Saints players can compete in 2028 Olympics, NFL increases overseas marketing
Saints players can compete in 2028 Olympics, NFL increases overseas marketing The game is getting bigger.
The NFL is going international -- even more so than before. On Tuesday, the league announced three more franchises have been given official marketing rights in foreign markets, meaning all 32 teams now have a presence abroad. While the New Orleans Saints remain the league's only recognized marketer in France, the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals have been given marketing rights in Canada while the Tennessee Titans will begin marketing themselves in Ireland.
Peter O'Reilly, the NFL executive vice president of club business, major events, and international affairs, commented on the development after approval was granted at the league's spring meetings in Minneapolis: "We're thrilled to have all 32 clubs a part of the Global Markets Program in 2025. 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."
The NFL's Global Markets Program works to advertise the sport overseas and cultivate followings ahead of more games in the league's International Series, which is expected to include a Saints game played in Paris in the near future. Canada and Ireland are two of the league's priorities with 13 different teams competing for attention in each country. Only a handful of teams have an entire nation's eyes on them alone, and the Saints are one of them.
But this wasn't the only international development from Tuesday's owners meetings. A unanimous vote cleared the way for NFL players to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics on the American National Team in flag football. Louisiana native and Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson was in the room making his case, and his efforts were successful. Maybe a Saints player will share the field with him in a few years.
"To think about the chance of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal, it's a dream," Jefferson said. He's worked as an ambassador for NFL-sponsored flag football initiatives and is clearly eager to expand the game and bring in more athletes from all around the world. He said he's honored to be a part of that endeavor: "The talent is out there. This game needs to be expanded and be played around the world."
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