The NFL is about as big as a sport could be in the United States, which may be why the league is so focused on international growth. And why the league rarely misses an opportunity to talk about that growth.
On a media call Thursday, NFL Executive Vice President for Media Distribution Hans Schroeder talked up flag football as a sport that is growing internationally, with the recent qualifying tournament for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Schroeder also discussed the record number of NFL games this season that will be played outside the United States.
"With nine games this year it will be the most international games we've played," Schroeder said.
Schroeder noted that the NFL now regularly plays a Week One prime time game, with Week One games in Brazil the last two years and in Australia this year.
The question, however, is whether the NFL risks alienating American fans, who don't like seeing their teams have to give up a home game to play in another country, and don't like having to get up early on Sunday mornings to watch games played in Europe. The NFL needs to be sure that growing its international popularity doesn't come at the expense of its popularity in the United States.
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