
Bengals Join NFL's Global Markets Program in Canada
The Cincinnati Bengals have been granted international marketing rights in Canada as part of the NFL's Global Markets Program. This allows the Bengals to build brand awareness and fandom in Canada through engagement, marketing, digital and social media content, and NFL Flag development.
"Canada has a great history and passion for football, and we are excited to join the Global Markets Program to further engage with and grow our strong Canadian fanbase," said Bengals Director of Strategy and Engagement Elizabeth Blackburn. "Growing the game globally is an important priority for the NFL. We are excited to be part of the Global Markets Program's expansion to include all 32 teams and look forward to broadening the reach of Who Dey Nation in Canada."
Canada is considered a priority market for the NFL. The Bengals selected Canada as a way to grow the team's brand in a country where an authentic connection already exists. Bengals players Chase Brown and Tanner McLachlan both are Canadian, which has led to content and marketing opportunities with NFL Canada. Brown, along with Ja'Marr Chase, visited Montreal last year to support the Montreal Flag Regional and tour the Montreal Canadiens NHL facilities. The team's 2023 International Fan of the Year John Di Girolamo is part of a passionate fanbase in Canada. Di Girolamo lives in Toronto and travels to Cincinnati for Bengals games as a Season Ticket Member.
"The Bengals' fanbase in Canada is growing," said Di Girolamo. "This will be a great opportunity to help connect Bengals fans across the country and continue to build an international fanbase for the team."
With the addition of the Bengals and two other teams, all 32 clubs will now officially participate in the Global Markets Program across 21 international markets as the NFL continues to prioritize global growth.
"We're thrilled to have all 32 clubs a part of the Global Markets Program in 2025," said NFL Executive Vice President Club Business, Major Events & International Peter O'Reilly. "League-wide club participation in the program underlines the strategic priority both the NFL and its teams share, to invest in global growth. We continue to see strong momentum worldwide and look forward to bringing fans internationally closer to our game, together."
NFL clubs can apply for rights to international markets by submitting proposals to the International Committee for review each spring. Clubs are awarded rights for a five-year term through the program and during this period can pursue activities that are consistent with what they can do in their home domestic market, in their awarded international markets.
For more information on the Global Markets Program, visit:https://www.nfl.com/international/global-markets-program.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
B.C. Lions dump visiting Edmonton Elks 31-14 in season opener
Nathan Rourke threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns, and the B.C. Lions opened their CFL season with a 31-14 win over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday. 'They had some answers, definitely, for what we were doing,' Elks head coach Mark Kilam said after the loss. 'I thought we gassed out a little bit on defence. We need to maintain a few more drives on offence to help those guys out. But really there were errors in all three phases, and we are a three phase football team, so there's definitely things we need to get better at in all three phases.' The Canadian quarterback went 27-for-36 on his passing attempts, linking up with Stanley Berryhill III twice in the end zone. Justin McInnis caught his first TD of the year and James Butler drove in another major. Veteran kicked Sean Whyte contributed a 22-yard field goal for the Lions, who played their first game under rookie head coach Buck Pierce. Story continues below advertisement Elks quarterback Tre Ford put up 178 passing yards, connecting on 17 of his 27 attempts and throwing one interception. He was sacked twice. 'I don't think we did fantastic offensively,' Tre said. 'I think we were stuck in a lot of second and longs, which isn't a good situation for offence, so we've got to do better on first down. But a lot of that stuff comes back on me, right, I'm the quarterback. I have to make some more things happen out there for us.' Cody Fajardo chalked up two short-yardage rushing majors for Edmonton, who also have a first-year head coach in Mark Kilam. Rapper Snoop Dogg performed for the announced crowd of 52,837 fans before kickoff. The game got off to a promising start for the Lions with Rourke and his teammates steadily working the ball up the field to give B.C. a first down at Edmonton's two-yard line. