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The NFL has often been criticized for only being relevant in the United States. However, the league is making legitimate efforts to expand its reach, as it is choosing between scheduling the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns to face the Philadelphia Eagles Week 1 in Brazil.

Team president Mark Murphy spoke at the team’s annual Tailgate Tour Tuesday, boasting about the organization’s clout in the South American country, via ESPN Packers reporter Rob Demovsky.

“We’re either the first- or second-most popular team in Brazil,” said Murphy.

The team expects the official announcement to come shortly, via Demovsky.

“Also, this is very important for the league,” Murphy continued. “If we’re chosen, we’ll gladly go.”

What does this Brazil game mean for the league? Is the NFL turning a new leaf and finally becoming a global game?

Green Bay’s influence in the country is impressive. The team has 4.8 million fans in Brazil, good for 12.5% of the country’s NFL fanbase, via Daire Carragher of 247 Sports. For context, Wisconsin only has 5.7 million people.

It’s fair to wonder why the Packers in particular are so loved in Brazil. There’s even a Brazilian Packers fan account on X, sporting over 23,000 followers. Murphy gave some insight into the matter later on in the interview.

“We’re kind of the people’s team,” Murphy boasted, via Packers writer Wes Hodkiewicz. “People really like the idea of a community owned team, with our history and tradition.”

It’s human nature to want inclusion, and with Green Bay being the league’s only team to allow fans to buy stakes in it, it’s an easy selling point for the organization. Shares in the team are currently valued in the $300 range, via Pro Football Network (PFN).

“The Packers have been a publicly owned, non-profit corporation since August 18, 1923,” via PFN’s Tony Catalina. “The corporation currently has around 537,460 stockholders who collectively own an estimated 5.2 million shares of stock following the sixth stock sale in franchise history that took place in 2021.”

In addition to Green Bay’s business models, it helps that they’re one of the league’s most storied franchises. The Packers have four Super Bowl titles, with many iconic legends donning the uniform over the years. It’s easy for a fan who’s just getting into the sport to buy into a team with a community-based philosophy and a rich history of winning.

However, a logistical issue could prevent the Packers from achieving their international mission, via Spencer German of Sports Illustrated. Murphy spoke about it at the NFL Owner’s Meetings back in March.

“We’re very supportive of international play,” Murphy said. “The one issue with Green Bay, though, is the size of our airport and the size of our runway. We want to make sure we’re not at a competitive disadvantage in terms of how long it will take us to get to Brazil. There’s some thought we might have to bus to Milwaukee and then fly.”

With Green Bay’s Austin Straubel Airport not being equipped for international travel, the Packers’ commuting situation is more complicated than other teams. However, it may still be worth the trouble for both them and the league. The more the organization can capitalize and expand on its Brazilian fanbase, the more respect the NFL will get globally.