NFL eyes video games in Spain, France amid worldwide progress

MUNICH — The NFL needs to maintain its European tour going now that Germany has joined Britain in internet hosting video games.

Spain and France are atop the league’s want listing because it continues to look internationally for income progress.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 on Sunday at Allianz Area — a primary for Germany as a part of a four-year deal that the league hopes will prolong long-term. London has hosted regular-season video games since 2007.

Past Germany, which may additionally get further video games quickly, the league’s evaluation of fan progress and business potential places Spain and France “very a lot on our radar,” Brett Gosper, NFL Head of UK and Europe, instructed The Related Press in an interview.

“We have to do our homework to make it possible for there may be the opportunity of a spot to land any video games in these markets, gauge curiosity of the host stadia, gauge curiosity of the host metropolis, even the federal government, as to their enthusiasm to assist us deliver a sport,” Gosper stated.

Spain has a slight edge as a result of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins now have “residence advertising” rights within the nation. The NFL has divvied up worldwide rights to groups protecting 10 nations together with Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Mexico and the U.Ok. No groups have rights in France.

“When you recognize that there are groups working in (the worldwide rights program) you wish to have a look at the prospect and the viability of probably having video games in these markets sooner or later,” Gosper stated.

There are 5 worldwide video games this season: three in London, one in Munich, and one in Mexico Metropolis on Nov. 21 when the Arizona Cardinals play the San Francisco 49ers.

Worldwide enlargement was one purpose why the NFL added a seventeenth sport to the schedule. The league has dedicated to taking part in 4 worldwide video games every season, and groups are required to play a “residence” sport overseas as soon as each eight seasons.

Exterior of that dedication, a crew with rights in a rustic can decide to play residence video games there, because the Jacksonville Jaguars do in London. The Jags have performed 9 instances within the British capital and at present have a three-year deal to play an annual “residence” sport on the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium.

“A crew may select to do this. That is an actual chance however once more not imminent,” Gosper stated.

“Actually, in subsequent six months to 12 months we’ll be actually testing the viability of our choices from a stadium viewpoint – not simply in Europe however elsewhere – after which on the similar time in parallel seeing what the urge for food is for golf equipment to probably exploit these markets with a sport,” he stated.

In Spain, Actual Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is present process main renovations that can embody a soccer pitch that retracts to make means for a man-made turf area that can be utilized for American soccer with a capability over 80,000. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has a long-term take care of the NFL to host London video games, has the same system. Atlético Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium seats 68,000.

Camp Nou is Europe’s largest soccer stadium with a capability of 99,000, however Barcelona plans to start a long-delayed renovation undertaking that can final into 2026. The town’s Montjuic Olympic Stadium seats about 56,000 and was a former residence to the Barcelona Dragons of the NFL Europe league.

Gosper stated there are “quite a lot of synergies” with Spain contemplating the NFL’s giant Spanish-speaking fanbase. 9 groups have advertising rights in Mexico.

The Stade de France simply north of Paris has a capability of simply over 80,000 for soccer video games.

“France is somewhat bit outdoors of that and it is its personal market and tradition,” Gosper stated, “however on the similar time it is an extremely sturdy sports activities media market the place returns may very well be increased and sooner than Spain.

“They’re two very wholesome media markets, wholesome sports activities markets, some sturdy indicators from our streaming platform in addition to from our shopper gross sales,” he continued. “If you mine the information somewhat bit, they definitely are two markets with excessive potential.”

Elsewhere in Europe, the Nordic markets could be subsequent and “Sweden specifically,” Gosper stated. The nation’s largest stadium, Buddies Area, tops out at 50,000 followers.

In August 1988, the Bears performed the Minnesota Vikings in a preseason sport at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg.