The World is a Leather Egg - How the NFL Won Over Germany's Football Fans in a Billion-Dollar Play
A new documentary is set to explore the NFL's growing presence in Germany. The Game – The NFL Conquers Germany will air on RTL on February 8 at 7:05 PM, just before the Super Bowl. The film is already available to stream on the RTL platform.
The production follows the Indianapolis Colts as they prepare for the Germany Game, a regular-season match that has drawn massive interest since its debut in Berlin's Olympic Stadium last year. Over a million fans request tickets annually for the event, highlighting its soaring popularity.
The documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of the NFL's billion-dollar industry. It features interviews with key figures, including Colts' Director of International Ben Guerrero, Austrian-born player Bernhard Raimann, and team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon. Cheerleaders, the team mascot, and the stadium announcer also share their perspectives on the game's impact.
At times, the film struggles with pacing, packing in too many details and shifting timelines. Yet it excels when tracing the NFL's long history in Germany, from its first game in Berlin in 1990 to the now-defunct NFL Europe league. The league has since established regular-season games in three German cities—Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin—alongside London and Mexico City.
The Colts, who first played in Germany in 2023, will return for another Germany Game in 2025. The documentary captures the excitement around this expansion while also examining how American football has taken root in the country over decades.
The film offers a detailed look at the NFL's efforts to grow its fanbase in Germany. With record ticket demand and multiple cities now hosting games, the league's presence is stronger than ever. The Game – The NFL Conquers Germany arrives as both a celebration of this success and a glimpse into the business behind it.
