NFL Global Expansion: On to the New Frontier

Tottenham Hotspur has spent $1.2 billion on a new stadium that was built to help assist in the global expansion of the NFL. The NFL’s overseas games have gained interest and many people will be attending the first games at the stadium. With this new stadium being built to accommodate the NFL’s needs the stadium will have a new set of challenges to manage the sportscape. The sportscape “includes the entire built and managed environment the fan sees when attending a sporting event” (Wakefield 2019, chapter 9, Managing the sportscape para.8). The facility will have a new set of challenges that will come their way by trying to provide attractions and features that both American football and European futbol fans both enjoy. With this new announcement, “Tickets are sold out for the two NFL games set for the stadium, and organizers promise a raft of fan experiences” (Reynolds 2019, para.2). Despite there being a lot of excitement for the game the facility must provide experiences that will bring the fans back to American football games, which it seems they are looking to provide. Once the Hotspur and NFL have got people to come to the games, they must have them wanting to keep coming back. To accomplish this, they will need to provide enticing entertainment, music, and food. “Fans compare food service at the park to food service they can get outside of the park” (Wakefield 2019, chapter 9, Managing the sportscape para.56). Fans will be looking for the highest quality of food as well as a large selection of different types of food and the stadium will have to provide foods that will satisfy American and European fans preferences. To accommodate this in the stadium “fans will find 60 food and drink outlets, including at 65 meters (71 yards) the longest bar in the U.K… taking inspiration from London’s street food market” (Reynolds 2019, para 11). Having all this food and drink outlets allows providing a wide selection of food that will showcase the food of London but, they may be missing an opportunity of bringing American food as well. Providing American food might prove beneficial since a substantial group of people coming to NFL games will be American. This can provide those flying in from America a slice of home since they will most likely be sightseeing and tasting London street food anyways. This also provides an opportunity for English fans to experience new foods that they can’t get anywhere else in England for a unique experience for both European and American fans that both will be demanding to see.  With such a high demand for the game some areas will be more popular than others which may create perceived crowding “the negative psychological reaction that an individual has when the number of people in a given space exceeds an acceptable comfort level for that individual” (Wakefield 2019, chapter 9, Managing the sportscape para.31). This could prove detrimental to the event and even the stadium because fans may enjoy the experience generally but something like waiting an excessive amount for food or drinks could be the lasting memory that they have of that event which will stop them from going to any other events at that venue. To combat that the stadium has created an app that will direct attendees to the nearest bar, toilet or restaurant and advise you to find less crowded bars or gates. This app will help ease the possible negative experiences that someone could have at the event thus bringing them back for many other events.       The new stadium in England will prove to have a plethora of challenges ahead. However, using technology will provide an ease for customers without the hassle associated with entertainment events such as wait times at concession stands and at gates which will help ease the transition of American football in Europe and providing an array of activates for a fun-filled environment that runs smoothly. This preparation could prove beneficial to the Hotspur and the NFL making the Hotspur stadium the hotspot for entertainment and turn the NFL into a global brand which will extend the game of American football overseas.

Originally Posted on October 14, 2019: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nfl-global-expansion-new-frontier-aaron-rodriguez/

References Reynolds, J. (2019, September 30) NFL ready for new digs in London. Sports Business Journal Retrieved from https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com  Tottenham Hotspur's New Stadium: Designed by Populous. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://populous.com/project/tottenham-hotspur-football-club. Wakefield, K. L. (2019). Team Sport Marketing. Retrieved from https://teamsportsmarketing.com.