues. But while expansion itself might be a sound strategy, the NFL’s current methods seem miscalculated. For true global growth, the league might need to consider more creative approaches that don’t risk alienating their most loyal supporters.
The question isn’t whether to expand or even if expansion is a good or bad thing—it’s how to do it in a way that maintains the essence of the game while embracing new opportunities.
Image: Melissa McGovern via Unsplash
