The NFL understands that it is nearing peak saturation in the USA, and in its relentless pursuit of growth, it has set its sights on the world. Speaking with A.J Perez of Front Office Sports, an anonymous owner revealed the NFL is planning an international division in the coming years.
“We don’t know if it’s going to happen in two years, five years ... but there’s going to be an international division.”
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) March 29, 2023
The NFL is expanding its reach internationally — and team owners believe it will soon evolve into an unprecedented European division.@byajperez’s story ⤵️
The NFL has played regular-season games internationally in Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany in recent years in its efforts to grow its audience. Europe will host five games in 2023.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have frequently been pegged for a move to London: they've played at least one game a year there since 2013, and their owner Shahid Khan owns Fulham F.C. However, an International or European division would apparently include new franchises, as many as four.
The NFL hasn't expanded its total number of teams since 2002 when the Houston Texans were founded. Before that, the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars both joined the NFL in 1995.
Expanding the NFL by four teams would be dramatic and unprecedented, but it would also allow the league to maintain its symmetry and simplify schedule-making. The league would also see a massive windfall from the expansion fees it would charge new owners, as much as $5 billion per team. Assuming the markets and fanbases are there to support the franchises, expansion is the surest and most efficient path to growing the NFL's brand worldwide.
Photo Credit: © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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