NFL looks for big play in Mexico
The NFL is the monolith of professional sports leagues, so powerful in its hold over fans and sponsors that it’s hard to imagine that it could grow in popularity.
Yet that’s the plan, and a chief target is Mexico and the burgeoning Hispanic market in the United States.
Like most large, powerful entities, the NFL isn’t the most nimble of organizations. It admittedly has been a bit slow off the ball in selling itself to Mexico and Hispanic markets.
The NFL sees those markets as vital to continuing the phenomenal growth the league has enjoyed over the past 50 years. That’s why NFL officials view the Cardinals’ game against the 49ers in Mexico City next Sunday as so important.
“Traditionally, I don’t think we’ve put the focus on it (the Hispanic market),” said Roger Goodell, the league’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Our popularity is soaring there (Mexico). There is a great deal of interest in American football.”
It will be the first regular-season game played outside the United States, and in many ways, it’s a grand experiment for the NFL. If this works, the league could place some future games in Tokyo or Europe.
Tapping a new market
There are several questions to be answered first, according to Goodell.
“What was the reaction in Mexico?” he said. “What kind of excitement can we generate? What kind of reaction did we get from the clubs from an operational standpoint and from the fans in those markets? Has it been a helpful tool in reaching the Hispanic market in the United States?”
That last question is central to the NFL’s efforts in Mexico. By playing in Mexico City, it not only wants to attract new fans there but also in the United States. The Hispanic market in the United States hasn’t been ignored, but the league and many of its teams have not paid serious attention to it.
Five or 10 years ago, reaching out to the Hispanic community “was not a focus,” said Ron Minegar, Cardinals vice president of marketing and sales. “This gives us a neat platform to build upon for the future.”
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