Believe it or not, the 2024 NFL season is creeping closer and closer. Although not quite at the speed we all hope, it will be here before we know it.
Commissioner Roger Goodell made news earlier this offseason when he announced that for the first time ever, an NFL game will be played in Brazil.
The league proceeded to upset many traditional fans when they announced this week that the Brazil matchup, slated for September 6th, will air (stream) exclusively on Peacock.
#boycottNFL so sick of NFL and all this streaming crap. And nfl taking Sunday ticket away from 📡🤬🤬
— Dtv757 (@dtv757) March 27, 2024
We know that the Week 1 matchup in São Paulo will feature the Philadelphia Eagles.
(Coming off such a nightmare season, maybe starting in Brazil isn’t the worst of things for the Birds.)
The question everyone has is who will be Philly’s opponent for the historic matchup???
According to reports, the NFL is considering two teams: the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers … An official decision is expected to be made next week.
The NFL is currently deciding between the Browns and Packers as the Eagles' Week 1 opponent in Brazil.
Either one would be a 🔥 game pic.twitter.com/QfzrHlug3h
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) March 26, 2024
Packers president Matt Murphy himself admitted that Green Bay is being strongly considered…
Packers president Mark Murphy tells local reporters the NFL is deciding between the Packers and Browns to play the Eagles in Brazil. pic.twitter.com/qsJLGnTlwP
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) March 26, 2024
Of course, the game will be more appealing if Green Bay ends up being the opponent.
That’s nothing against the Browns, who are contenders themselves, but the Packers have one of the strongest brands in all of sports, not just football.
Green Bay for sure. A much more talented and exciting team!
Sorry Browns fans 🤣
— EdconPC (@edconpc) March 27, 2024
You get the sense that Goodell and the NFL would prefer to make the biggest splash possible for the first ever game in Brazil – which would lead you to think that the Packers would be the likely choice.
Per the NFL, Brazil has 38 million American football fans.
Per @NFLBrasil, 12.5% of their fans support the Packers.
Put those numbers together, that’s 4.8 million Packers fans in Brazil.
The population of Wisconsin is 5.7 million.
— Daire Carragher (@DaireCarragher) March 26, 2024
Either way, it’s sure to be a great and meaningful matchup. You truly can’t go wrong with either Cleveland or Green Bay.
The league’s decision to make the matchup a Peacock exclusive has certainly ruffled a few feathers for fans.
(Although, we know how lucrative these types of deals are. They certainly aren’t going away, that’s for sure.)
I’m done with the NFL #LastStraw
— Timothy J. Ricci (@tjricci44) March 27, 2024
NBC Sports president Rick Cordella expressed his enthusiasm about the groundbreaking event in a press release.
“It’s exciting for Peacock to exclusively showcase the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Brazil as part of NBC Sports’ unprecedented presentation of three primetime games on the NFL’s opening weekend,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said.
Philadelphia Eagles' 2024 season opener in Brazil will stream exclusively on Peacock, leaving fans FURIOUS over the decision: 'The NFL needs to be abolished' https://t.co/LxfZQE2nwu pic.twitter.com/YQ8HOb0TXW
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 27, 2024
The downside to the Eagles playing in the game, other than the long travel, is the fact that they are the “home team,” meaning they will lose out on a game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Who do you prefer to be the Eagles opponent: Cleveland or Green Bay?
Full recap of the NFL media news:
– In-season Hard Knocks will now feature four teams from one division.
– The #Eagles will play in Brazil in Week 1 on Friday night. This game will be exclusively on Peacock.
– Amazon will now exclusively broadcast a Wild Card playoff game.
-… https://t.co/ZHgxfgxh8T pic.twitter.com/D9EA2kK2oJ
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 26, 2024
In the bigger picture, what are your thoughts on the NFL’s continued attempts to “globalize” the sport?
The league has been an enormous success in England, Germany and Mexico.
Besides Brazil, Goodell and company will take the NFL to Spain and surely other countries in the near future.
What are your thoughts???