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The National Football League continues to assert its global influence and the next venue for this will be Berlin, Germany, where the Atlanta Falcons will face off against the Indianapolis Colts. The event, amounted to through a great offer of anticipation, has the game set on Sunday, 9:30 AM ET, to be televised on NFL Network, and at the same time, streaming on NFL Plus, thus representing yet another step to global outreach by the league.
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The announcement of the game between the Falcons and the Colts in Berlin provoked strong and quick reactions from the football community. In spite of the fact that the league promotes these international matches as a way of bringing the sport to the whole world, the reactions of certain fans have, however, highlighted a mixture of eagerness and skepticism, particularly regarding the teams that have been selected for the overseas airing.
A social media user was quick to summarize the good vibe, saying: “Awesome matchup! Falcons vs. Colts in Berlin tomorrow at 9:30 AM ET- catch it on NFL Network or NFL+! 🏈🇩🇪” This perspective takes into account the game as yet another processing in the international NFL series, with the torch already passed from the earlier and highly successful encounters in London and Mexico City.
On the flip side, the majority of reactions were actually centered on the Atlanta Falcons’ involvement and there were a plethora of very funny yet resigned comments about the team’s playing style. “I just don’t want the Falcons to ruin my day 😂😂” was one of those comments that resonated with the typical dark-weighed humorous attitude that has been widely embraced by some among the team’s loyalists.
The self-irony was revealed in the comment that followed where a user alleged: “Got my falcons playing bright and early. Nice big bowl of disappointment for breakfast.” There is something similar to this that runs through the Atlanta Falcons’ difficult season, and the frustration is largely directed towards their offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. One user even suggested: “By all means, don’t get up to series this crap…Zac Robinson is not going to make it interesting.”
The international aspect of the game created a stir. Some people considered the global outreach as a cause for celebration while others criticized the choice of venue. A person expressed his dissatisfaction saying: “Why can’t the NFL just play in the U.S.? Why even bother with this?” while another made a stronger statement that said, “Stop playing in Europe. Football is an AMERICAN sport. Don’t let Europe spoil it.”
The game’s time made the matter worse, with one observer saying: “Paywall at 6:30 am is freaking BRUTAL,” thus drawing attention to the problems faced by different viewers all over the world trying to catch the early morning show.
Despite the negative comments about the Falcons, some people were supportive of the Colts with one commenter sure about it saying, “Colts got this. 😎” Another person implied, “Indy is a beast. Ready for a run for a Championship!” suggesting the Colts being in a strong position.
The humorous resignation and the skepticism reached the pinnacle of the one saying, “I feel sorry for you Germany that you have to series this Falcon squad play football” while another posed the question, “How mad do you think people in Germany are that they have to see the Falcons play?” Such comments reflect the question of whether American football might be viewed as a sport only for Americans and thus difficult for non-American audiences.
To the majority who were doubtful and afraid, one voice opposed: “Type the game the Falcons surprise everyone and win.” This proclamation sends the message that even the most cynical reviewers are still open to surprises with the team having the least expected outcome.
On the topic of international games, one comment stated, “The jet lag must be wild!” which is a way to illustrate the difficulty in winning for the teams that have to travel long distances after adjusting to the home playing routine.
The NFL is not giving up on their plan to expand globally, the game in Berlin between the Falcons and the Colts will surely have nice and bad side effects. One thing is certain; the opening of new international markets for American football will be strongly determined by the selection of teams and the level of product quality that is being shown to both domestic and international viewers. The conflicting viewpoints on the game indicate the fine line that the league has to tread between the worldwide audience and the quality of the sport that first brought it fame.
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The game in Berlin will be yet another benefit in the NFL’s plan to penetrate and convince foreign such as Asian and African sports markets to accept American football as a global sport, but the reaction to this specific matchup implies that the league still has to persuade all audiences of the international exhibits being worthy of visiting.
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