In Paris, at the VivaTech show, which was held last week in the 15th arrondissement, not sure that we recognized it. Yet we are talking about one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Drew Brees (44) put away his helmet and shoulder pads two seasons ago, after 20 years spent in the prestigious American league: five in San Diego and especially 15 in the New Orleans Saints, franchise to which he offered the only Super Bowl of its history, in 2010. In terms of statistics (passes completed, yards gained, touchdowns thrown), Brees is the all-time No. 2 behind another big name in the NFL, Tom Brady.
14 countries are listed in the NFL Global Market
The former New Orleans quarterback donned another costume today. That of ambassador. This explained its presence at the VivaTech show, devoted to new innovations, including a place for sport. Drew Brees was there for two reasons: flag football, a sport he practiced for a long time in his youth and which is a candidate for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, and as a legend of the New Orleans Saints, a franchise which recently set foot on French soil.
A year and a half ago, the NFL decided to create the Global Market, an operation that allows its franchises to obtain marketing rights outside the United States. Eight countries were in the first batch (Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, China and Australia). Other nations were then added: Austria, Ghana, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and finally France, chosen last May. By the New Orleans Saints. A choice that surprised no one.
“Let the good times roll”
“It was natural, smiles Drew Brees. There, there is French culture and heritage. A short history lesson: Louisiana was French from 1682 to 1763 and then from 1800 to 1803, before being sold to the United States. French was taught there until 1916. And Brees to play tourist guides: “All the street names have French names, French people. There is French cuisine, the “French Corner”, which is the place to go to have a good time”.
Les Saints, created in 1967, had chosen the fleur-de-lys of the kings of France as their emblem. And, to announce their choice of France in the NFL Global Market, they had tweeted: “Let the good times roll”, an expression taken from French-Cajun and still used in New Orleans.
“Having the Saints players here will help to grow the discipline”
The connection between the Saints and France in the world of American football should result in several operations: the arrival of players from the Louisiana franchise in France for exchanges, media coverage of the team, the distribution of jerseys and other products. “Having the Saints players here will help grow the discipline and increase the fan base,” Brees said. I played two international matches, in 2008 and 2017 (in London each time, in the NFL regular season). I could see the difference in ten years. I liked the excitement, the number of fans. »
And the dream of seeing an NFL meeting in Paris finally take shape? For the moment, England and Germany are the only ones in Europe to welcome them. Australian Brett Gosper, the boss of the NFL in Europe, recognizes that “the matches abroad count a lot to excite the market. (In France) we dialogue with stadiums, cities, governments, we listen. When a country has an NFL Global Market, we are more likely to see a game there. The Saints in France, it increases the possibilities here. »
2023-06-23 09:51:39
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