The highly anticipated NFL game in Germany every year is a very special gaming treat this time: The unfortunate Carolina Panthers meet the miserable New York Giants. As a German fan you ask yourself – what did we actually do to deserve this, NFL?
A few years ago, the NFL recognized that it could expand its product to other markets. The NFL’s International Series has existed since 2005, with the first game taking place in Mexico City. From 2005 onwards, one game in London was added, and from 2013 this was increased to two games at Wembley Stadium. In 2022 it was Germany’s turn: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Tom Brady met the Seattle Seahawks in Munich. Frankfurt has also been the venue, and in the future games will also take place in Sao Paulo and Madrid.
For the NFL, international games are profitable business. The league can present its product on an international stage, acquire new fans and thus customers and, at the same time, collect advertising revenue from the games. Although the stadium in Munich’s Allianz Arena is rented, the Bayern Munich club has no influence on advertising partners. All NFL teams are required by the league to participate in the International Series. Which teams play in which cities is decided rather arbitrarily, apart from compliance with at least four years of participation. Not all teams have marketing rights for all markets; this year, the Giants and Panthers are two teams that have such rights in Germany.
The only question that remains is why the NFL chose these two teams for an international game. It has been clear for a long time that the Giants and the Panthers will produce anything but fireworks of football art. In the past games in Germany, teams have always taken part that guaranteed anticipation in a certain way. Whether Tom Brady with the Bucs in 2022, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs against the Dolphins or the Patriots, who at least had coaching icon Bill Belichick with them as an event in Frankfurt – all had the potential to attract German sports and event fans to football through real incentives to inspire. It worked across the board at the first Munich Game, the videos of the fans singing “Country Roads” went around the world. Brady himself raved about the atmosphere in the stadium after the game.
This year the atmosphere will certainly be good again, the tickets for the game were sold out within minutes despite the team selection. However, it is noticeable that the NFL announced that it would not disclose ticket sales figures. In 2022, around three million tickets were requested; this year the rush will probably have been significantly lower. Even now, a few days before the game, a number of tickets are still available on resale – and not at the astronomical prices like two years ago, but in the normal categories of €143 to €225. Let’s see if there aren’t a few seats left in the Allianz Arena.
It is difficult to imagine that the NFL no longer wants to conquer the German market. After all, there is huge potential for new fans here. The football hype in Germany has been going on for a few years now, but being able to follow the sport live is still the best way to ignite and consolidate enthusiasm for a sport. But how many fans can be inspired by a Daniel Jones interception or the Panthers’ disgraceful defense? There is even a lack of individual top stars in the party. The most exciting name of the game is… Malik Nabers? With the Giants, one could at least argue that the team has a traditionally large fan base and glamorous New York flair, but the Panthers will probably be known to at least those new to football. The game itself is unlikely to be a feast for the eyes either. The Giants’ defense is solid enough to keep the Panthers’ weak offense in check, but going forward will be difficult for the Giants. Everything screams for a game with few points and qualitative weaknesses.
So why this unattractive encounter in Germany? Perhaps the German fans have simply proven themselves to be too easily impressed an audience. According to the motto, if you cheer for the slightly worn-out Patriots against the Indianapolis Colts, then we can put your football euphoria to the test. Take this Germany: Two of the worst teams ever, whose game probably wouldn’t be sold out in the USA. To make matters worse, Machine Gun Kelly wasn’t exactly an A-list musician who was sent along to entertain.
In any case, American football fans on social media fluctuate somewhere between schadenfreude and expressions of condolence. You can read about revenge for the Second World War to “Germany…I’m sorry”. Or about the fact that you actually have to pay people to watch this game. And that people who voluntarily watch this game also do so Music by Machine Gun Kelly. “We really don’t send the best we’ve got,” Daniel Jones and the Panthers really are great Way to make football more internationally known,” are just a few of the statements that can be read on Twitter, TikTok & Co. If the American fans apologize for the international representation of their favorite sport, what should the German fans say? Personal tip: 5:10 p.m. Panthers, it still won’t dampen your enthusiasm. In this sense: O’kickt is.
About the author
Online editorial team
Elena is one of the touchdown24.de beat writers and writes mainly about the NFL.
