{"id":3584,"date":"2022-06-12T23:42:11","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T03:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firstandpen.com\/staging\/5861\/?p=3584"},"modified":"2022-06-13T07:25:53","modified_gmt":"2022-06-13T11:25:53","slug":"the-nfl-heads-to-africa-to-build-a-new-fan-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firstandpen.com\/staging\/5861\/the-nfl-heads-to-africa-to-build-a-new-fan-base\/","title":{"rendered":"The NFL Heads To Africa To Build A New Fan Base"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In May, the NFL announced that the Philadelphia Eagles were the first franchise to be granted international commercial rights in Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was part of the NFL’s expansion of its international marketing program that began last year with 18 teams pairing up with 8 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eagles are the 19th team in the program, with rights granted to them in Ghana, Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only makes sense for a team from “The City of Brotherly Love”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, the NFL announced that it would be heading to Africa in an effort to build up a new fan base on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning on June 21st, the league, according to Front Office Sports<\/a>, will host events in Ghana. That includes a flag football clinic, a fan event and a talent identification camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTop talent from the camp could be invited to participate in International Combines, the International Player Pathway program, and for those athletes ages 16 to 19, there\u2019s the opportunity to attend the NFL Academy in London,\u201d said NFL chief operating officer of international Damani Leech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the NFL, there are more than 100 players on NFL rosters of African descent. That gives the league a strong foundation of support to point to when they land in Ghana.<\/p>

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