Tag: frankfurt

Justin Reid opened the Chiefs “ChampionsHaus” pop-up in Frankfurt, Germany

Justin Reid opened the Kansas City #Chiefs “ChampionsHaus” pop-up in Frankfurt, Germany | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs continue expanding their presence beyond the United States with more international visibility. Last season’s game in Germany against the Miami Dolphins endeared them to the country as the relationship continues to grow.

Chiefs safety Justin Reid recently traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, to celebrate the opening of ChampionsHaus. The two-day pop-up allowed international fans to meet Reid and mingle with the team’s mascot, KC Wolf.

As part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program (GMP), the Chiefs are one of five franchises in Germany with marketing, fan engagement, and commercialization access. The others are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers, the Atlanta Falcons, and the New England Patriots.

Before last fall’s game against the Dolphins, the Kansas City docked a custom-wrapped, Chiefs-themed boat on the banks of the Main River in central Frankfurt, just 250 meters from the famous Eiserner Steg called the “ChampionShip,” in honor of the club’s Super Bowl titles.

https://www.instagram.com/chiefsdeutschland/reel/C8fBDIENkyN/

Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt has long been a leader and advocate for the NFL’s international efforts. The team’s success continues to spread well beyond its efforts on the football field and in its home country.

NFL targeting Brazil for a 2024 International Series game

The NFL is targeting Brazil for a 2024 International Series game. Which stadium could play host? Would you want the Saints to make the trip?

Now this is interesting. Multiple reports from NFL ownership meetings in Dallas say the league’s decision-makers will be voting on a potential 2024 regular season game to be played in Brazil, with a verdict coming as soon as Wednesday afternoon.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has made the league’s International Series a point of emphasis on his annual agenda — we may never see a Super Bowl played overseas or have an NFL team headquartered outside America, but Goodell clearly sees room for expansion in international markets. After kicking off games in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Mexico, he’s looking to Brazil as the next hotspot in 2024 (plus Spain in 2025, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports).

So where could that game be played? Venues used for recent international NFL games include London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (seating over 60,000) and Wembley Stadium (seating more than 85,000), Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca (capacity for 78,000 seats) as well as Germany’s stadiums in Munich (the 69,000-seat Allianz Arena) and Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank Park, seating about 51,000).

That’s an average capacity of about 68,600 seats. If that’s in the ballpark of what the NFL is looking for in a venue, São Paulo has one clear option: the Estadio do Morumbi (which opened in 1960, easily seating 66,000). The city is also home to the Arena Corinthians (opened in 2014, seating 49,000) and Estádio Prudentão (built in 1982, seating 45,000) as alternative sites.

Now, what you’re really here for: could the Saints be involved? The answer to that is a soft “maybe.” New Orleans will not lose another home game to an international game in 2024 after doing so in 2022’s matchup with the Minnesota Vikings in London. NFL ownership previously agreed that every team would play a “home” game overseas once every eight years, but they’re voting soon on whether to shorten that to a four-year gap, so the Saints could make the trip as visitors.

An NFC team is expected to host the game in Brazil (if approved by league ownership), per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, and the Saints have away games scheduled in 2024 with the following opponents in their conference:

  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • New York Giants
  • Same-place NFC North team (right now, the Green Bay Packers)

We can rule out the Packers, Falcons, and Buccaneers because they have “hosted” international games in recent years, leaving the Panthers, Cowboys, and Giants as options to host. We should acknowledge the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears are eligible to host the game in Brazil if the Saints end up playing a difference NFC North team in 2024, depending on how the final divisional standings shake out.

But there’s another factor to consider: the NFL’s international marketing rights for Brazil have been awarded to just one team, the Miami Dolphins. It’s likely they would want the Dolphins to be involved because of that (or at least, the Dolphins would want to be involved), even if they’re playing as visitors. Miami has made a number of overseas appearances including a game in Frankfurt this year. They’re a likelier fit than the Saints.

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WATCH: Andy Reid delivers remarks after Chiefs’ win vs. Dolphins in Germany

Andy Reid shared a brief message with his team after the #Chiefs’ win over the #Dolphins in Week 9.

Andy Reid isn’t known for seeking out attention from the media, but after putting together a winning game plan against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, the Kansas City Chiefs head coach had cameras on him in the locker room.

He delivered a message to his team after their bounce-back win in Frankfurt, Germany, and made it clear that the resounding victory over one of the AFC’s top teams was only the beginning of Kansas City’s plans.

