How NFL Franchises Grow Their Brand

The National Football League has its fair share of iconic franchises that are instantly recognized by fans all around the world due to their status of a global brand and prior years of operation in one of the sporting world’s most distinguished leagues.

There are many NFL franchises who rank atop the listings for the most valuable sporting organizations as they are insanely popular with their global fanbases as well as their expert level of branding which attracts fans from around the world to catch them in action.

Teams like the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers and New York Giants to name a few are amongst the most highly coveted teams in the entire world and are frequently featured in numerous prime time matchups no matter where they are in the league.

Many aspiring prospects may grow up supporting these teams to due to their absurd levels of popularity and their numerous superstar talents that make the team much more enjoyable to root for.

For those teams that operate out of a smaller market, or may not have had great periods of success compared to other teams, growing a brand is a much more daunting challenge meaning most teams have to find new and ingenious ways to reach out to fans should they fail to gain any sort of popularity when stepping out on to the gridiron.

Branding is a crucial part of owning an NFL franchise as teams need to prove that they have a popular fanbase that spans across the entire world and that they can be presented as a viable product for prime time games as well as other events when representing the league as a whole.

The NFL is a business first and foremost meaning that every team strives to not only to compete for a Super Bowl but to also assert their dominance as a standout fixture in the sporting world for future fan and commercial interests.

• Prior success and media coverage:

The best way for any team to grow as a brand is to have previous successful seasons that have resulted in Super Bowl appearances or even title wins as the Super Bowl remains as one of the most watched sporting events every season.

The NFL does a sublime job in presenting some of their top NFL matchups that are regularly featured on prime time channels for audiences to enjoy, with having the distinction of watching an airing of prime time games being one of the main goals for any NFL team.

There are plenty of NFL franchises who are always picked for prime time action whilst other teams from different backgrounds or with less of a strong presence in the league may very rarely or never be shown on prime time which is a massive setback given the audience numbers that can grow any brand.

Some of the most vastly common NFL matchups that are always a guarantee for prime time viewing is the likes of the Cowboys versus any rivalling team in their division or a contender in the NFC, Bears vs Packers, Steelers vs Ravens, Chiefs vs Raiders and Niners vs Seahawks being the most common prime time choices.

Certain teams are never usually in the conversation for prime time showings due to their lower TV ratings and sparse fan base compared to NFL juggernauts such as the Cowboys or Steelers who have amassed a worldwide fanbase that generates the league billions every year.

• Providing a unique gameday experience:

Outside of TV ratings, teams can elevate their brand exposure by ensuring that they provide any of their most loyal of fans or even casuals with a gameday experience for the ages.

Whilst it is always advisable that teams put on a show and of course get the win, there is still the much needed calls for certain teams to introduce specific facets of their team/city’s identity that sets them apart from their competitors.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a massive pirate ship located on the North Stand of their home venue which fires off cannon sound effects when the Bucs score, this keeps their swashbuckling pirate theme alive and relevant on gameday which has made the team into a staple in and out of Tampa Bay.

The Las Vegas Raiders always light a huge 3-D printed Olympic torch ahead of gameday in memoir to their former owner Al Davis, while teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs or the Philadelphia Eagles will play team anthems that get the crowd hyped and engaged for the next play.

Some teams are now trying to introduce new traditions that could become a staple of their home games which fans can take to and enjoy on a regular occurrence, with these being ample opportunities to help raise the team’s awareness and make them stand out as a global brand compared to other sports clubs.