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Faster than a Cheetah

Ken Clark

The NBA has Giannis, Jokic, Wemby, Luka, Sabonis, and over 100 other international players. The MLB, NHL, and MLS teams are full of internationals. The NFL, however, is a bit of an outlier when it comes to international players, but there is quite an athlete on the way.


Louis Rees-Zammit, an exciting, young, Welsh rugby winger has declared his intent to join the NFL via the International Player Pathway. Like a handful of great athletes before him, the 22-year old will pursue a career in professional football. Jay Ajayi, Jack Crawford, Alex Gray, and Alex Jenkins are among the NFL players who have called the UK home.


While still a bit of a novelty, the NFL has built up solid credibility and a fan base in the UK. The NFL has played 30+ games in the UK, centered mostly in London, since 2007. Wembley stadium was the original host of the NFL and now Tottenham HotSpurs Stadium is fully equipped with all the amenities to host a NFL game. Shahid Khan, the owner of Fulham FC of the Premier League and the Jacksonville Jaguars, has long been the center of rumors to bring a NFL franchise to London.


Getting back to Louis Rees-Zammit. He is an impressive young athlete whose maximum speed has been clocked at 24.2 MPH. The comparisons to Miami Dolphins All-Star Tyreek Hill are not a distant leap. Hill's "Cheetah" nickname comes from his fastest clocked speed at 23.42 MPH. Will Rees-Zammit's mind boggling speed and Rugby prowess make him a solid NFL player? That is to be seen. But what is certain is that there UK sports fans will continue to follow the NFL with increasing curiosity and zeal.


Sports Business Classes -

What does successful international growth look like for the NFL? What is the value of Louis Rees-Zammit to the NFL? If you were the marketing department of a NFL team, how would you promote him and what actions might you take to expand your global footprint?


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