The National Football League Players Association has undertaken a new initiative as it looks to link up players, brands, retailers and fans across Germany and the UK.
The NFLPA Player Passport Tour (which ran from 19-25 June) allowed NFL athletes to showcase their unique personalities, build personal brands and connect with new fans and businesses, while capitalising on the increasing demand in the market for international games.
Eight active NFL players – including Michael Gallup (Dallas Cowboys), Gabe Davis (Buffalo Bills), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Kansas City Chiefs), Josh Uche (New England Patriots), Kevin Byard (Tennessee Titans), Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Marcel Dabo (Indianapolis Colts) and Efe Obada (Washington Commanders) – embarked on various activities such as business panels, meet and greet sessions, city tour stops, autograph signings and flag football sessions across Frankfurt and London.
The NFLPA represents the exclusive player licensing rights for more than 2,000 active NFL players. With over 150 NFLPA licensees and global brand partners, including European-based companies, the NFLPA’s global licensing enterprise generated $2.75 billion in retail sales across licensing categories in 2022.
The tour was developed in partnership with Brandgenuity, the European licensing agency for NFLPA.
“The growth of American football in Europe has created unprecedented business opportunities for NFL players,” commented Steve Scebelo, president of NFL Players. “Their personalities hold tremendous marketing and licensing power, fostering genuine connections between global brands and fans.”
Recent statistics illustrate the rise of American football fandom in Europe, with the UK and Germany leading the way. In Germany – which is the number one market for the NFL in Europe – there are 3.3 million avid fans, while in the UK there is a fan base of 3.2 million.
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