Present in Europe since 2007, with regular season games in Great Britain, then in Germany and soon in Spain, the NFL gained a new field of expression at the end of last year: the Olympic Games. It will get its foot in the door, via flag football, in four years at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Certainly, the entry of flag football into the Olympic program, as an additional sport, is to the credit of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and its president, the Frenchman Pierre Trochet. But no one is mistaken: the powerful North American league threw all its weight into the IOC's decision, validated last October at the Mumbai session.
Present in Birmingham during the latest edition of SportAccord, Australian Brett Gosper, NFL manager for Europe and Asia-Pacific, answered questions from FrancsJeux.
FrancsJeux : What is the presence of the NFL in Europe today?
Brett Gosper: We have been present for a long time in Great Britain, where the first regular season game dates back to 2007. We extended our presence more recently to Germany, with a first meeting two years ago. These two markets are today the most important for the NFL in Europe, particularly in terms of the number of fans and true connoisseurs of American football. Next year we will host a regular season match in Spain for the first time. The other two major European markets are, in our eyes, Italy and France.
How does your presence in a European country materialize, apart from the organization of a regular season match?
The game is a catalyst. It's not everything. In a country where a game is being played, we open an NFL office and set up activities. For two years, clubs in the country have been able to use marketing rights nationally. Before, their perimeter was limited to 75 km around their city.
You mention France as an important market…
To estimate a country's potential, we look at the number of people interested in the NFL and the prospects for growth in this fan population. France today has 10 to 11 million. Germany has 18 million, Great Britain 15 million. France is an interesting country, a market that we watch, but it is not the only country in this case. We are looking at where it is viable and desirable to host an NFL game.
Is it planned to do so in France?
Right now, no. We don't have a plan. But France is one of the markets that we regularly review. We had discussions with the Ministry of Sports and with the Stade de France. But two things slowed down the process: the Paris 2024 Games and the change of concession at the Stade de France. The NFL has just moved from the principle of four to eight regular season games played outside the United States. After 2025, it will therefore be possible for new countries to apply. France will perhaps be one of them. But, even with this change, the number of requesting countries remains greater than the matches to be provided.
What role did the NFL play in flag football's campaign to be additional sport at the Los Angeles 2028 Games?
We worked with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) to help showcase the appeal of flag football, and what it can bring to the Olympic Games. For us, the flag is a natural partner, its players become NFL fans. When they're on the field, they see themselves as NFL players. This is why we invest a lot in flag football, particularly among young people, in the United States and the rest of the world. The LA 2028 Games are going to be a great stage. But the flag will also bring a lot to the Games and the Olympic movement. We will bring them a number of fans incomparable with the other sports on the program.
Can flag football stay longer in the Olympic Games?
This is our ambition. Install it in the program. The decision should be made in 2027, a year before the Los Angeles Games. We will therefore not be able to rely on the success of the Olympic tournament and its impact. We will have to convince first. But we can find arguments elsewhere, particularly on marketing. We will be planning flag football at halftime at NFL games in Great Britain and Germany. And we are already talking with Brisbane 2032.
