The name “American Football” suggests that this is a sport that is specific to one country. In the early days of the game, that may have been the case, but the success of the National Football League has turned it into a global phenomenon.
In 2023, statistics showed that around 17.9 million people worldwide tuned in to watch regular season NFL games. That figure reflected an increase of 7% on the previous year, and was the second highest in history.
It’s a global success story, but how did the NFL take such an idiosyncratic sport to the wider world?
Sources of Revenue
Every sport needs a significant revenue stream if it is to make a mark, and the NFL has a range of sources. The league enjoys income from broadcasting rights in many countries, while ticket sales and merchandise also contribute.
Another factor in more recent years involves the relaxation of rules relating to sports betting in the United States. Since 2018, several sportsbooks have opened for business, with NFL lines alongside a host of other sports. The NFL doesn’t benefit directly from those markets, but many of those betting companies have become involved with sponsorship deals.
It’s a perfect storm for the league, but it’s taken a long time for them to get here.
Learning from History
The National Football League began life in 1920, at a time when there was little interest in American football outside of the US. Games were played in Canada, but the wider world failed to take interest.
The NFL ran alongside the American Football League until the 1960s, when the two organizations merged. The Super Bowl was created, and the new event attracted some global interest.
Media outlets were now fully established, and sports fans began to learn about the NFL through newspapers and television.
The 1960s was a time when the league began to create greater publicity. A number of movie releases portrayed NFL stars as heroes, and these helped to take interest into the wider world. Another significant development followed in the mid-1980s as the UK television station, Channel 4, began to broadcast live games. The programs were well received, and Britain’s huge interest in the sport can be traced back to that date.
Present Day Communications
The NFL has continued to take advantage of new developments in communication. In the present day, the organization is heavily involved in social media and its X (formerly Twitter) account, has over 35 million followers.
News and updates appear regularly via these platforms and on the NFL’s official website. In the digital age, every opportunity is taken to build the NFL brand.
The Global Stage
The biggest development for the NFL involves its overseas program. The first ever regular season game outside of the US took place in Mexico City in 2005, as the Arizona Cardinals beat the San Francisco 49ers 31-14.
The game was warmly received by the Mexican public, and it led to a regular overseas program of matches. England, Germany and France were the prime locations for the league, while Mexico continued with hosting duties.
European stadiums in particular saw the potential of hosting top football games. When English Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur moved to their new stadium in 2019, it was the first facility outside of the US to be built with NFL fixtures in mind. Soccer remains the main focus here, but the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is now a regular stop on the overseas program.
While it’s a big deal for the host grounds, the NFL also benefits by taking the sport around the world. Tottenham Hotspur is now the home of American Football in the UK, with a deal running to 2030, and the game can only grow in the UK and around Europe as a result.
What’s Next?
The National Football League has already built an exceptional global brand, but history tells us that it will keep looking for new opportunities. It’s likely that more countries will host international games in the future, as long as they have the stadia and an interest in the sport.
Could the next big move involve adding an NFL franchise based overseas? There has been talk of this for some time, and a potential development has received support from within the league.
With its established infrastructure, London would be a strong contender. Closer to home, Canada could provide a short-term answer. Each of America’s big leagues, with the exception of the NFL, already has at least one Canadian franchise team taking part.
The first overseas NFL franchise would be a significant step, but we’ve already seen that the NFL is not afraid to make the big calls. It’s a progressive league that has worked tirelessly to turn itself from an American sport to a global phenomenon, and the pace of growth shows no signs of slowing down.