The energy in the locker room was palpable when Reid let out his signature “How about those…” line, and Patrick Mahomes even got in on the action when the coach’s comments were over.

The Chiefs will get a brief respite before their next game; a Super Bowl LVII rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11. With any luck, Kansas City will be able to hear Reid get fired up again after a win over his former team on November 20.

 

WATCH: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes connects with Jerick McKinnon for TD vs. Dolphins

Patrick Mahomes hit Jerick McKinnon for a touchdown to give the #Chiefs a 14 point lead over the #Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany.

Patrick Mahomes has fought through adversity to give the Kansas City Chiefs a two-touchdown lead over the Miami Dolphins in Week 9. He connected with running back Jerick McKinnon for a six-point score late in the second quarter of the Chiefs’ international matchup against the Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany to widen Kansas City’s advantage.

The touchdown came after a long drive where Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense trudged downfield against Miami’s stout defense. With just over two minutes remaining in the first half, the reigning MVP hit McKinnon in stride with space to scamper into the end zone.

The Dolphins will receive the second-half kickoff, so this score was necessary to help Kansas City maintain its advantage through halftime. The Chiefs defense would stand strong on Miami’s next offensive drive and gave Kansas City an even larger lead following a Tyreek Hill fumble that resulted in yet another touchdown for the home team.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo reflects on experience in Germany as an NFL Europe coach

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo reflected on his experience in Germany as an NFL Europe coach

The Kansas City Chiefs are going to Frankfurt, Germany, for the Week 9 battle with the Miami Dolphins. The trip will be a new experience for many traveling but very familiar for one of their coaches.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo served in the same role for the former NFL Europe team, the Frankfurt Galaxy, in 1998. Spagnuolo reflected on his experience in the now-defunct league and playing in Germany during Thursday’s press conference.

“I had an old windbreaker button-down jacket; I used to have one of those that was purple because we were purple,” Spagnuolo explained. “I think there was a little goal. Yes, something sprinkled in there. Great uniforms. That was a tremendous experience. I loved it. We ended up going to the World Bowl, which was in Frankfurt that year; the Berlin Fire beat us.

“You always remember when you get beat, right? But it was a great atmosphere. The people there. The game was exciting. They cheer constantly. You can’t tell if you did good or bad because they’re always cheering, which is great. They’re really into it. It was it was a great experience. I wish I could find that jacket.”

A reporter mentioned that Travis Kelce has an old Jersey from the team in his locker as Soagnuolo smiled and responded, “Well, Travis can come up with things.”

Frankfurt-bound Chiefs fans receive ‘super sendoff’ ahead of matchup vs. Dolphins

A group of Frankfurt-bound fans received a “super sendoff” as they journeyed to Germany to watch the #Chiefs take on the #Dolphins

Frankfurt, Germany, may need to prepare for a sea of red to descend upon it ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 9 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

Fans headed to the international game on Sunday were given a “super sendoff,” according to Dennis Evans of KMBC, who posted a video of their departure on Wednesday afternoon.

It can be hard to tell which team will be favored by the crowd in an international game, but the Chiefs may have an advantage given the volume of travelers shown in the video.

These die-hard fans go across the pond at their own peril, though, as a win on the international stage is anything but guaranteed for Kansas City, which just took a brutal loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 8.

Expect exuberance from these most loyal members of Chiefs Kingdom if Kansas City manages to beat the Dolphins on Sunday, but crushing heartbreak if their voyage was for naught.

Chiefs 2023 schedule preview, Week 9: Dolphins

In this schedule preview our @Nicolas_Roesch takes an early look at the Kansas City #Chiefs’ Week 9 opponent, the Miami Dolphins.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins will travel to Frankfurt, Germany for a Week 9 international showdown.

The Dolphins were a very streaky team in 2022. After beginning the season with three straight victories they proceeded to lose their next three, then won five in a row, only to lose their next five. Miami capped its season off with a scrappy 11-6 win over the New York Jets, clinching a postseason wildcard spot.

The Dolphins gave a valiant effort in the wildcard round against the Buffalo Bills but fell short by a 34-31 final score. Despite their inconsistencies, the Dolphins established an explosive offense, finishing sixth overall in total yardage and fourth in passing.

