The NFL took another major step in its plans to grow its international business to $1 billion over the next 10 years — including its first foray Down Under.
On Tuesday, the league assigned general managers to two key markets: Henry Hodgson for the U.K. and Charlotte Offord for Australia. Hodgson was formerly the NFL’s vice president of international marketing, and Offord was its U.K. senior director of marketing.
Offord, who worked on the NFL’s development in the U.K. for a decade, will serve as the league’s first on-the-ground presence in Australia.
Both will work toward driving fan growth, football development, and revenue in their respective territories.
The pair start their new roles in July, as the NFL continues its international expansion.
The league already has 150 million international fans — and expects 50 million more in the next decade. In December, 18 teams received approval to market and commercialize in 26 International Home Marketing Areas in eight different countries.