It is official. The Packers are headed to Brazil for a September 6th matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Packers to face Eagles in Week 1’s São Paulo Game | NFL.com
The Green Bay Packers will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, the league announced on Wednesday, bringing cheeseheads south for the NFL’s inaugural Brazil game.
Scheduled for Friday night of Week 1, Eagles versus Packers will be played at Corinthians Arena, home to Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians. The game will stream exclusively on Peacock, while it also will air on free, over-the-air broadcast television in local markets. The game also will be available on NFL+…
In a surprise to many who have followed the team for decades, Packers’ management embraced the announcement
“We’re looking forward to being a part of this historic matchup against the Eagles in São Paulo,” said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. “We’re excited to play in front of our devoted fans in Brazil and help build upon the international popularity of the NFL and the Packers. We had a great experience playing internationally for the first time a couple of years ago and we’re proud to be part of the league’s continued global growth.”
This marks a 180 degree twist from the team’s previous thinking on international games. Their 2022 tilt against the New York Giants in London was their first regular season game outside the United States. They were the last NFL franchise to play abroad.
The tradition-rich Green Bay Packers have a strong history and a unique approach when it comes to international games. Unlike many other NFL teams that eagerly participate in games abroad, the Packers have been hesitant to take part in such matchups.
Their reluctance can be attributed to their deep connection to their fans and community in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The team values the support they receive from their home crowd at Lambeau Field and prioritizes playing games there to maintain that connection.
The Packers always refused to give up a home game to play abroad. The Packers’ faithful travel well, so teams that did play international games didn’t want to forgo the revenue the Cheeseheads bring to their cities, either.
Once the NFL expanded the season to 17 games, things changed. In fact, teams are now required to play outside the US once every nine seasons.
While the NFL continues to expand its global footprint through initiatives like games in London and Mexico City, and now Brazil the Packers will be in demand. Fans abroad are well aware of the team’s storied history and their merchandise sells well everywhere.
In a league that is constantly changing and looking to reach new audiences worldwide, the Green Bay Packers remain firm in their dedication to tradition and their local fan base.
But the lure of the almighty dollar, and the potential revenue generated from the creation of new fans abroad has the NFL looking to more, not fewer international contests.
Packers fans here will be lucky to only lose one or two home games a decade to this endeavor.
