The Kansas City Chiefs will be expanding their marketing region around Germany now that the NFL has granted permission for greater reach.
For the last couple of years, the National Football League has steadily grown its Global Markets Program in an effort to expand the reach of the game’s popularity. Through the program, the league’s International Committee, made up of some of the league’s owners, has awarded various territories around the world the rights to market their specific franchise as applied for.
The Kansas City Chiefs originally applied to be in Germany and Mexico and were awarded both as part of the initial round of teams seeking to take part. Even after a few years, only 21 of the league’s 32 teams are involved, which feels like an opportunity wasted, but for those who are putting forth the marketing initiative, the returns look strong.
The Chiefs are headed to Germany this year for their first-ever official game in mainland Europe and the matchup against the Miami Dolphins should be an ultra-hot ticket in Frankfurt next November. Even before that time, the Chiefs have been pushing fan engagement and commercial opportunities there in Germany knowing they are making a long-term push to grow the team’s European fan base.
Given the Chiefs’ foothold in Germany, the league has also given them (and two other franchises) the rights to further their marketing efforts in neighboring countries, Austria and Switzerland. Exhibitions in Germany will be played in Munich and Frankfurt and both countries are quite close to those cities, making it an easy and obvious reach for the Chiefs in this next level.
Announcing the expansion of the NFL’s Global Markets Program!
— NFL (@NFL) May 23, 2023
21 teams across 14 markets now have access to grow their fan bases around the world in long-term strategic effort to enable clubs to build their brands globally. pic.twitter.com/8GNbM0Ph7B
The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the other two teams granted further reach into Austria and Switzerland as part of the two other original franchises awarded German marketing rights.
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