The 2021 NFL regular season is scheduled to start on September 10. The first game of the season will be played at the Raymond James Stadium in Florida, home to reigning Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
USA Today via Reuters
Feb 7, 2021; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The 2021 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held at the end of next month. The latest piece of news to emerge from the league was the confirmation of a 17-game regular season from this year onwards. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along with all 32 franchise owners voted in favor of a longer season.
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This will help the league gather increased revenue through broadcasting rights and increased ticket sales. Mr. Goodell also revealed that he expects fans to return to the stadiums in 2021. But there’s another major development that can change how the league develops on a global scale in the coming years.
ALSO READ – 2021 NFL Draft: 49ers GM John Lynch Comfortable With Quarterback Prospects
NFL officials keen on globalizing the league with international games
As per the official statement released by the league, NFL teams will be playing multiple games on foreign soil in the near future. This is part of the league’s effort to increase the fan following for the sport across the globe.
Starting in 2022, the NFL will require four teams every season to forego a home game which will then be played internationally. Additional teams may volunteer to play international games, with permission from NFL officials of course.
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The NFL also announces that starting in 2022, every team will play an international game once every eight years, with games potentially held in Canada, South America and Europe, in addition to UK and Mexico.
Have to think Germany and Brazil are next to host a game. pic.twitter.com/zp9Au3q9rm
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 30, 2021
The NFL already plays games in Mexico. They’ve also played 6 games in Toronto and 28 regular season fixtures in London, United Kingdom. the report further states that commissioner Roger Goodell is now looking to expand in Germany and South America.
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Reportedly, Brazil is the country in South America most likely to host an NFL game. It will be interesting to see how this strategy plays out on a long-term basis. But with the COVID-19 crisis still a global pandemic, it would be wise for the league to keep a low-profile for at least another year.
ALSO READ – ‘Monumental Moment’- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Confirms 17-Game Regular Season
