Football Marketing Plan

FINAL PROJECT: SPORTS MARKETING PLAN
Expansion of NFL Popularity Worldwide Through Hosting the Pro Bowl in Germany

1.0 Executive Summary

  This marketing plan is intended to increase the popularity of the NFL world wide, as well as to encourage the growth of participation in American football in countries outside of the United States. Recently in the past, we at the NFL’s International Series have held preseason and regular season games in countries such as Mexico and England. Although attendance and merchandise sales were high for these games, our advertising and marketing techniques to promote the games should have been more proficient. Preseason games played outside of the United States lacked the luster of a big time match up, due to the fact that the well known stars of individual teams rarely play past the second quarter. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has played with the notion of eventually holding a Super Bowl in another country. In theory, this idea would likely bring world wide media attention and international support from many countries, but it would be unjust to American fans who follow NFL teams all year long. NFL players and coaches are not very enthusiastic about having to travel overseas in the middle of the season. The current plan that we are executing can be evaluated as successful on paper, but we feel that American football is not attracting an international fan base as rapidly as it could.
  Every year at the conclusion of the season, the Pro Bowl game is held in Hawaii. The Pro Bowl is an annual match up between the NFL’s two conferences, the AFC and the NFC. Players are chosen by casting your vote through www.nfl.com, which can be accessed by countries outside of the United States. Players are chosen based on how well they do statistically during the season, and on most occasions all teams in the NFL have a representative from their team. Unfortunately, the Pro Bowl can be considered a forgotten game to American fans. Its...