In December 2021, The NFL granted international marketing rights in Mexico to nine of its franchises, including the San Francisco 49erswhich to date has won five Super Bowls.
And this is not a coincidence. The Bay Area-based team is the second most popular in Mexico, behind only the Dallas Cowboys, according to a survey conducted by YouGov earlier this year.
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In interview with Business Insider México, Alex Chang, 49ers marketing director, described his Mexican fans as “passionate, committed, very knowledgeable and incredibly dedicated.”
“We are very fortunate to have a very dedicated fan base. We call them ‘the faithful’ for a reason: they have an unwavering commitment and faith in our organization and team. It is something we see everywhere, including in Mexico,” he said.
San Francisco also took advantage of the fact that NFL rules came into effect last year that gave it marketing rights in Mexico by playing a regular season game at the Azteca Stadium.
The 38-10 victory against the Arizona Cardinals was even more satisfying as they felt that around 90% of the crowd was rooting for them, according to Chang.
“I’ve been to some of the biggest stadiums in the world and there’s nothing that can compare to the feeling of walking onto that pitch, seeing how big it is and receiving the incredible support from the fans during the game,” he recalled.
“We put a lot of pressure to be one of the first teams to play in Mexico under these new rights,” he added. “We knew it was a great opportunity. That previous week was very exciting and the game itself was phenomenal.”
However, The NFL has no plans to return to Mexico soon. This is due to the renovations that the Azteca Stadium will have as one of the venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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That does not mean that the 49ers are going to sit back, since they will have at least a five-year period to take advantage of the Mexican market.
49ers
Chan shared with Business Insider México the five strategies that the franchise is implementing and that are focused on its social networks, community and content.
1. The 49ers are teaming up with Mexican brands
San Francisco defeated the other eight NFL franchises—Cardinals, Cowboys, Broncos, Texans, Chiefs, Raiders, Rams and Steelers—that own marketing rights in Mexico for being the one who had the highest commercial income in our country during this first year.
The team did not share with Business Insider México the corresponding figure. However, his marketing director explained that This milestone was achieved due to several factors, the most important being their fan base.
“When we approach different organizations to ally with us, we have a great story to tell because our brand is very strong in the market,” he said. “That’s where we start.”
Chang also assured that the 49ers have made an effort to show companies that they are committed to being active in the Mexican market. This goes beyond reaching agreements in which brands are only granted the right to use their logo and intellectual property.
“It’s not just about asking them if they want to sponsor the 49ers. We seek to create activations that are designed for your business, brand and audience. Something that works from the 49ers perspective,” he noted.
For example, in early November the NFL franchise announced its partnership with Foliatti Casino. Thus, the Mexican company became its official casino partner in Mexico.
As a team sponsor, Foliatti Casino is the host of official Watch Parties for fans. The first was held this Sunday in Monterrey to watch the San Francisco duel against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brock Purdy throws four touchdown passes as 49ers edge Eagles 42-19
The 49ers also signed a partnership with Los Cabos as their official vacation destinationalthough Chang ruled out that it will be the only city in Mexico in which they will implement this type of strategy.
“It was a good opportunity in which we found a connection with many of our players, coaches and executives, who like to spend time in that place,” he explained.
“In addition, we have a personal connection with Los Cabos. “It’s a very short flight from the Bay Area and they can spend time there with their families, although it won’t be the only place we will promote.”
Courtesy: Visit Los Cabos
On the other hand, the marketing director assured that the success in commercial income in San Francisco is due to the fact that they have a team that is currently working in Mexico and is an expert in its market.
“We are not just staying in the Bay,” he added. “Although we have a great appreciation for the Mexican market, every day we learn new things about it and the country.”
2. Select sponsorships and alliances, 49ers look for brands that fit their history
When looking for new partners or sponsors in Mexico, the first rule that San Francisco takes into account is to consider the categories that are blocked by some partner global (partner) of the NFL.
“The NFL has a list of partners that they protect and that we cannot compete against,” Chang said. “There are categories that are open, while others are closed.”
For example, in May 2022, the league announced a multi-year renewal of under sponsorship with PepsiCo through brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade and Fritolay. This means that the 49ers could not partner with any sports drink brand in Mexico, since Gatorade is the one used throughout the NFL.
Leaving this aside, the franchise also takes into account the partners with whom it has been working since before it was granted commercial rights in Mexico, such as Levi’s, United Airlines and SAP.
“They are global brands with which we have sponsorships and now we have the opportunity to expand them to other countries, such as Mexico, which is also one of their priority markets,” said the marketing director.
However, as mentioned previously, the 49ers look for alliances with local brands, and to find the right brands, the first thing they take into account is that they have a natural interest in sports and American football.
X/49ers in Spanish (@49ersESP)
“We’re not trying to force something that doesn’t fit. If there are brands that by their nature want to reach out to NFL fans, that is a great starting point,” Chang said.
“After that, we look for brands that fit ours. Let our stories make sense together because we want to make sure we protect both of our images. “It is a tactical question.”
Previously, Al Guido, president of the 49ers, told Business Insider México that the most important value of the organization is “taking care of each other” as if it were a family.
3. Attract new fans and not necessarily through American football
Chang confirmed to Business Insider México that one of the main goals of the 49ers and the rest of the NFL is to attract new fans, especially with the emergence of new audiences that have multiple tastes and preferences.
“Today there are many options for young people, not just sports. They may like video games, content creators, influencers or specific social networks,” he said.
To reach new audiences, San Francisco’s strategy focuses on creating social content that is accessible to a smartphone.
“We know that’s where people are connecting with most aspects of their lives. From their cell phones, people are making connections, making purchasing decisions and creating communities. Everything is happening in that world,” she added.
In this area, the 49ers have another advantage. According to their marketing director, at the end of last season they ranked as the NFL team with the best engagement in social networks.
Furthermore, when creating content, the Bay Area franchise is clear that it must take advantage of what happens on and off the gridiron alike.
“Many of our players have many interests beyond football and want to talk about it,” Chang explained. “They like fashion, music, video games and even creating content.”
“There are people who share these interests, so we try to highlight them. “This way we can get new fans and not necessarily starting from American football.”
“For me the path of fandom You don’t have to go directly for the sport. It can go through the lifestyle or personality of a player that connects the fans with the team,” he added. “That is why it is important to take care of our messages and content strategies to connect with new audiences.”
4. Highlight the history of 49ers players who identify with Mexico
To become closer to Mexican fans, San Francisco knows what it takes to tell the story of players who identify with our culture.
According to Chang, one of them is linebacker Fred Warner, who is part of the Latino community because he is of Mexican and Panamanian descent.
“He is very proud of it. He is someone who even participated in the NFL campaign for Latino Heritage Month,” the marketing director said.
Another player is tight end George Kittle, who is not Latino, but has a great love for wrestling. In fact, his favorite wrestler is Penta el Zero Miedo (also known as Pentagon Jr.), whom he pays tribute to by celebrating him every time he makes a score.
Previously, Kittle told the press He saw Penta el Zero Miedo for the first time at Wrestlemania and his attitude captivated him. They both met and even They participated in a commercial together. Last year, the fighter also attended the 49ers game at Azteca Stadium and gave the player a mask inspired by his team.
Finally, The third player that Chang highlighted was the Mexican Alfredo Gutiérrez. Originally from Tijuana, The offensive tackle has been on San Francisco’s practice squad for three seasons.
“He has helped us in terms of supporting our efforts to reach the Mexican market and audience,” he added.
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