Green Bay Packers are becoming international again, and this time more permanent, the NFL announcing today that packers have received marketing rights to Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom through the NFL Global Markets program.
“Packers are happy to officially establish a presence in Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom to engage with the current and future fans of packers on these markets,” said Packers and a Advocate General Ed Policy. “The opportunity to further develop our world scope, which has developed because we have played international in two of the last three seasons, is very exciting for our organization. We are impatient to invest in our international growth and to build long -term relationships with fans, businesses and organizations of each international market.”
Packers are one of the 11 teams in Germany, five teams in Ireland and nine teams in the United Kingdom, and are one of the 29 clubs to activate in the World League market program. Although packers have not obtained rights officially allocated so far, the organization has spent in recent years conducting the research and analyzes necessary to determine when and how to participate in the program. Packers initially selected Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom due to the existing fans base, cultural adjustment and opportunities for additional expansion and growth in these countries. The organization may bid in other countries in the future while opportunities continue to grow.
Packers will officially launch international marketing efforts later this year, including events and programming, targeted digital initiatives, specially organized content and other fans’ engagement opportunities. The team will continue activities on their international markets which will link new audiences with the unique charm and the character of the Midwest of Wisconsin, inspiring the affinity for the northeast of Wisconsin and the whole state. Monday’s announcement also allows packers the potential to expand corporate partnerships worldwide and sell sponsorship rights in these designated markets. For more information before the official launch of the team’s international efforts later this year, please visit Packers.com/international.
Before its involvement in GMP, the team’s recent international efforts included two regular regular season competitions, one in London (2022) and one in Brazil (2024) and three international pre-season games in Toronto (1997), Tokyo (1998) and Winnipeg (2019). The organization was also involved in the World Sports Mentoring Program, a public-private partnership between the US State Department and ESPNW which offers international women mentoring opportunities for American sports industry. Packers representatives also visited Morocco to support “We Can Morocco”, an organization that allows girls and women to carry out their potential through leadership lessons and American football sessions while engaging with men to discuss the role they play in the progress of gender equality.
Launched for the first time in 2022, the Global Markets program is part of the NFL long-term strategic effort to allow clubs to build their brands in the world while stimulating fans’ growth beyond NFL American clubs can request rights from international markets by subjecting proposals to the International Committee for examination every spring. Clubs are awarded rights for at least a five -year term as part of the program, and during this period, can pursue activities on this international market which comply with what they can do on their domestic market.
