NFL grants Colts marketing rights for Germany, Austria

The Indianapolis Colts franchise has been granted marketing rights for Germany and Austria as part of the National Football League’s continued effort to grow its prominence in international markets.

Approvals for the territories were finalized Monday morning during the NFL’s annual league meetings. They are the first international markets for Indianapolis since the league began its Global Markets Program in 2022.

“After seeing the appetite for American football firsthand this past fall in Frankfurt, we are more than excited to expand the reach of the Horseshoe internationally,” Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay said in written remarks. “In Germany and Austria, we’ve found vibrant markets that make sense for our club, but that also will provide more international exposure and connections for our partners, Indiana businesses and many more across the state.”

Austria and Germany are already a shared home market for three other NFL teams: the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers also call Germany a home market.

The Detroit Lions were granted rights to Austria and German among their first crop of international markets, while the New York Giants make their debut in the program with Germany. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks also had their rights expanded to the countries.

The initial five-year agreement between the Colts and the NFL grants the team rights to engage with fans in the countries through marketing materials and business development efforts, similarly to what can be done in the team’s home market.

Stephanie Pemberton, vice president of marketing for the Colts, said the team’s strategy will largely lean on “building brand awareness and developing authentic connections” with fans, and growing interest and access to professional football.

“We hope to accomplish this through a multi-faceted approach that includes media partnerships, events and activations, youth engagement and much more,” she told IBJ in emailed responses to questions, through a Colts spokesperson.

The franchise in the near future plans to send personnel to visit each market to meet with fans, partners and media, as well as build access to Colts broadcasts and strengthen or establish fan clubs in each country. They also expect to offer fans opportunities to meet and interact with Colts players through virtual and in-person visits, along with trips by team mascot Blue and the Colts cheerleaders.

Pemberton said the franchise has committed “incremental resourcing” for its international marketing strategy but she declined to share a specific figure. The Colts also plan to hire a director of international marketing, with a search set to begin by the end of March.

“We have identified this as a long-term strategic priority focused on fan development and engagement, she said. “As such, we know that the return on investment may come years down the road as we develop and grow a Colts fan base in each of these countries.”

The team already has ties to the countries, with current Colts players Bernhard Raimann and Marcel Dabo, who are from Austria and Germany, respectively. Björn Werner, a linebacker who was a first round pick by the Colts in the 2013 NFL Draft, is also from Germany.

“As a proud supporter of American football worldwide, I’m so excited to see the Indianapolis Colts take this important step toward growing our game in Europe and across the globe,” Werner, now a football commentator, said in written remarks. “But as a Colt myself, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see my team and the Horseshoe become a part of sports, business and culture in my home country.”

Pemberton said the existence of “strong historical and economic ties” between Indiana and each country played a role in the team’s interest in building a marketing strategy there, and that could likely serve as a catalyst for building further interest among fans.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. has a satellite office in Berlin and Germany is the fourth largest international trading partner for the state, with $3.86 billion of exports in 2023. There are 150 German and Austrian companies with a presence in Indiana. The state also has 11 sister cities agreements with Germany, including a relationship between Indianapolis and Cologne.

Indianapolis International Airport in recent years has also sought to establish a non-stop flight to the country, likely through Frankfurt. However, those efforts have not yet materialized.

“This is an historic time for the Colts and our fans as we join the NFL’s Global Markets Program,” Pemberton said. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to extend the reach of our brand as we continue to leverage the power of football to entertain, inspire and unite individuals around the world.”