• Loading stock data...
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

The NFL, America’s Biggest League, Crosses Borders to Find New Fans

  • The NFL will play games in London, Munich, and Mexico City this season.
  • The league is looking to grow its streaming audience as well.
NFL
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

With the NFL season kicking off on Thursday night, the biggest league in the U.S. is looking to grow with two key audiences: streamers and international fans. 

Not content to coast after a 2021 in which 75 of the top 100 U.S. broadcasts were NFL games, the league is looking outside the country.

  • This season will see a trio of games in London in October, followed by games in Munich and Mexico City in November.
  • Two games at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year brought in more than 120,000 fans combined.
  • Over 770,000 accessed the ticketing site for the game at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena when tickets went on sale in July. The stadium holds 70,000 for international games.

In April, the NFL assigned general managers in the U.K. and Australia to grow the game in those countries.

Stream Effort

While Thursday’s season opener between the defending champion Los Angeles Rams and ascendant Buffalo Bills will be broadcast on NBC, most Thursday contests will only be available on Amazon Prime Video, which is paying $1 billion annually for “Thursday Night Football.”

The league incorporated the streaming services of NBC, Disney, CBS, and Fox in its set of 11-year media deals that begin next season and are collectively worth more than $110 billion.

The league is also launching its own streaming service, NFL+.

With the biggest names in broadcast media on board, the league is looking to the tech giants for NFL Sunday Ticket: Google, Apple, and Amazon are all reportedly eyeing the out-of-market package, which the league hopes to sell to a streaming service for $2.5 billion annually.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

San Diego Wave FC falls to Orlando Pride at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA on April 29, 2023.

The New Tailored Approach to Women’s Sports Uniforms

For new women’s sports leagues, every detail is custom.
Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) and tight end Trey McBride (85) against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Fanatics End 10-Month-Long Legal Battle

Fanatics initially filed the lawsuit last May for breach of contract.

How COVID-19 Transformed Sports Media

COVID-19 changed how games are produced and even how we watch them.
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones (13) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.

As NFL’s QB Carousel Spins, Even Backups Are Getting Big Money

Daniel Jones signed a $14 million deal with the Colts.

Featured Today

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) cuts down the net after beating LSU in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament between Iowa and LSU at MVP Arena, Monday, April 1, 2024 in Albany, N.Y.
opinion

Reader Mailbag: Leagues Need Must-Watch Moments

Readers responded to NHL success and what it means for other leagues.
Moolah Kicks
March 8, 2025

Breaking the Mold: The Brands Designing Footwear Specifically for Female Athletes

New companies are laser focused on changing the women’s athletic footwear landscape.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY, 22: Houston Astros play the Washington Nationals in Spring Training at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2025 in West Palm Beach, FL. (
March 6, 2025

Astros Strength Coach Stephanie Grubbs Is Building an ‘Arsenal’ of Skills

The MLB team’s first female coach talks to FOS about her trajectory.
Lia Thomas of University of Pennsylvania competes in the finals of the 200 yard freestyle during the Women s Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University.
March 2, 2025

One Group Is Funding the NCAA Transgender Ban Lawsuits

ICONS is funding three major lawsuits against schools, conferences, and the NCAA.
Mar 10, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) react after a call on a play against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Paycom Center.

ESPN ‘Aggressive’ in NBA Schedule Flexes, On Pace for Record

This Sunday’s Sixers-Mavericks game was subbed out for Magic- Cavaliers.
March 13, 2025

Sports Rebundling Continues As DirecTV, Roku Bet on Live Rights

DirecTV and Roku lean further in to sports to attract viewers.
Behind the scenes with NBC's TODAY show at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
March 13, 2025

NBC, Olympics Reach $3 Billion Rights Extension

The Olympics will remain on NBC through at least 2036.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
March 12, 2025

As Ovechkin Closes on Gretzky, Caps Secure Local Broadcast Access

The NHL team will have local productions of four exclusive national games.
March 12, 2025

PGA Tour’s $20 Million Signature Events Seeing TV Ratings Boost

Three of the four elevated tournaments have made viewership gains.
March 12, 2025

CBS Sports at Stake As Paramount Acquisition Gets Contentious

Skydance says a rival bid for CBS Sports’ parent is “fraudulently misrepresented.”
Mar 8, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the fourth quarter at the TD Garden.
March 11, 2025

Celtics-Lakers Draws Record Ratings, NBA Nearly Even With Last Year

The game peaked at 5.34 million viewers.