The New Orleans Saints are the first and only club in the National Football League to be granted international marketing rights in France, the team announced on Twitter early Tuesday.
The team and the NFL didn’t expand much on what exactly that means, other than to say the deal grants the Saints access to marketing, fan engagement and “commercialization activations” in France.
A Saints bumper sticker spotted in France in 2023.
It’s part of the NFL’s effort to expand its reach as clubs grow their brands internationally. Through the league’s most recent expansion — also announced via Twitter Tuesday — 21 teams now have access to 14 international markets, including Austria, Germany, Brazil, China, Ghana and the United Kingdom, among others.
One could surmise that the rich French history and culture still palpable in New Orleans today may have something to do with the Saints choosing to market to France. And it’s no secret that the Saints have fans in Europe.
Some teams have garnered access to several markets. The Los Angeles Rams will be marketing to fans in China, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, for example. And some countries have a handful of teams battling for their fans. Mexico has the most interest, with nine clubs granted access, followed by the United Kingdom with seven.
But for the Saints, it’s just France. And for France, it’s just the Saints. For now anyway.
Leave a Reply