LA Rams add New Zealand to NFL International Home Marketing Areas

The LA Rams just won Super Bowl LVI. But the team is growing in popularity around the world. How? Well not only by being one of the most successful teams in the NFL but by reaching new international markets. The coordinated effort by the NFL, a.k.a. the NFL International Home Marketing Area Initiative, assigns specific foreign countries to specific NFL teams.

That market assignment grants those NFL clubs exclusive league-sanctioned access to those international territories for marketing, fan engagement, and commercialization. Since the NFL is comprised of 32 separate NFL teams, this orderly expansion of foreign markets to individual teams allows the NFL as a whole to broaden international interest and appeal.

Of course, this is all part of the long-term NFL strategic effort to enable clubs to build their global brands while driving NFL fan growth internationally. And right now, the LA Rams are leading the NFL in that effort, with four International HMAs. In fact, the NFL recently announced awarding a fourth HMA to the LA Rams and three new HMAs to the Philadelphia Eagles in a recent press release. The Rams and Eagles can begin to be active in their newly awarded markets on June 1, 2022.

Team            Country
LA Rams      Australia
LA Rams      New Zealand *
LA Rams      China
LA Rams      Mexico

Non-Rams Team            Country
Philadelphia Eagles        Australia*

Miami Dolphins               Brazil

Minnesota Vikings          Canada
Seattle Seahawks

Carolina Panthers           Germany
Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Philadelphia Eagles        Ghana*

Arizona Cardinals             Mexico
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers

Philadelphia Eagles          New Zealand*

Chicago Bears                    Spain
Miami Dolphins

Chicago Bears                    United Kingdom
Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers

*International HMAs just added, open on June 1, 2022

In addition to announcing the opening of new international markets, the announcement also named Henry Hodgson as General Manager, NFL United Kingdom, and Charlotte Offord, General Manager, NFL Australia. Both Hodgson and Offord will serve as liaisons in their respective markets and be responsible for the successful delivery of NFL’s fan growth, creating opportunities for live games, the overall development of the sport, and supporting continued commercial growth and monetization in their markets.

Both Hodgson and Hofford will assume their new roles in July 2022. While the LA Rams hold the greatest number of international markets, they are not playing an international game this year. The same cannot be said of ten NFL teams, all of whom will compete on foreign soil during the 2022 NFL season. The NFL has committed to featuring all 32 of the league’s teams in at least one international game over the next eight years.

Look for further developments in the international arena. The NFL has long observed the success of NBA teams in integrating the domestic league with international basketball. Some areas the NFL may consider going forward are expanding the NFL draft to include more international prospects, creating an NFL equivalent of the NBA G-League with international teams, allowing a draft and stash scenario of prospects, and other future options.