Germany Got Game: NFL, Brady 2022 Appearance Had $77M Economic Impact

By Barry Janoff

May 3, 2023: When the NFL made the decision to play its first regular-season game in Germany, the league knew it already had solid marketing, media and fan support in the country.

Numbers now show that the impact may have been bigger than even the NFL had predicted.

The game, played on Nov. 13, 2022, in Allianz Arena — home of FC Bayern Munich — saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady defeat the Seattle Seahawks, 21-16.

The NFL today said the game generated a total economic impact of 70.2 million euros — $76,892,900 U.S. — for the City of Munich, with 32.2 million euros ($35,379,734) in direct spending, according to the 2022 NFL Munich Game Impact Assessment report.

"The results of the report confirm what a fantastic success the game was in Munich," Peter O'Reilly, NFL evp-club business, major events and international, said via the league.

"We are grateful to the City of Munich, State of Bavaria, Bayern Munich, Allianz Arena and the participating NFL teams in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks for their partnership in delivering this historic game for the fans in the stadium and viewers around the world, and a legacy that will live well beyond."

The 2023 season will see two regular-season games played in Germany, with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots confirmed as designated teams. Opponents, dates and locations for these games will be announced ahead of the full schedule next week.

The Chiefs and Patriots are part of the NFL's International Home Marketing Area program, which sees teams secure international marketing rights in countries beyond the U.S., with both teams having been awarded rights in Germany.

"Munich will forever be a part of NFL history, in what was a significant milestone in the continued growth of the league globally and for our fans in Germany,” commissioner Roger Goodell said via the league after the game.

“Our first international regular season game in Germany comes after many years of planning and was a tremendous success. Being in Allianz Arena on game day was a special moment that we will never forget.”

The league now regards Germany as its largest market in Europe, passing the U.K. as the NFL’s largest market in Europe.

“Game Pass has more subscribers, consumer products sell more in Germany than in the U.K., Madden video game sells more, TV rights are comparative,” Brett Gosper, NFL Head of U.K. and Europe, told the Associated Press prior to the game in Germany.

The NFL is scheduling more games in the nation thru 2025.

"Growing the league and our sport internationally is a major strategic priority for the NFL, and we are excited to again be playing five games outside of the United States in 2023," said O'Reilly. “We look forward to returning to the U.K. and Germany in 2023 with some of the most iconic clubs and stars in the NFL."

The economic numbers in the 2022 NFL Munich Game Impact Assessment report (compiled by The Sports Consultancy Group) build on previously released statistics regarding the November 2022 game in Germany.

There were 69,811 in attendance in the sold-out Munich’s Alliance Arena and a global audience of 8.2 million watched the game around the world, according to the NFL.

It was NFL Network's most-watched international game on record in the U.S. with more than 5.8 million viewers (does not count OTA viewing in Tampa and Seattle).

The league also said that Fanatics, the NFL's exclusive event retail operator for Europe, confirmed that “game-day merchandise sales at the Allianz Arena were the highest-ever recorded for an NFL game outside of the U.S.” Sales figures were not shared.

German broadcaster ProSieben had a record-breaking 2.7 million viewers watch the game, “making it the most-watched NFL regular season or playoff game ever in Germany — only trailing the last three Super Bowls as the most-watched NFL game of all-time,” according to the NFL.

Among other results, NFL Germany's social media channels during the Munich game week saw 20 million video views (up 360% vs. an average week), 3.4 million fan interactions (up 717% vs. an average week) and 30,000 new followers across channels (up 526% vs. an average week)

The NFL partnered with 21 "Brauhäuser" (bars) within the Munich city center, “hosting tens of thousands of fans at these team and NFL-themed experiences.”

In addition, “Thousands of fans visited the NFL's takeover of the city's Odeonsplatz, a free fan activation (open from Nov.10-12) complete with an NFL Shop and 32 giant NFL helmets on display."

"The Munich game was a significant moment for the NFL in Germany and one that will live in the minds of those in the stadium and those who watched the game from around the world for many years to come,” Dr. Alexander Steinforth, GM NFL Germany, said today via the league.

“The economic and social impact generated from our first regular season game is impressive and underlines the positive contribution the game had on the City of Munich and beyond, and we look ahead to playing future games in the country in the coming years."

The NFL has a history in Germany going back to NFL Europe, which operated from 1991-2007.

During its final season, five of the six teams were based in Germany, including the Berlin Thunder, Cologne Centurions, Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils and Rhein Fire (the sixth team was the Amsterdam Admirals).

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