As the NFL continues to market itself outside of the United States, the Green Bay Packers are getting on board the international efforts. At the league’s annual meeting on Monday, Green Bay was announced as one of four new teams added to the NFL’s international marketing program.
Joining the Packers as new participants in the program are the Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, and Los Angeles Chargers, according to Evan Winter of AtoZ Sports.
One of the key components of the program is to assign each participating team marketing rights in specific countries. The Packers have been assigned multiple countries: the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Germany.
With the Packers receiving marketing rights in Ireland, that makes the possibility that they are selected for the league’s first regular season game in that country all but assured. Green Bay is set to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this season, and Pittsburgh has already been announced as the home team for the game in Ireland in the fall while also being one of the other teams to hold marketing rights in that country. Two other teams also have Ireland marketing rights, the Jaguars and Jets, but neither of them are scheduled to play at Pittsburgh this season, making Packers-Steelers the logical choice for that game.
The UK also continues to expand its interest in the NFL and holds four games per year in London. The Packers join the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs as new teams with marketing rights in that country, bringing the total number of teams with rights there up to nine. There is already a strong presence of Packers fans in the UK and Ireland, and this announcement should only continue to expand the team’s presence in both of those countries.
Meanwhile, the Packers’ expansion into Germany makes sense given the high level of German ancestry in the state of Wisconsin. Bratwurst and beer are staples at tailgate parties and concessions vendors throughout the state, and the country has hosted one NFL game in each of the last three seasons. However, the Packers join a group of ten other teams that also have marketing rights in that country, and the Indianapolis Colts will be the home team for the 2025 game that is set to be played in Berlin.
The Packers had not played a game across the Atlantic Ocean until 2022, when they went to London for a game against the New York Giants. Expect them to make another trito change this season and given the league’s continued efforts in the UK and Germany, they will likely be in line for more in the coming years.