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Chase Brice came in for short yardage duty and appeared to stretch the ball into the end zone on third down. A review by the command centre, though, determined the QB went down before getting the ball across the line. Ford struggled early, going 0-for-3 on his first attempts of the game before connecting with Zach Mathias for a six-yard gain on his fourth attempt of the night. Story continues below advertisement Edmonton got on the board with just over three minutes left in the first quarter when Cody Grace sent a 66-yard punt into the end zone for a rouge. B.C. again came within inches of a touchdown early in the second frame when Rourke threaded a crisp pass to Jevon Cottoy directly under the uprights. The Canadian receiver fumbled the ball, then stared at his gloves in apparent disbelief. Whyte posted the home side's first points of the night, booting a 22-yard field goal to give the Lions a 3-1 lead. The Elks took control again midway through the second quarter when Fajardo muscled his way through traffic for a one-yard rushing major. Vincent Blanchard missed the convert and Edmonton went up 7-3. The score stood at the end of the first half after the Elks kicker sent a 49-yard field goal attempt wide in the final seconds of the frame. B.C. came alive early in the second half, stringing together a possession that ended with Rourke escaping the pocket, taking a few steps and sailing a 34-yard pass to Stanley Berryhill in the end zone. Whyte made the convert and the Lions jumped out to a 10-7 advantage. Edmonton had an opportunity to level the score minutes later when Blanchard lined up for a 45-yard field goal, but the kick again went wide. Story continues below advertisement Rourke proved on the next possession that he's a dual threat, rushing for 13 yards on one play and 22 on another. He capped the drive with a 37-yard lob to Berryhill under the uprights and another convert from Whyte increased the Lions' lead to 17-7 midway through the third quarter. Ford responded with some fast feet of his own in the dying seconds of the third quarter. The 27-year-old Canadian deftly darted around midfield to avoid multiple sack attempts and got a 37-yard pass off to Justin Rankin, who similarly snuck past several B.C. defenders before being felled at the three-yard line. Edmonton opened the fourth with Fajardo powering through traffic for his second touchdown of the night. Blanchard sent the convert through the uprights to cut the Elks' deficit to three points. B.C. kept pressing and launched a seven-play, 86-yard scoring drive, capped by a 17-yard pass from Rourke to McInnis in the end zone. McInnis, who hails from Pierrefonds, Que., led the CFL in receiving yards last season with 1,469. The Lions defence got to work next with linebacker Ben Hladik picking off Ford's pass and dashing 61 yards to put his team back in prime scoring position. B.C. capitalized with Rourke handing off to running back Butler, who sprinted into the end zone for the home side's fourth touchdown of the night. Another convert from Whyte put the Lions ahead 31-14. Story continues below advertisement A massive 92-yard kickoff return by Javon Leake looked to cut Edmonton's deficit midway through the fourth, but Elks linebacker Josiah Schakel was called for an illegal block on the play. NOTES Lions linebacker Jeremy Lewis (hamstring) and defensive lineman Deshawn Stevens (foot) did not return for the second half. … The game marked the first time two Canadian quarterbacks have started and gone head to head in a CFL season opener. UP NEXT Elks: Host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 19. Lions: Visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.


Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
‘Not a fall guy yet:' The savvy and staying power of former Bay Street titan and Ottawa survivor Michael Wilson
Mike Wilson once told me the idea to run for Parliament came to him after a 1977 business trip to Hong Kong. Wilson said he became 'haunted' by the words of an Asian businessman who said, 'We look at Canada, that vast expanse of land where you have resources and can produce food. You've got everything going for you. Why are you messing it up so badly?' Wilson resigned as executive vice-president at Dominion Securities and won public office in 1979. By the time Saturday Night assigned me in 1985 to write a profile on Wilson, he'd been minister of finance for a year. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW My interview time with Wilson included five hours on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to San Francisco. In those days, Air Canada was a Crown corporation but there were plans to turn it into a public company. When a member of Air Canada's counter staff gave Wilson indifferent service, I could see his face harden. 'That's why I want to get some shares out into the hands of the public,' he muttered, 'so they have an interest in improving the service.' Business Opinion Rod McQueen: The man who could have been PM — before an infamous fumble zapped his chances Fumbling photo of Stanfield became a metaphor for his beleaguered campaign, writes Rod McQueen, The speech Wilson gave in the Mark Hopkins Hotel ballroom was received with similar lethargy. When his twenty-three minute talk concluded, he was rewarded with all of nine seconds of applause. If Mike Wilson counted on audience response for nourishment, he'd starve. As I researched the article, many friends and colleagues described him as naive and guileless. I formed the thesis that if Wilson's deficit predictions didn't work out or some financial crisis caused economic trouble for the country, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney would blame his self-effacing finance minister because Wilson wouldn't protest. Among the many anecdotes he told me, one involved him saying to a fellow cabinet minister who'd complained about back pain, 'You don't have a bad back, you've got a bad front.' When the fact-checker from Saturday Night called Wilson and he learned that this comment was in the article, Wilson called me several times to remove the quote. I eventually agreed. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW My story was on the March 1986 cover. The close-up photograph of Wilson showed him adjusting his tie and looking up with the hint of a smile. The cover line read, 'Is the minister of finance about to become Brian Mulroney's fall guy?' Wilson proved me wrong. He had the savvy and staying power required for the role as finance minister from 1984-91. At one point during that period, I received a brown envelope from the Department of Finance. There was no note. There was no need. Inside was the torn-off Saturday Night cover featuring his smile that somehow seemed to have grown wider. In his own hand he'd written, 'Not a fall guy yet' and signed his name. Business Opinion Rod McQueen: Life lessons from Canadian Shark Robert Herjavec: 'I never wanted to be really rich, I just didn't want to be poor' 'It's amazing what you can achieve in ten years,' multi-millionaire Shark Tank star Robert I assumed that this jocular notation meant that he'd forgiven me for my description. He had not. A few years later when I called him to ask for an interview about another matter, he browbeat me again about the 'bad front' quote, before finally agreeing. Wilson was certainly not one of those politicians with a needy ego. The Economist once declared, 'Many Americans seem to think that theirs is just a large country, stuck between dull old Canada and noisy Mexico.' Said a droll letter to the editor, 'Why do you persist in calling Canada dull? What is it you want? Do you know that Canadians are the world curling champions? Do you know that the paint roller is a Canadian invention? Have you ever heard Michael Wilson speak? A country can only stand so much excitement.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The writer was Frank Potter, then Canada's executive director at the Washington-based World Bank, a Wilson appointee who knew the minister wouldn't mind a bit of lighthearted fun at his own expense. After fourteen years in Parliament, Wilson did not run for re-election in 1993, a wise decision as it turned out because his Progressive Conservative party was reduced to two seats. He returned to his old firm, by then called RBC Dominion Securities, as vice-chairman. Wilson's life was forever altered in 1995 when his only son, Cameron, who suffered from mental health issues, died by suicide. Wilson's high-profile role in Parliament allowed him to draw public attention to a topic about which he cared deeply. Business Opinion Rod McQueen: He was a prime minister and a Bay Street player. He lost elections and influence. John Turner didn't shy away from the arena He could charm an audience and he could stumble verbally. He could lead, but knew well his He launched a fundraising campaign for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation. He also gave speeches about the need to help all those with mental illness as well as the importance of not staying silent when it strikes family. I can't think of very many other high-profile individuals who took such a courageous stand. Mike Wilson, who died in 2019, was proof positive that you can thrive after a Bay Street role as well as time in Ottawa, the city that has withered many a heart.


Canada Standard
3 hours ago
- Canada Standard
"Look forward to PM Modi's visit to Canada for G7": Former MP Chandra Arya
Ottawa [Canada], June 7 (ANI): Former Canadian Member of Parliament, Chandra Arya, has expressed optimism ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Canada for the G7 Summit scheduled for June 15-17. In a post on X, Arya highlighted the shared values between India and Canada and underscored how a deep relationship with India is imperative for Canadian interests. Taking to X, Arya said, 'We look forward to the visit of @narendramodi to Canada for the G7 meeting during June I met @narendramodi last July, I emphasized that Canada and India are united by shared values--democracy, pluralism, and a rules-based international order.' Calling India an 'indispensable partner' for Canada, he highlighted its increasing influence as a global actor. 'India, an increasingly influential global actor with growing strategic, economic, and demographic weight, is an indispensable partner for Canada--both in the Indo-Pacific region and globally,' he wrote. He further added, 'It is in Canada's national economic, strategic, and geopolitical interest to forge a deeper, more structured relationship with India--one that spans trade, investment, policy, and civil society.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday (local time) that G7 countries will discuss important issues, including security and energy, in their upcoming summit, adding that India's presence at the intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential. Carney said that India, being the fifth-largest economy and the most populous country in the world, must be at the seat. 'Let's put the two aspects in context- first is, we are in the role- Canada's in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world,' he said. PM Modi had received a call from his Canadian counterpart who extended invitation to India for attending the G7 Summit. 'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit,' PM Modi wrote in his post. The G7 Summit (Group of Seven) is an informal grouping of seven of the world's advanced economies and the European Union. Its members meet annually at the G7 Summit to discuss global economic and geopolitical issues, according to the G7's official website. The members of the G7 are France, the US, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and the UK. (ANI)