Rund 70.000 Fans werden in der Allianz Arena erwartet, wenn die New England Patriots auf die Detroit Lions treffen, ZDFheute reported on Friday.
Dave Carter spent nine years in Germany as a US soldier stationed in Mainz, Hanau, Stuttgart, and Augsburg during the 1980s before returning to Colorado, ZDFheute reported. He returned to Munich to watch his favorite team, the Detroit Lions, play in the NFL regular-season matchup.
“So etwas ist im Leben einzigartig!”, said Dave Carter, former US soldier from Colorado. “Für mich ist es sehr schön zu sehen, wie sich die Dinge seit den 1980ern, als ich hier Lastwagen gefahren bin, verändert haben. Es sieht alles so modern aus! Und die Stimmung ist einfach unbeschreiblich.”
The National Football League transformed Munich’s city center ahead of kickoff, hosting a large-scale fan festival on the historic Odeonsplatz organized by the Detroit Lions, featuring corndogs and burger stands. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots designated the Augustiner-Stammhaus as their official “Boston in Bavaria” gathering spot, ZDFheute reported.
“Es ist total cool. Sie sind lustig, trinken, sind höflich und nett. Genau so was wünscht man sich von den Fans!”, said Ines Schipper, waitress at the Augustiner-Stammhaus.
“Alle sind super drauf, weil es auch so eine schöne Gemeinschaft ist”, Schipper told ZDFheute.
The regular-season game in Munich forms part of a multi-billion-dollar brand strategy by the National Football League to expand its international footprint. Eleven NFL clubs currently hold dedicated marketing rights in Germany, alongside similar commercial packages deployed in international markets such as Argentina, Ireland, Ghana, and Switzerland, according to ZDFheute.
The league scheduled international regular-season games across Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Mexico City, and Munich for the 2026 season. The NFL identifies Germany as its largest European market by fan base size.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown serves as a central figure for the league’s German outreach. St. Brown holds a German passport through his mother, who originates from Leverkusen, and signed a contract extension with the Detroit Lions valued at roughly $120 million running through the 2028 season, ZDFheute reported.
“Ich habe den Eindruck, dass sich Fans wirklich für diesen Sport begeistern”, said Amon-Ra St. Brown, wide receiver for the Detroit Lions. “Ob das daran liegt, dass es anders als Fußball ist oder dass es einfach etwas ganz Neues für sie ist.”
“Ich weiß, wie sehr deutsche Fans American Football lieben. Sie sind einfach großartig”, St. Brown told ZDFheute.
Spectators at the Allianz Arena emphasized the inclusive environment surrounding the event, drawing attendees from across Germany and the United States, ZDFheute reported.
“Football is family. Das ist hier einfach Programm”, said Daniela Bär, NFL fan. “Egal, von welchem Klub du Fan bist: Es ist einfach eine Mega-Stimmung. Wir sind sehr gerne hier.”
Carter attended the fixture alongside his daughter, who traveled from Hesse to meet him in Munich, ZDFheute reported.
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