Miami re-signed its top two running backs, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. in the offseason as well as starting safety DeShon Elliott. They then signed free agent middle linebacker David Long Jr., who will plug right in as a starter. The big offseason move for the Dolphins, however, was trading for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Unfortunately, Ramsey injured his left meniscus during training camp and will miss a significant portion of the regular season. The Dolphins recently signed veteran cornerback Eli Apple to fill in for Ramsey. They also drafted cornerback Cam Smith who could challenge Apple to be a starter.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the Dolphins’ top players and their outlooks heading into the 2023 NFL season:

Tickets for Chiefs-Dolphins game in Frankfurt sold out in minutes

Did you manage to score tickets to the #Chiefs-Dolphins game in Frankfurt, Germany?

Tickets for the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins game in Frankfurt, Germany, at Deutsche Bank Park went on sale at 5 a.m. CT on Tuesday, June 27 (or noon in Germany), but they didn’t last for long.

Within 15 minutes, tickets sold out for the Week 9 game, which takes place on Sunday, Nov. 5. Fans had to register in advance to even have a chance to buy tickets, but some reported that when they went to log in to purchase tickets on Ticketmaster, they were placed in a queue with over one million people ahead of them just minutes after tickets went on sale.

Renowned Chiefs fan and Olympic Gold medalist Samantha Quek ran into this problem and shared her story on Twitter.

The tickets, which cost $82 to $245 retail, have begun to pop up on resale marketplaces. They’re seeing exorbitant price increases that are more in line with the average cost of attending a Chiefs game at resale.

The capacity at Deutsche Bank Park is just 42,200, which already limited the number of tickets out there. The demand for these tickets is sure to be another indicator to the NFL that their expanded slate of international games was the right idea.

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So when will the Saints play their next international game?

The Saints are not going to Germany in 2023, as had previously been reported abroad. So when will they play their next international game?

News from the NFL that the New Orleans Saints will not be traveling for a game in Germany was something positive for many fans to wake up to stateside, but it’s a tough break for fans in Europe who were hoping to see their team in person. The New England Patriots are going to “host” a different opponent than the one which had been reported in local outlets.

So when will the Saints be playing overseas again?

It could be as soon as 2024, but the good news for New Orleans (especially season-ticket holders) is that the Saints will not be losing a home game for an international matchup until 2030. When the NFL rolled out its 17-game schedule in 2021, it determined that every team would take the role as the “home” team for one international game every eight years.

Since the Saints were hosts in 2022 (traveling to London to face the Minnesota Vikings), they won’t lose another home game at the Caesars Superdome until 2030.

This means the Saints could play a game abroad in 2024, 2025, 2026, and so on. We’ll have to wait and see. Where an international game could be played is just as unclear; the league has scheduled games in London, Munich, Frankfurt, and Mexico City as it continues to make inroads to other markets around the world.

Regardless of that future scheduling, this is good for the Saints in the short term. Because they won’t be taking the role as the home team and losing a lucrative game in New Orleans, they’ll finally enjoy the benefits of a 17-game schedule with nine home games in 2024:

  • 2021: 7 of 8 home games in New Orleans (relocated to Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida for Week 1 vs. Green Bay Packers)
  • 2022: 8 of 9 home games in New Orleans (assigned to London for international game in Week 4 vs. Minnesota Vikings)
  • 2023: 8 of 8 home games in New Orleans (No changes expected)
  • 2024: 9 of 9 home games in New Orleans (No changes expected)

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The Saints won’t be going to Germany after all

Despite local reporting in Germany, the NFL announced a different opponent for the Patriots. The Saints won’t be going to Frankfurt after all:

New Orleans Saints fans in Germany will have to wait a while longer to see their team in person. Despite local reporting overseas claiming the Saints would be visiting for a game with the New England Patriots, the NFL on Wednesday announced that the Indianapolis Colts, not the Saints, will be playing the role of the away team in this matchup with the Patriots.

That’s a bummer for fans abroad who were hoping to make the trip. But it has to be a relief to the Saints who just played an international game last year against the Minnesota Vikings in London. We’ll find out the full schedule for New Orleans in the days ahead.

Here are this year’s NFL International Series matchups:

  • Week 4: Falcons at Jaguars on Oct. 1 (Wembley Stadium, London)
  • Week 5: Jaguars at Bills on Oct. 8 (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London)
  • Week 6: Ravens at Titans on Oct. 15 (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London)
  • Week 9: Dolphins at Chiefs on Nov. 5 (Frankfurt Stadium, Germany)
  • Week 10: Colts at Patriots on Nov. 12 (Frankfurt Stadium, Germany)

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