The NFL is said to be planning a regular season game in Germany from next year. As Sports Illustrated reports, citing a corresponding memo from the league, Munich and Berlin are being discussed as venues. A game in Germany has been favored for years by Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots. From 2022, games will also be played in London and Mexico City, as has been tested since 2005.
Another expansion abroad is also connected with a new program: a few days after the conclusion of a billion-dollar TV contract, the NFL changed its format for the first time since 1978. From the coming season, which is to start in September, each team will play 17 instead of the previous 16 games in the main round. “One advantage of this new regulation is that we can continue to grow worldwide,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday when the new format was announced.
In order to enable a fair division between home and away games for the 17 games in the future, global expansion should be so advanced by 2030 that each team will play one game abroad. NFL games are also to be played in Canada and Brazil in the future.
The NFL’s new TV deal will generate more than $ 100 billion over the next eleven seasons. This includes a deal with Amazon Prime Video, the streaming service acquired the rights to the Thursday games.
NFL plans to return to full stadiums in 2021
Goodell was also optimistic that he would be able to receive spectators again in all NFL stadiums in the coming season. “We are discussing it,” said the commissioner: “Football is just not the same without fans. We assume that we will have full stadiums again next season.”
Due to the corona pandemic, games in the NFL had partly taken place in front of empty stands.
