Patriots Awarded New Global Market Program Territory

As part of the NFL Global Markets Program (GMP) initiative, the New England Patriots have been awarded Brazil as their newest global market.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft gives a thumbs up / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

FOXBORO — As members of their front office participate in the NFL’s annual meetings in Orlando, FL, the New England Patriots are expanding their global footprint. 

As part of the National Football League's Global Markets Program (GMP) initiative, the Pats (per a team press release) were awarded Brazil as their newest global territory. The partnership will become effective on April 1.

As such, the Patriots have an open window in the largest of South American nations for in-person and digital marketing, corporate sponsorship sales, fan events, activations, merchandise sales and co-marketing relationships with other sports and entertainment properties.

“We know some of our most passionate fans are in South America and we are excited to expand our international home market to Brazil,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft gives a thumbs up / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots have been part of the League’s GMP initiative since its 2022 inception. Having originally been awarded Germany, the Pats later expanded their rights to Austria and Switzerland in April 2023. Most recently, the Patriots participated in an international game hosted by the NFL in Frankfurt, Germany last November — a 10-6 Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Deutsche Bank Park

“Our organization has been committed to expanding our reach and our brand globally since we bought the team in 1994, Kraft added” “We have used our internet and social media platforms to reach millions of fans around the world and are proud to have played regular season games in the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany.”

Moving forward, the team will be allowed to work with and through strategic partners to develop commercial opportunities in Brazil. Hosting watch parties for Patriots games, conducting football camps, partnering with Brazilian sponsors and organizing goodwill ambassador tours with Patriots players are all allowed under the Global Markets Program and will be among the many opportunities the Patriots will begin pursuing later this year

“More recently, the development of the NFL’s Global Markets Program has allowed us to show an even stronger commitment to developing deeper connections in other countries by providing additional rights that allow us to both market our team and promote the great game of American football,” Kraft concluded. 

Clubs are awarded rights for at least a five-year term through the program. The Patriots now have four international markets including Brazil, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.