Has the NFL Dropped the Ball on Internationalization?

When the new NFL season kicks off on Thursday, millions of Americans will rejoice over the return of their favorite sport. In other countries, however, the NFL isn’t quite as popular as it is on its home (astro) turf, with the rivaling NBA doing significantly better on the international stage.

According to findings from Statista’s Global Consumer Survey, the NFL trails the NBA in several major markets, with the NBA’s popularity in China particularly impressive. The Chinese love affair with U.S. basketball took off in 2002 when Yao Ming was drafted by the Houston Rockets and went on to become an eight-time All-Star, but the game of basketball actually has deep roots in China. That is as opposed to American football, which hasn’t stopped the NFL from trying to tap into the huge Chinese market in recent years.

Having held some regular season games in London as part of the NFL International Series since 2007, the league recently made its debut in Germany, where the NFL has risen in popularity in recent years. Tampa Bay's 21-16 win over Seattle in front nearly 70,000 people at the Allianz Arena in Munich last November was certainly a good start. "That was one of the great football experiences I've ever had," Bucs quarterback Tom Brady said after the game, which was accompanied by a raucous crowd that continued singing stadium classics such as "Sweet Caroline" and John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" long after the game had ended. The game in Munich was the first out of four regular-season games to be played in Germany over the next four seasons, with Munich and Frankfurt each hosting twice.