How Can the NFL Grow It’s Audience in India?

India is the home of cricket as we all know. The sport has been cultivated from the grassroots as you’ll find the youngest players enjoying the sport. India also has a growing love for different sports as technology opens up media to be accessible on our mobile devices and computers. 

The National Football League (NFL) is a very popular sports organization globally. In the United States, it dominates as the most popular in the major sports leagues in the country. American football is also known as just football and is equally popular worldwide. 

We see its popularity rising in countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. This is where you’ll find most of the fans and bettors on the sport. The rise of online Sports betting sites is expected to grow and push the popularity of the NFL as the game becomes recognized globally. Recently we see a few Asian countries starting to embrace the sport and enjoy it more. 

How’s It Going In India? 

The Union minister Piyush Goyal gave a speech in Melbourne where he introduced football to an Indian community. Goyal went on to mention that the introduction will strengthen the relationship between the two countries and their cultures. In 2012 India also saw the sport introduced through its own American football league known as the Elite Football League of India (EFLI). 

The league is now 10 years old. It has been active although it has seen a surge in recent years in countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Both these countries also have their own teams in the EFLI. 

As the popularity of American football increases in India many Indian bettors enjoy betting on these matches. You can find that the best Android app for online Cricket betting also offers some great football odds. As Indian bettors get into the football scene they will need to learn more about the sport and discover what it’s all about. They also need to find ways to watch the games and what other way to do it besides signing up with their favorite sportsbook. 

Strategies for Growing the NFL Audience in India and Around the Globe

One of the commitments of the NFL is to spread the game to all corners of the globe. The unique nature of most American sports means that there is no understanding of the rules and regulations in other countries. Unlike soccer, American football is not played by youngsters around the world.

Seeing that football was lagging behind in terms of global participation therefore the NFL has to work hard to create interest and revenue towards the sport. Some efforts have been made to grow the NFL in Europe as we see at least one game from the NFL regular-season being played at Wembley Stadium. The game has also proven to be a hit amongst its fans in the United Kingdom. There’s also been a number of fans that travel just to watch the games as the event also grows to 4 matches annually. Here are some strategies that could be employed in the Indian Market: 

1. One strategy would be to build a franchise. There have been talks of a potential franchise coming up in London. The same strategy could also be employed in the Indian market. 

2. Another strategy is to broadcast the matches internationally. The sport continues to see growth in its broadcasting in countries such as Japan. India has also taken time to stream five games weekly as a part of the multi-year deal. This gives Indian supporters a chance to watch the games effortlessly. This also creates the chance for Indians to understand and know more about the game. This means predictions on their bets are made simple. 

3. Another strategy will be to have multiple bookmakers offering the sport as one of the top sports to place your bet on. Such efforts could spike the interest of more Indian sports lovers. 

Some of these efforts have already been implemented. If these strategies are implemented  successfully the sport has a possibility of becoming the second best-loved sport in the country after cricket of course. The size of the population will also work well in promoting the NFL in the Indian market. 

Watching the NFL From India

Watching the NFL from India is a bit of a challenge due to the 9 hours time difference. Most NFL games are played around 7 p.m. which means they would have to air in India at 4 a.m.  Once the love of the game has been cultivated in the people waking up at 4 a.m. to catch their favorite player won’t be an issue. To watch the match here are a few other ways you can catch up. 

1. Find a streaming service that plays NFL games. Considering that India is one of the world’s biggest technology hubs connecting to find the right streaming service won’t be a problem.  Most streaming sites cater to American viewers and the only way to view from India is to get a VPN. You can find some free ones online or if you have a little extra cash you can buy a really good one. 

2. Another way is to find sports books that cover NFL matches. Most online Sportsbooks cover NFL matches and have partnered with the NFL to stream the matches on their pages or mobile apps. This is perfect especially for Indian bettors  as they try out some football odds and discover more websites that cover the National Football League.

Can I Watch the NFL After the Match?

This one can be a bit difficult considering that the culture of American football is still at the grassroots. However, in an attempt to introduce the game to more Indian audiences, you’ll find some television networks that will broadcast the game occasionally and play some reruns. The best thing to do to watch all the matches is to get a TV guide and find out which matches of the NFL game will be played and at what time.

We can say that India’s love for American football is growing as we see the sport’s popularity reaching new heights. Considering the strategies that could be implemented to grow the sport’s popularity and audience the sport is expected to grow further in the coming future.