The NFL is visiting Frankfurt for the second time on Sunday. Who is playing against whom? Who is favorite? Are there still tickets? And is the NFL coming back? The most important questions are answered here.
American football will be played again in Frankfurt next Sunday. The NFL is once again inviting people to the Main metropolis for the second Germany game of the year. You can find out everything you need to know in advance here.
- Who will play in Frankfurt on Sunday?
- When does it start?
- How relevant is the duel in terms of sport?
- Didn’t get tickets – what else is there for the fans?
- Why in Frankfurt?
- Is football actually brutal?
- How does the NFL protect its players?
- How did the first game go?
- When do the teams arrive?
- Will there be a halftime show again?
- Was that it with NFL in Frankfurt?
Who will play in Frankfurt on Sunday?
In the second game of the Frankfurt Games, the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots will face the Indianapolis Colts.
The game starts at 3:30 p.m. (live on hr-iNFO and in Audio stream on hessenschau.de). For everyone who was able to get hold of one of the coveted tickets, things start earlier. From 12 p.m. you can go into the stadium and try out yourself as a footballer – for example as a kicker or wide receiver. The warm-up of the professionals begins around 40 minutes before kick-off – thus ushering in the big sporting highlight.
How relevant is the duel in terms of sport?
To be honest: hardly. The Patriots were among the absolute NFL elite for a long time and won a series of titles with star quarterback Tom Brady. But the dazzling times are over. All that’s left is master coach Bill Belichick – and a sporting crisis. In the current season, the Pats only won two games and lost seven. The playoffs are therefore out of reach.
At least the opponent provides some sporting explosiveness. With four wins and five defeats, the Colts are having a solid season, including chances for the post-season. Nevertheless: Compared to the top duel between the Chiefs and Dolphins in the first game of the Frankfurt Games, the second match is a bit inferior in terms of sport.
Didn’t get tickets – what else is there for the fans?
Over three million ticket requests, but only around 50,000 seats per game. An incredible number of fans came away empty-handed. Can you still soak up the football atmosphere in Frankfurt? Yes you can. The NFL itself is hosting the “NFL Experience Frankfurt” in the city center until Saturday (November 11th), including a mini football field for people to play on.
Pats fans can also visit the “Patriot Haus” (Hilton Frankfurt City Center, Hochstraße 4) from November 9th to 11th. The six Super Bowl trophies will be on display there, and former Patriots players will also be there, including Sebastian Vollmer.
Patriots – Colts tickets to give away
hr-Sport is giving away tickets for the second NFL Frankfurt Game next Sunday. Simply explain to us in a short video why you of all people want the two tickets. And be creative. The best idea wins. Send your videos via Whatsapp to: 0162 2405264. We will show the winning clip in our daily sports program on HR television.
The NFL wants more money, of course. And that should come primarily from abroad. Winning new fans (and customers) is the key. To do this, the league has to have an international presence – and therefore organizes games abroad. The NFL has identified Germany as a major growth market. Not without reason, as the mega hype surrounding tickets and the good TV ratings show.
The Frankfurt Games are part of the NFL’s marketing strategy. The selection of teams that have played and are playing in Germany is also not random: the Chiefs, the Patriots and the Buccaneers (played in Munich in 2022) are among five selected teams that hold special marketing rights for Germany.
Brutal would certainly be saying too much. At least the players don’t smash each other’s heads wildly. Of course, there is a certain risk of injury. After all, it is a contact sport. Players regularly get injured in football. The most common injuries in American football are injuries to the lower extremities such as torn ligaments, tendon or muscle injuries. Of course, there is also the risk of serious injuries. Concussions and long-term effects such as CTE (a rare form of dementia) are a huge issue in the USA.
How does the NFL protect its players?
The league hasn’t always covered itself in glory in the past. The risks of concussions, for example, have been downplayed for years. With increasing public criticism and because fewer and fewer young people wanted to play football, at least a certain rethinking took place.
The league changes its rules almost every year to make the game safer. A lot of brainpower also goes into the equipment of the players in order to protect them particularly. In Frankfurt, the medical staff has a team strength of 32. Physios, doctors, neurologists, emergency paramedics, etc.: whether a player twists his ankle or collapses, the league does everything it can to care for the injured as quickly and well as possible. But concussions still occur: Last season, the league recorded 149 in 271 games.
A top game was expected. The reigning Super Bowl champions against the surprise team of the season. Patrick Mahomes vs. Tua Tagovailoa. Two of the best offensive lines in the league. US fans were downright outraged that the match between Chiefs and Dolphins took place in Germany – at a very inconvenient local time for them. Compared to expectations, the game was almost a disappointment. The Dolphins in particular had a hard time on offense; the hoped-for high-scoring game failed to materialize. the Chiefs won 21:14. But this didn’t have a negative impact on the good atmosphere in the stadium.
Chiefs or Dolphins way: That is the question. While the Chiefs only arrived three days before the game, the Dolphins spent a whole week in Frankfurt. And use the time to test Hessian delicacies. That didn’t bring success on the pitch. Maybe that’s why the Colts and Patriots are choosing the Chiefs route and don’t get on the plane until Thursday evening.
Will there be a halftime show again?
There was a pre-show at the Munich Game 2022, and a half-time show at the first game of the Frankfurt Games, based on the one at the Super Bowl. Singer Nico Santos and rapper Kontra K performed, the feedback was mixed – worded cautiously. So there is still some catching up to do for the second Frankfurt Game. The NFL has not yet announced whether there will be a halftime show again.
Was that it with NFL in Frankfurt?
No, football fans can already look forward to another NFL game in Frankfurt in 2025. At least there is already a verbal commitment from NFL boss Roger Goodell. Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) confirmed this in an interview with the FAZ.
