NFL on RTL: 5 Wishes for Football Broadcasting on German TV

There are only a few weeks left until the official handover of ProSieben’s NFL rights skill to RTL. The NFL draft in Kansas City at the end of April will be the first event German soccer fans can see on the private broadcaster in Cologne.

While discussions about personnel continue in the background, RTL is seriously looking for a production team with a penchant for football. There is still a long way to go before the start of pre-season in August. What do I wish from the new TV partner?

First request to RTL: an offer for newcomers but with depth

Let’s be honest: many NFL fans with a greater interest in sports than ranNFL turned to DAZN or GamePass years ago. In free TV, the requirement to constantly explain the rules, special features, and exciting aspects of American football to new viewers makes perfect sense. This has made running great for years. But for someone who hears it for what seems like a hundred times, it’s superfluous.

That is why I would like RTL to continue to make sports relevant to the masses, and to enable newcomers to understand the magic of the NFL and immerse themselves emotionally in the most beautiful Sunday entertainment. At the same time, and this is a challenge, deeper themes should not be lost.

The NFL’s colorful stories, wow moments and records are not to be missed – how about, say, German NFL influencer René Bogner (@Twitter) and his amazing games regularly incorporated into the show? Without him, I wouldn’t have known, for example, that the Kansas City Chiefs had the most wins of any NFL team in the running back era or how long the Detroit Lions hadn’t appeared on German television. Such small nuggets of gold can also be viewed on RTL.

Second order to RTL: Exclusive NFL content straight from the sideline

Switching to RTL is a great opportunity to do something different on Sundays at 7pm. The biggest move for me would be if RTL was also on site in the US with a reporter on the sidelines. Exclusive personal impressions will make the TV product significantly more valuable and will be their USP compared to the pay TV competition. Making this possible would certainly involve costs.

But: Together with Sebastian Vollmer and Marcus Kuhn, two former German players with TV experience still live in the United States. Wouldn’t the two be the perfect choice to alternate between being there and bringing their visions, discussions and atmosphere to Germany for German audiences? For me, that would be a huge reason to run RTL.

RTL’s third request: there is a shortage of women in football

For me, it is unacceptable that the German TV shows of the former NFL are only male work. There was Andrea Kaiser on Saturday 1, but in recent years it’s been “men only”. In Germany, too, we have female NFL experts like Tiziana Hall or Anna Lenz, or football-related broadcasters like Ninia LaGrande. When do we see them on camera?

I think there are a lot of female sports fans who are just waiting for such women as role models and shows like this will become more important for them. If the claim of American football in Germany prevails, this should also be reflected in the reports. And please don’t face the argument that “no one is applying”. Educate, look and find women with really good soccer IQs.

4. RTL Wish: More NFL Football, Less Swag

Not only has RTL shown soccer in the past, but also ski jumping and Formula 1 ‘made it big’. What always impressed me about broadcasting at the time was the entertainment focus on sports. At races at the Hockenheimring, editors ran into grid girls or camped out Schumi fans for clips, but the connection to the sport was never severed. It has always been about love and passion for the sport.

Football broadcast champions are Mahomes, Boro, Hurts or Jefferson. RTL’s mission should be to ideally showcase them, bring them closer to German fans and tell their stories. This increases interest in sports in the long run. I’m very curious to see how they do it and how they use existing and new faces.

5. Wish to RTL: Don’t lose out on the NFL community

What has made the NFL and soccer in Germany so special so far? The community has been very featured on Instagram, Twitter, and at a variety of fan meetups. With the growth, the covid pandemic and the perceived “professionalism” the community factor has slipped a bit for me. It’s not just about watching sports, it’s also about rituals, watching together, and shared feelings.

Not only do I want to see all the snack stadiums and fan caves and food comas, I want to feel the emotion. RTL will have the most opportunity to focus more on this special feature of football in Germany. Crazy fans, fan clubs, and rituals should be celebrated. This is our tail, our game day. Perhaps this is what makes American football culture different from other sports.

What do you wish from RTL for the new season?

per person: Daniel Jensen He professionally produces digital sports content and was a host at the soccer in front of the microphone. His love for football began during his exchange year at Kansas. on September 6, 2022 is his book “Patrick Mahomes – The Incredible Story of an NFL Star” Back. Provides a weekly report here on the first AFL match in Germany in November.

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