Will the anti-American sentiment internationally hinder the NFL?
When the National Football League’s 31 franchise owners along with the representative of the Green Bay Packers Board of Directors meet in Palm Beach, Florida for the annual owners meeting, there will be a discussion of the league’s global expansion. The NFL has plans to play three games in London, England, one in Dublin, Ireland, one in Madrid, Spain, one in Berlin, Germany and it will return to Brazil in 2025. But with the change in geo-politics how welcoming will Germany and Spain be to the NFL product? Then there is the British Commonwealth. Canada is a member of the British Commonwealth and while the NFL has a desire to be a regular fixture in London and British sports, the American treatment of Canada has gotten the attention of powerful people in London. The NFL also plans to stage a game in Australia in 2026. Australia is also a member of the British Commonwealth. What happens if there is a backlash and the NFL is caught in the geopolitical crosshairs? Does the NFL put a pause on its global expansion?
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in February said. “I do think there’s potential that someday we will have an international franchise. If we do, it would not surprise me at all if a Super Bowl follows and is played there.” Given the political climate, the Super Bowl is not going to be played outside of the United States and in fact if there was a return to normalcy, there is no way political leaders would allow the NFL to play the biggest event in American sports on foreign soil. The NFL doesn’t want to pick a fight with Congress on this one. Congress created the Super Bowl in 1966. Goodell wants to see the league play 16 international games a year. Geopolitics will dictate if that is possible.
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