Marketing Analysis: Challenges and Strategies for NFL Expansion

This report provides an analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with the National Football League's (NFL) global expansion efforts. It examines the varying degrees of success in different countries, highlighting the cultural similarities between the United States and countries like Canada and the United Kingdom, which facilitated easier expansion. Conversely, the report discusses the barriers encountered in countries like China and Germany, attributing them to cultural differences, time zone discrepancies, and a lack of infrastructure. Furthermore, the report identifies global forces acting as barriers, including a lack of a fan base, limited investment, political tensions, and competition from more popular sports. To overcome these challenges, the report suggests the need for customization, such as adapting game attire, incorporating local players, strategic marketing, and adjusting broadcast times. The conclusion emphasizes the necessity of global expansion for the NFL's continued growth and the importance of addressing cultural differences and making necessary adjustments to succeed in international markets.

8002 MARKETING

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Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................2
Case Questions...................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................4
Work Cited...........................................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
American Football has gained attention of the people in different parts of the world.
American football association is trying very hard to expand it in different parts of the
world. In this report analysis about the reasons why expanding in some countries
was easier and why in some countries it is not easier (Collins, 2013). It also
illustrates about global forces acting as barriers to the NFL as well as the way in
which they have to customise their games so that they can expand easily.
Case Questions
1- Expanding in UK and Canada was easier but was not easier in the case of
China and Germany
The expanding of NFL in the countries like Canada and United Kingdom was
easier because of the fact that this game originated from America and the
culture of these two nations are almost similar to the America. On the other
hand the culture of Germany and China is different from America. This has
impact on the perception of the people about the game. It is seen that even
the local players were not able to attract people towards the game. Even the
name of the game is ‘American Football’ which is also not letting it go out of
cultural clutches and hence people in the countries like Germany and China
are having different perception about the game (Kester, 2010). Even the
players of US did not want to play in the country that is having different culture
due to difference in the food and infrastructure there.
Another major reason why the game did not gain popularity in China is the
fact that America and China is in different time zones and since most of the
games were telecasted on the TV as per the American Time Zone hence
people in China is unable to see it on time i.e. live games. Since Television
has greater role in popularity of any game hence this time difference acted as
one of the major factor why it did not become successful in the countries like
China which is having great potential for any sports. At the same time there is

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also lack of infrastructure in Germany and China which has not allowed their
players to practice as much as they can.
2- Global forces acting as barrier
Apart from the cultural difference between American and the culture of the
countries in the east as well as Germany, there are many other global forces
that is acting as a barrier for this game to expand globally. Some of the
barriers are:
 Lack of fan base: It is to be understood that expansion of any games all
across the globe gets possible if the game starts gaining popularity in other
parts of the world as well. In this the role of Television becomes highly
important. People usually get attracted towards the live matches that are
taking place in different parts of the world. Since the countries like Germany,
China, India, Japan etc. which is having higher potential falls in different time
zones hence when the broadcast is done people living in these nations are
unable to see it on time (Suggs, 2010).
 Lack of investment: Unlike other bigger sports this sports is in growing phase
hence they do not have enough of sponsorships and investors in the new
nations. Investors also feel that there is cultural difference between the people
of America and many countries of east hence the game will not get as higher
popularity. This is why they do not want to invest on this game in other parts
of the world. Due to lack of this investment, they are unable to build
infrastructure that could improve their chances of expansion.
 Political tension: In the time of Trade war between United States and China, it
is not easier for the new sports to reach in other parts of the world. This is
also one of the major reasons why Chinese people do not like things that are
associated with the Western culture and it is acting as a barrier for this game
to make their mark in the new nations.
 Competing against much popular sports: There are many sports such as
Football which is having higher fan base and hence they get higher
investments. Players get higher amount of money hence people also gets
attracted towards both playing and watching it. This is acting as a competing
force for American Football (Foley & Smith, 2013).

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3- Customisation is required
Certain amount of customisation will be needed in the sports so that it can
culturally fit into the nations where they aim to expand. The first being the fact
that the dresses that are used in the American football needs to be something
that suits the culture of the countries in which they aim to expand. At the same
time they also need to ensure that when they play games in other parts of the
world then they must have some or the other local players in their teams. This
will ensure that local people will also get attached to it (Baker & McHale,
2013). This also increases the fan base in that country as more people will
feel that they have the opportunity in this game and hence they will start
playing the game and at the same time it will make more people to love this
game also. They also need to ensure that they do the marketing before they
play any match in any part of the world. The telecast of the games should also
be on the time that suits the country in which they want to expand. It must be
in the day time so that most of the people can watch it.
Conclusion
From the above based report it can be concluded that American Football has
reached saturation in the America and they need to expand globally to ensure that
they grow as a sports. The cultural difference between United States and the
countries like Germany and China is not allowing them to become popular in these
countries. There is also a difference between the timings in both these nations which
is not allowing the people to see live matches and for this NFL will have make
customisation in the games so that it fits in the local cultures.

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Work Cited
Baker, R. D., & McHale, I. G. (2013). Forecasting exact scores in National Football
League games. International Journal of Forecasting, 29(1), 122-130.
Collins, T. (2013). Unexceptional exceptionalism: the origins of American football in a
transnational context. Journal of Global History, 8(2), 209-230.
Foley, M. C., & Smith, F. H. (2013). The rise (and fall) of the arena football
league. Atlantic Economic Journal, 41(4), 439-450.
Kester, G. W. (2010). What happened to the super bowl stock market
predictor?. The Journal of Investing, 19(1), 82-87.
Suggs, W. (2010). Football, television, and the supreme court. Sport, Power, and
Society: Institutions and Practices: A Reader, 130.