Tampa Bay, which is winless abroad (0-3), will play Seattle on Sunday in Munich — the NFL’s first recreation in Germany and first worldwide matchup between the division leaders.
Listed below are 5 of the crazier notes in regards to the recreation:
1. Ticket requests had been insane
Head of NFL Germany Alexander Steinforth mentioned that the stadium, FC Bayern’s Allianz Area, might have bought greater than 3 million tickets based mostly on candidates. The stadium seats 67,000 followers.
“The place goes to be rocking,” Bucs QB Tom Brady mentioned on his “Let’s Go!” podcast Monday. “If it is something like what I see in these German Bundesliga video games, that is going to be one of the vital epic video games we have ever performed in.”
2. Time vacationers
The Seahawks crossed 9 time zones and flew almost 5,300 miles earlier than touchdown in Munich. The Bucs crossed solely six, however they nonetheless should journey almost as far (4,996 miles) as Seattle due to Tampa’s southern latitude.
Seahawks followers on the West Coast should set their alarms early for the sport, which can begin at 6:30 a.m. PST. Bucs followers can sleep in. The sport will begin at 9:30 a.m. EST.
3. Tom Brady needed to lure Gronk with brews
On his “Let’s Go!” podcast, Brady joked he tried to lure retired tight finish Rob Gronkowski again with an attention-grabbing enticement.
“I heard the one factor you are allowed to drink on the sidelines at these German video games is beer,” Brady mentioned. “Whoever thought, these enormous steins of beer, of German lager. I truly tried to recruit Gronk again only for this recreation specifically. Hopefully, he goes for it.”
With a victory, Brady will turn into the primary quarterback to win in 4 totally different international locations — the USA, England, Mexico and Germany. Brady was 3-0 in worldwide video games along with his former crew, the Patriots.
Brady might additionally break Aaron Rodgers’ document for many consecutive cross makes an attempt with out an interception (402). The Bucs QB, who hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 1, has a streak of 373 passes and not using a choose.
4. Seattle linebacker is from Germany, however he will not play
Seattle linebacker Aaron Donkor, a member of the NFL Worldwide Participant Pathway program, will not play Sunday due to NFL restrictions relating to rosters. He’ll nonetheless wave the German flag as he runs onto the sector in entrance of his house crowd.
“To have him run down on the opening kickoff in his house nation, how cool is that?” Seattle coach Pete Carroll mentioned.
Donkor was born and reared in Achern, Germany. He is jacked to be again in his native nation and introduce the tradition to teammates.
5. The Germans are able to social gathering!
Germany, which just lately surpassed Britain because the NFL’s largest market in Europe, has been getting ready for the return of American soccer since its NFL Europe groups disbanded in 2007. Followers in Germany get up at 2:30 a.m. on worknights to look at “Monday Night time Soccer.”
“Recreation Move has extra subscribers, shopper merchandise promote extra in Germany than within the U.Ok., Madden online game sells extra, TV rights are comparative,” Brett Gosper, NFL Head of U.Ok. and Europe, advised the Related Press.
Watch events for the sport have been organized in German cities, with bars embellished with American-style atmospheres. The Bucs, Chiefs, Patriots and Panthers, who all have worldwide advertising and marketing rights in Germany, will host occasions all through Munich in hopes of rising their fan bases.
