It’s been almost two years since then Peter O’ReillyExecutive Vice President of National Football League (NFL)accompanied by a smile Emilio ButragueñoDirector of Corporate Relations real madridannounced from Las Vegas that the Spanish capital will do so … 2025 American football game in Santiago Bernabeu. The wait has been almost eternal, but since yesterday, the city has begun a powerful shift to host the duel between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders, which will be held at the White Fiefdom next Sunday. An event that will undoubtedly transcend sport.
the NFL It’s not just a sport, it’s a spectacle, hustle and bustle, capitalism, fireworks, high-decibel rock ‘n’ roll, all wrapped up in an unexpectedly welcoming, family atmosphere. For Americans, American football is a way of life in which the game itself is merely the culmination of hours of conversation, a pint of beer and a hot dog. It is precisely this fusion of sensations that he will try to replicate nF.L. In our country, the spirit of the most famous sport must be preserved so that it can flourish in a different society like ours.
To achieve this, the MLS reach in Madrid will be enormous. There will be dozens of activities to be carried out, starting with installing a giant helmet on… Cibeles SquareNo less, until the opening of the “Fan Zones” for the Dolphins and Command or several meetings at the Vallehermoso stadium, in the Chamberí neighborhood, where Shields from all over the planet will face each other, from Mexico to England.
Not only will the NFL benefit from this regulatory scheme, since the economic impact it will have Madrid It will be more than visible. According to city council data, the event will generate an estimated impact of more than 70 million eurosdriven by hotel occupancy and spending on restaurants, transportation and entertainment. Occupancy over the weekend is set to approach 95%, and bookings from the UK, US and Germany have increased significantly. For municipal authorities, this event reinforces Madrid’s position as a city capable of hosting major international events. “These types of events represent incalculable external promotion,” they highlight Tourist officewhich evaluates the global media impact of the match, and is broadcast to more than 180 countries.
The NFL’s arrival in Spain is no coincidence and is part of the league’s global strategy to strengthen its presence outside the United States. After the success of the matches held in it London, Munich and Mexico CityMadrid now joins the list of host cities for official meetings. NFL Vice President of International Football, Mark Waller, recently responded to why he chose our country over other competitors. He noted that Spain is “a key player in the growth of sports in Europe” because of its “strategic location, organizational capacity and cultural connection to the sports scene.” The league is also considering opening a permanent office in the capital to coordinate US Soccer development activities and programs in the country.
A sport on the rise
This discipline is not entirely foreign to Spain. Its first steps date back to the 1980s, when bands like Madrid Panthers Or boxers in Barcelona began to practice an almost unknown sport. Over time, it was created National Football League (LNFA) And the work of clubs such as Ossos Rivas, Badalona Drake Or the pioneers of L’Hospitalet contributed to its unification. Currently, Spain has more than 4,000 federation players and a constantly growing fan base, driven by television broadcasts and social networks. The NFL has been able to capitalize on this interest, by organizing youth clinics and training programs, with the aim of promoting the sport from the grassroots.
The Bernabéu is armored
As expected, the Bernabeu will be the structure that will endure the most changes since then, although the Dolphins and captains will be training from today in… Major citieshouse Atletico Madridit will be the White Fiefdom that will host the big event on Sunday. The turf, for example, has been increased to match the NFL’s official measurements, and will rise from 105 x 68 meters to 109 x 48.8 metres. The solution would be to convert the first rows of the back into retractable rows, thus obtaining the necessary space.
The seating will also change, as it will have to accommodate more than 50 people per team, making NFL teams much larger than traditional teams. Rather, it was necessary to create a new press room: the press room NFL He wants each team to have its own space for the media, as is customary on the other side of the Atlantic, and at the Bernabéu there will be no exception.
Another crucial point is the noise that will be produced during the match and at the halftime show, where the performers are Bezrab and Daddy Yankee They will appear. Through complaints, neighbors living in the vicinity of the stadium led to the cancellation of all concerts that were scheduled to take place in the structure in October 2024. For this reason, to avoid further potholes, Madrid installed different types of panels to cover the areas open to the surrounding streets and reduce the noise reaching the outside.
Security will also be updated. For example, bags brought to the Bernabéu must be transparent and made of plastic, vinyl or… PVCIts dimensions may not exceed 30.5 x 15.25 x 30.5 cm. In addition, the list of prohibited items is wide and varied, ranging from beach balls or advertising banners and drones, to alcoholic beverages or large photographic cameras.
All is not enough for one of the most important sporting events of the year, an event that aspires to make history in Spanish lands and expand the reach of sport to the far reaches of the known world. The decline, at least, lives up to expectations.
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