After the NFL participated in five international games in 2024, the league is set to host seven contests outside of the United States in 2025. If Roger Goodell‘s vision comes to fruition, the NFL will eventually play nearly a season’s worth of overseas games in a single year.
During a recent appearance at the CNBC CEO Council Summit, Goodell revealed that he’s hoping to host 16 international games in a single season.
“I do see 16 regular season games, and I do think that will happen in the very near future,” Goodell told CNBC’s Scott Wapner (via Jessica Golden of CNBC.com). “Within 5 years probably.”
The “NFL International Series” started back in 2007 with a regular-season game between the Dolphins and Giants at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The NFL expanded to Mexico in 2016, and they’ve since held games in Germany and Brazil. The league is set to take it a step further in 2025, with games scheduled for Spain and Ireland, and there’s a game in Australia set for 2026.
Goodell previously hinted at a 16-game international slate, although his five-year target is new. While a foreign franchise doesn’t appear to be on the immediate horizon, the commissioner made it clear that overseas games are a clear priority for the league.
“International is an open market for us,” said Goodell. “We are excited about our potential.”
Goodell touched on a number of additional subjects during the summit, including the recent uptick in private equity firms taking stakes in NFL franchises. We heard recently that the Chargers requested approval to sell an eight-percent stake in their franchise to a private investment firm, following the footsteps of other organization’s that have recently sold off small stakes.
As Golden notes, there’s only a small grouping of firms that are approved to purchase small parts of NFL teams: Ares Management, Sixth Street Partners, Arctos Partners, and a consortium consisting of Dynasty Equity, Blackstone, Carlyle Group, CVC Capital Partners, and Ludis. Goodell hinted that another undisclosed firm could soon be joining this list.
“There’s enough demand for it that we think it’s the right step,” Goodell said.
The more that I think about it, the more I hate the hate the idea of private equity firms owning teams. The current owners are bad enough with how far they push the profitability envelope, but dozens of profit driven, shareholder beholden companies owning pieces of the teams across the league seems much, much worse. At least with owners you can put a name and face to decisions; with a room of faceless shareholders and some chairperson pushing for profits, that dilemma gets even worse. NFL teams are greedy enough as is.
And, underneath that, it just ruins the entire idea of sports teams. Do you really want to root for a corporation (at least, something openly identifying itself as such)? Do you want to buy a jersey for the Baltimore Ravens Corporation? Are you going to spend four hundred some dollars on tickets for the Chicago Bears, LLC? What happens when a firm that fans might object to (like, say, Blackstone) buys part ownership of their team? Who is that good for-other than already rich owners? Is the NFL STILL going to pretend that it’s a 501c?
Fans support teams, logically or illogically, because of the spirit of the team itself and the desire to win to support that team’s tradition. A company existing only to make money might be something you buy products from, but it’s not going to be the same as a tradition that you identify with. That part of the sport will fade away as the transactions become more business-like. Right now, even with as greedy and corporate-like as the league is, the teams still have some emotional or personal connection with their fans. Groups of equity firms holding shareholder meetings to decide team’s directions just turns NFL franchises into emotionless vendors.
Correction to my whining: I forgot that the NFL is no longer a 501c. Wish I could edit it, but hey. My apologies.
I mean, everything you’re saying is spot on, regardless of the NFL’s 501c status. Private equity firms are horrible and exist to maximize profits. It’s the worst parts of traditional ownership without any of the benefits. A good owner balances a desire to win with profits (a great owner cares only about winning). Private equity only cares about profits. If profit is maximized by being a losing team, then the team makes no moves to win.
I still don’t understand why they don’t have pre season overseas and regular season in US. I would think they can make more money too, the preseason games don’t sell out in US. If you took them overseas it is the only game they may see so you are likely selling out and can charge the same as a regular season.
Why does Goodell want teams to play overseas? Because he doesn’t have to be the one playing the games. Why take time in the middle of the season to take a bunch of almost certainly wore down players and fly them half way across the world so the people in other countries can go to a game? If I’m an owner I certainly want (sarcasm) my multimillion dollar players playing on a sub par field not made for American football. Just wait until Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, or even Trevor Lawrence blows out a knee trying to run on a slick field or one that’s tore up from a soccer game. I’m with Ancient One if you have to play overseas play pre-season games over there and don’t risk your teams season because Greedy Goodell wants the NFL to be worldwide so the NFL can sell more merchandise. It’s my opinion that the first time a superstar player gets hurt and derails that teams super bowl run that will be the end of the European games. Meanwhile all the players with nagging injuries, jet lag and whatever else is ailing them will be subject to Greedy Goodells money grab just because he’s a money grubbing jag off.
I hate international games. Go make another league for that crap. Leave our game alone