Capturing the attention of European sport fans
Author
Isabell Junglen-Walden
Project Lead NFL
RTL Deutschland
Lara Krug
CMO and EVP of Marketing
Kansas City Chiefs
Generating excitement for a sport rarely seen live is challenging. In this interview, we talk to Isabell Junglen-Walden, Project Lead NFL at RTL Deutschland, about the successful partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs. We also hear from Lara Kurg, CMO and EVP of Marketing for the Chiefs, about its collaboration with RTL and its efforts to captivate European sports fans.
When did the project to bring NFL to Europe begin and what was the trigger for this success story?
Isabell: The NFL has advanced its international reach through the Global Markets Program and the NFL International Series. Launched in 2022, the program allows NFL teams to market themselves internationally, boosting brand awareness and fan bases. Germany as a key market will host games overseas. A key factor from a broadcaster’s perspective is the many fea tures that the NFL offers like no other sports league. No one combines sports and entertainment better than the NFL, which makes it particularly attractive to us.
How did you get people excited about a sport that they can watch live only seldomly?
Isabell: With NFL games in Munich and Frankfurt, fans can now experience live action, but tickets are limited. Luckily, the NFL is perfect for TV, offering prime time Sunday night games in Europe. In our first season as a new broadcaster, we drew men under 35 back to free TV with live games, tapping into a previously hard to reach audience. Despite competition, the NFL on Sunday evenings during prime time on RTL is a real incentive for men to tune in.
How did your collaboration with the Chiefs start?
Isabell: The Chiefs were one of the first teams to secure the marketing rights for the German market in 2022. Up to 1.5 million viewers watched its AFC Championship Game (Chiefs vs Ravens) making it the most-watched playoff game. Players like quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce are true brand ambassadors in Germany.
What do European sports fans bring to the Chiefs brand?
Lara: When the NFL launched the Global Markets Program, we aimed to be strategic and invested heavily to stay ahead. Our commitment to international growth dates back to founder Lamar Hunt in the 1990s. Germany was a clear choice for our European fanbase due to its knowledgeable fans from NFL Europe and strong commercial potential, aligning well with our brand goals.
We used local experts and our brand leaders to deliver relevant content, partnerships, and events for our German fans while maintaining the essence of the Chiefs.
How did you manage to turn an American team into a worldwide brand?
Lara: We should start with the on-field success, leveraging our winning team and star players. We have talked about our ambitous goal of becoming the world’s team and we started with Germany. We formed an advisory board of executives to navigate the market complexities and learn from their cultural knowledge and experience. We used local experts and our own brand leaders to deliver relevant content, partnerships, and events for our German fans while maintaining the essence of the Chiefs.
How would you describe your partnership with RTL, how central is it in your global strategy?
Lara: RTL has been a key partner and we entered the German market and the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) in 2022. It has covered our initiatives, including our 2023 game against Miami and our visit to RTL Kinderhaus. This partnership has helped us navigate the media landscape and tell our stories. Notable collaborations include debuting our “Forging Greatness” documentary at RTL Beach during the Cannes Lions Festival, featuring Chiefs safety, Justin Reid, on a panel, and highlighting our Chiefs Champions Hausboot activation for the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game against the Baltimore Ravens.