Mexico City to Host NFL Game in Each of Next Three Seasons
In its continuing efforts to conquer the world, the NFL has recently announced that it will be taking one game to Mexico City in each of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. The expansion venture kicks off next year with a Monday Night Football game between the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders.
It is being reported that Mexican multimedia conglomerate Televisa agreed to fork over approximately $45 million to the NFL for the right to televise the three games, at a rate of just below $15 million per game.
The news has excited many fans that have grown tiresome of seeing the NFL extend its reach to England and other parts of Europe, while largely ignoring an enormous supporter base clamouring for attention just south of the border.
Mexico has been long known as a stronghold for NFL fans outside the United States. The country boasts deep allegiances to many Texan and Californian teams – hence the Houston-Oakland matchup next season – as well as San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas and Pittsburgh, which seemingly has fans in every corner of the globe.
The game will be hosted in Estadio Azteca, named as a tribute to the Aztec heritage of Mexico City. The venue was not only built to house an NFL game; it is a world-class establishment that has borne witness to some of the biggest moments in sporting history.
The home ground of professional soccer team Club America as well as Mexico’s national team, Azteca was the site of the “Game of the Century,†which saw Italy defeat Germany 4-3 in the 1970 World Cup semi-final, and also Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God†goal that helped Argentina defeat England in the ’86 tournament.
In the past, the stadium has crammed upwards of 115 000 ravenous futbol fans into its hallowed halls, though the maximum capacity will be reduced to about 87 000 for NFL games. Something tells us that recording a sell-out won’t be a problem.
