Sports and entertainment agency Infront and the Seattle Seahawks of American football’s NFL have announced an exclusive partnership with the aim of elevating the club’s presence across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).
The partnership will involve Infront trying to build the club’s brand in those markets through strategic long-term partnerships.
The Seahawks are already part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, launched in 2021, helping the club to expand beyond North America, building on their existing presence in Canada.
The program allows NFL teams to explore international markets for fan engagement, marketing, and commercial opportunities.
It is worth noting that when the first NFL games were broadcast on German free-to-air TV, the Seahawks won consecutive NFC Championships in 2013 and 2014, as well as Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season.
Infront claims that this has led to a strong following in Germany, to the extent that the Seahawks’ German fan club ranks as the second largest outside of Washington.
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The franchise has over 312,000 followers across their German-language Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts.
Chuck Arnold, president of the Seattle Seahawks, has said: “The Seahawks have an incredible fan base in the DACH region. As we look to grow our fan engagement efforts internationally, we’re excited to work closely with Infront to help build upon our strong connections there and assist in cultivating new opportunities to broaden our reach.”
Marco Sautner, managing director of Infront Germany, added: “The partnership with the Seattle Seahawks is a significant milestone for Infront. Our deep expertise in sports marketing and extensive network across the DACH region puts us in a great position to help the Seahawks achieve their ambitious goals.
“The NFL has grown enormously in popularity in Germany in recent years and we are convinced that together with the Seahawks we can lay the foundation for sustainable success and deeper fan engagement. This collaboration underlines our commitment to creating innovative and strategic solutions for our partners.”
The deal marks the first time Infront has partnered an American football team.
Germany has hosted NFL Games in the past, with the country set to stage the New York Giants versus the Carolina Panthers on November 10.
This is as a result of a deal signed in 2022, where Munich and Frankfurt were awarded two sets of hosting rights each to the first-ever quartet of NFL games to take place in Germany, spread over four seasons.
Both German venues to be used are the homes of top-tier Bundesliga soccer clubs – those of perennial champions Bayern Munich and of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, fellow NFL team the San Francisco 49ers, and Mexican casino brand Foliatti Casino, have announced a partnership expansion that marks the first international legalized sports betting deal for an NFL team.
The extension comes the year after the 49ers and Foliatti Casino announced their initial partnership, which was the NFL’s first international casino deal.
As part of the new tie-up, Foliatti Casino will continue to present several official 49ers events in Mexico, such as hosting exclusive fan experiences such as alumni meet and greets at its casinos, and presenting content across the 49ers’ digital and social channels.
As the international legalized sports betting partner, Foliatti Casino will now be able to utilize 49ers branding to promote its sports betting business in Mexico.
Other non-sports betting promotions, including entertainment, slots, and digital gaming on its website, will remain as part of the original international casino and iGaming partnership between the two parties signed last year.
Ryan Connors, senior director of global sales and strategy for the San Francisco 49ers, said: “This enhanced relationship gives our Spanish-speaking and Mexico-based faithful a lot to look forward to this season through new and engaging content, both in-person and online.”
As was the case last season, Wasserman Latam, the commercial agent of record for the 49ers in Mexico, and Arbol Media, led sales and activation efforts for the partnership.
