Source: Fortune
Summary
The National Football League (NFL) is expanding its presence in Europe, with a record nine-game international run this season. The league’s chief marketing officer, Tim Ellis, aims to deepen the NFL’s foothold in Europe by using the game as a catalyst to generate interest and attract new fans. The NFL has struggled in previous attempts to break into Europe, but Ellis believes that the league’s new strategy, which includes educating newcomers about the sport and showcasing its stars, will be successful. The NFL is also increasing participation in the sport abroad through initiatives such as the NFL Academy and the International Player Pathway.
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The strategy enters a familiar phase.
The NFL is taking a page from FIFA’s playbook, emulating its international success by creating a “helmets-off” strategy to help international audiences get to know players and turn the sport’s stars into recognizable personalities in Europe. The league is also rethinking how to market itself to a continent that “doesn’t do swagger.” The NFL’s financial stakes are high, with the league targeting $25 billion in revenue by 2027 and hoping to replicate its media rights model in Europe.
Tim Ellis, the NFL’s chief marketing officer, has a unique perspective on the challenge of expanding the league’s presence in Europe, having lived and worked around the world.
The NFL is trying to get more Europeans to play football, not just watch it, through initiatives such as flag football.
The league’s success in Europe will depend on its ability to build trust and tell the story of the sport and its stars.
Ellis’s experience working in the U.S. and across Europe makes him well-suited to bridge the divide between the NFL and European audiences.
Author: Evan Null
