From the States to the World Stage: American Football Stars Thriving in Europe
More and more games are being played across the Atlantic Ocean from the NFL’s home base of the United States as the league’s popularity in Europe continues to rise. As interest grows, so do fan bases for the various teams, some of which are more well-liked than others.
The NFL’s global reach is being increased in large part by playing more games in more foreign nations.
Teams began receiving international home marketing rights in various nations from the NFL in December 2021. The global markets program now has 21 clubs taking part from 14 different nations. The NFL will only see increased fan growth by granting teams access to international markets for marketing, fan engagement, and commercialization.
So, let’s dig in and identify the American football stars that are thriving in Europe and gaining the most fans in the old continent. Also, if you’re a football fan, don’t forget to visit this site to find out if online sports betting is legal in Colorado: clutchbuzz.clutchbet.com.
Favorite NFL teams in Europe
According to a study set out to determine which teams were gaining the most fans in Europe, these are the most favorite NFL teams in Europe:
1. New England Patriots, 9.43%
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8.28%
3. Los Angeles Rams, 7.26 %
4. New Orleans Saints, 5.72%
5. New York Giants, 5.02%
The aforementioned study compiled over 1 million tweets with NFL hashtags and examined the geotagged data to determine which teams received the greatest share of their support from outside of their home markets.
The New England Patriots led the pack, with nearly 10% of tweets about the team coming from the continent. The undisputed champion among European fans was the NFL team with the most Super Bowl victories.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, champions of Super Bowl LV in 2021, came in second. Tom Brady’s transcendent stardom helped the Florida team both on and off the field by giving them a sizable following in Europe. Following the most recent season, Brady announced his retirement, which caused a spike in UK Google searches for the team.
Given that Los Angeles is a global city, the Rams’ home field undoubtedly boosted their appeal. The Los Angeles Rams are yet another American favorite in Europe. It is not surprising that the Rams are supported by fans outside of the United States, given that they are the 2021 Super Bowl champions and play in one of the most famous cities on the planet. They are ranked in third place.
The NFL goes international
Even though American Football and the National Football League were primarily played in the United States, some countries in Europe are starting to take an interest in the sport. In fact, the NFL has only recently experienced a significant acceleration in growth, making it extremely well-liked in several important European nations, including Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.
So far, Germany has hosted two games, and London has already hosted three, with a large number of spectators attending the stadiums where the NFL International Series games are played.
London used to be the biggest “hub” of NFL fans in Europe until a few years ago. Germany recently overtook Britain and has since surpassed it to take the top spot among regional markets. According to a recent study, both nations have up to 17 million casual and close to 3.3 million ardent supporters. Among those fans, a sizable portion actively displays interest by consuming branded goods, purchasing TV subscriptions, placing bets on their preferred teams, and so forth.
In fact, with more than 6.5 million fans, Germany has the most league supporters in all of Europe. The United Kingdom, which has about 6 million fans of the league, follows them closely.
However, aside from these two, there are other nations where people take pleasure in playing, watching, and even betting on American football. Only a few of the European nations with increased interest in NFL games include Switzerland, Italy, and France.
Next season, the league will play two games in London, one at least in Germany, and perhaps one in either Brazil or Spain. Because Estadio Azteca, a football stadium that has previously hosted NFL games, will still be undergoing renovations before the 2026 Soccer World Cup, Mexico will not be a viable option in 2024. Another nation that might host a game in the future is France. Australia is a possibility.
Not to mention that international players in the NFL are another way the league is generating interest abroad. To accommodate one international player, the league increased the size of the practice squad in September to 17 players for 2024. This makes it possible to find and develop football players who are talented all over the world.
Besides, it appears that NFL betting is growing in popularity at the same time as NFL fans in Europe. NFL wagering has already shown tremendous growth rates among European gamblers, who have large wager portfolios. And when it comes to betting on NFL games, sportsbooks also offer a wide variety of options and alternatives.
