NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated this week the league goes to lean into worldwide competitors and will play as many as 16 video games per season overseas within the subsequent 5 years.
Goodell appeared on the CNBC CEO Council Summit alongside Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano and spoke to a wide range of subjects that additionally included personal fairness, franchise valuations and the financial system.
Listed here are the highlights:
Rising the NFL footprint
The NFL at present has seven international games on its 2025 schedule, essentially the most in its historical past, internet hosting matchups in Brazil, England, Germany, Eire and Spain. However Goodell stated Monday that is simply the beginning.
“I do see 16 common season video games, and I do suppose that may occur within the very close to future,” Goodell instructed CNBC’s Scott Wapner. “Inside 5 years in all probability.”
The league has greater than 200 million followers within the U.S., making worldwide a giant alternative.
“Worldwide is an open marketplace for us,” stated Goodell. “We’re enthusiastic about our potential.”
Marriott’s Capuano added sports activities journey is a big income driver, with sports-related journey representing greater than $50 billion annually and 10% of worldwide tourism.
Marriott has a long-standing partnership with the NFL because the official lodge associate of the league.
Personal fairness within the NFL
Goodell additionally mirrored on the rise of personal fairness within the NFL.
In August, the league grew to become the final of the main U.S. skilled sports activities leagues to permit personal fairness funding, greenlighting sure PE firms to take up to a 10% stake in groups.
Funding was restricted to a small group of corporations: Ares Management, Sixth Avenue Companions, Arctos Companions and a consortium nicknamed “The Avengers” that features Dynasty Fairness, Blackstone, Carlyle Group, CVC Capital Partners and Ludis, a platform based by investor and former NFL working again Curtis Martin.
Goodell stated this week the league is near permitting an extra personal fairness agency to hitch the ranks.
“There’s sufficient demand for it that we expect it is the best step,” Goodell stated.
The commissioner added groups have discovered the personal fairness cash useful in offering liquidity.
Valuations on the rise
Goodell stated he was stunned by how rapidly crew valuations have risen, however stated it isn’t one thing league officers concentrate on.
In response to CNBC’s Official NFL valuations, the typical membership is price $6.49 billion. The NFL is essentially the most helpful sports activities league within the U.S. and in 2024, the league generated a record $23 billion in revenue.
The San Francisco 49ers have reached an settlement with a set of consumers to promote a 6.2% stake within the crew at a report valuation of above $8.5 billion, in keeping with an individual acquainted with the matter, who spoke on the situation of anonymity to deal with nonpublic dealings.
“It is a assertion in regards to the enterprise mannequin itself and the recognition of it,” Goodell stated Monday. “I feel lots of people are valuing our franchises due to the long run, and that is what we wish to see, and that is what we want.”
Tariffs and the financial system
As many firms across the nation grapple with waning client sentiment, cussed inflation and broad import tariffs, Goodell stated he would not suppose the present local weather will affect the NFL tremendously.
He stated whereas the information reveals client are pausing spending or not investing to date into the long run, he thinks dwell sports activities are in a unique class than common leisure spending.
“There’s nonetheless nice demand in our content material,” Goodell stated.
— CNBC’s Alex Sherman and Michael Ozanian contributed to this report.