NFL GLOBALIZATIONBy: Kyle Schroeder

ARTICLE REVIEW

• NFL announced the Houston Texans will play the Oakland Raiders next season in Mexico City for the first time since the 2005 season.

• Houston’s close proximity towards to Mexico City has generated the interest on their part in order generate more fans.

• Since 2007, 14 NFL Games have been played in London as part of the international series.

• http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14714387/mexico-city-host-houston-texans-oakland-raiders-game-2016

GLOBALIZATION

• Globalization: The tendency of businesses, technologies, or philosophies to spread throughout the world, or the process of making this happen.

NFL GLOBALIZATION

• Expands the brand of the National Football League to different parts of the world.

• The NFL’s main target to date has been Europe since the end of the NFL’s “NFL Europe” League

• The NFL over the past few years have looked to globalize their brand.

• Throughout the presentation I will take a look at some the ideas that have been tossed around by the NFL and also what they are looking for.

NFL GLOBALIZATION(CONT.)

• The NFL has experimented with expanding their brand globally so far by playing games in both London and Mexico city with the potential for other locations.

• Fan-Interest is being judged by the league to determine what teams are most like in the foreign country, and the likely hood a team could be sustained outside of the US.

MEXICO CITY

• The 2016 Texans, Raiders game will not be the first. In 2005 the Arizona Cardinals took on the San Fransisco 49ers in Azteca Stadium (Estadio Azteca).

• At the time in 2005, it became the most attendance every at an NFL game. (103, 467 fans)

• It was referred to by locals as the “Mexican Super Bowl”

MEXICO CITY• With those numbers and positive reaction in mind, it is a

surprise they haven't been back to Mexico before this upcoming season.

• If all goes well and the fan turn out is positive, especially in Houston’s case, I would expect them to return for games in Estadio Azteca in the years to come.

NFL EUROPE• NFL Europe was a league founded by the NFL in 1989.

• The hope was that this league could become a professional football league for the people of Europe, but it didn’t gain nearly enough traction as a whole taking a backseat to soccer overseas.

• The league ended in 2007 when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced it was going to be losing 30 million dollars the during the next league year.

• Countries featured in the league included Canada(1991-1992), Germany(1991-2007), Netherlands(1995-2007), Spain(1991-2003), U.K.(1991-2004) and the U.S.(1991-1992)

NFL INTERNATIONAL SERIES• Starting in 2007 (after NFL Europe shut down) the NFL began it’s

International Series in London, England.

• From 2007-2012 there was one game played in London per season, two in 2013, and since then there have been three games per season.

• All of the games in London have been played a Wembley Stadium

REASONS FOR LONDON• London provides the best stadium and venue available to the NFL for

hosting a game.

• As the capital and most popular city in England it allows for the most potential, providing the most fans and great opportunity.

• The NFL has long been looking to maybe move or add a team in London and playing these games there gives a litmus test on what the fan response to a team may actually be.

POTENTIAL LONDON FRANCHISE

• As another part of the NFL’s test of fandom in London, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be playing one game in London till 2020.

• This is a test for both parties as the NFL wants to see how it reacts to having a team that is there often as opposed to just a one time trip, as for the Jaguars, their franchise is struggling with it’s attendance and has been rumored for a potential relocation. Potentially it could be Jacksonville.

POTENTIAL LONDON FRANCHISE

Pros

• Increases the amount of fans of the NFL brand by adding a whole other country of fans.

• Would add another marquee market for the league.

• Increased TV deals and revenue

Cons

• Other teams would have trouble traveling over seas to play games.(under current rules, if a team plays in London they have their bye week the next week)

• Fatigue and travel would cause problems with players and their productivity decrease. Product decrease

• What team would be willing to take that risk if it is a relocation?

• Risk is greater than reward.

2016 LONDON EXPANSION• In 2016, the NFL will be returning to London for three more

games but for the first time one will not be at Wembley Stadium but at Twickenham Stadium.

• This is an example of the NFL expanding it’s range inside of London itself. It will be interesting to compare and contrast the results between Twickenham and Wembley attendance next season.

POSSIBLE NFL GAMES IN GERMANY

• In October 2015, it was revealed that the NFL was considering Mexico and Germany for NFL games in 2016.

• Since they have announced that Mexico will be hosting a game next year rather than Germany I would not be surprised to see Germany host a game as early as 2017.

NFL IN GERMANY

• After the UK, Germany appears the next most likely target for the NFL within Europe.

• Germany had some success within the NFL Europe League showing that fan support for the game is there.

• Cities being mentioned in Germany include Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, or Hamburg.

OTHER POTENTIAL COUNTRIES TO HOST NFL GAME

• Australia

• Brazil

• Puerto Rico

• Canada (Buffalo Bills play in Toronto on occasion)

QUESTIONS• What type of new things can the NFL do to try to

generate fan interest in the global markets they are looking for? Super Bowl out on country? Pro Bowl?

• What new countries will the NFL look to play games in, within the next few years?

QUESTIONS (CONT.)• Will the NFL ever have a team located in the

outside the country, and what would it take to get that to happen?

• How will American football stack up against soccer in some of the nations the NFL is targeting? Will that stop the NFL from globalizing at some point?

MORE MAJOR QUESTIONS

• How would a team in London work in with the fabric of the current NFL, when it comes to division and conference?

• Will teams be limited to only one out of country game per season? Multiple could give that team an unfair disadvantage.

SOURCESGlobal touchdown: Why the NFL loves London - CNN.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 06, 2016, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/26/sport/nfl-london-franchise-patriots/

Jacksonville Jaguars will play one game in London through at least 2020. (n.d.). Retrieved February 08, 2016, from http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/jacksonville-jaguars-will-play-one-game-in-london-through-at-least-2020-160549364.html

NFL International Series - NFL.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 08, 2016, from http://www.nfl.com/international

NFL considering a game in Germany or Mexico next year. (n.d.). Retrieved February 08, 2016, from http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/02/nfl-considering-a-game-in-germany-or-mexico-next-year/

Raiders, Texans to play in Mexico City in 2016. (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2016, from http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14714387/mexico-city-host-houston-texans-oakland-raiders-game-2016