Athletic Club and the NFL team up for a Thanksgiving watch party at San Mames
Athletic Club and the NFL team up for a Thanksgiving watch party at San Mames
On November 27, The Cathedral will host a free watch party screening the Lions vs Packers match, the first joint event between Athletic and the NFL
*All times are CET.
Athletic Club and the National Football League (NFL) have partnered up to organise a Thanksgiving Day watch party at San Mames on Thursday November 27, with Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers (kick-off at 19:00 CET*) being shown on a giant screen at the stadium's Sala Norte (North Hall).
During the evening, attendees can take part in interactive games, quizzes and giveaways, with Athletic Club and NFL merchandise as prizes. There will also be a special 'pintxo-pote' (beers and drinks) event featuring typical Basque and American products.
Doors open at 18:00, with activities getting underway at 18:30. Entry is free on a first-come-first-served basis until capacity is reached (access via door E).
The watch party will be hosted by Julen Axpe, a commentator and comedian who has collaborated with Athletic Club at previous events, and Javi Gómez, an NFL commentator for '100yardas' and Mediaset, and also the competition's head of social content in Spain and Latin America as director of sports, culture and entertainment at Dentsu Creative.
Athletic Club x NFL: A Unique Collaboration
This Thanksgiving watch party is the first step in a collaboration which will hopefully lead to further joint initiatives between both organisations.
The partnership with the NFL, the most watched sports competition in the United States, is part of Athletic Club's internationalisation strategy, aimed at growing Athletic's worldwide brand and helping the club access new markets and audiences.
In this instance, Athletic Club is aiming to promote its unique model - which sees the club compete at the highest level with only Basque players - by harnessing the NFL's capacity to generate high-impact sporting, cultural and commercial moments.
Athletic president Jon Uriarte emphasised that this is a "unique opportunity" for the club to "tell our story to new audiences without compromising who we are".
He continued: “The combination of our story, which is unique in the world, and the NFL’s global reach can bring us unforgettable sporting and cultural experiences."
At the same time, the NFL is stepping up its presence outside the US as part of its own international expansion plan. In recent years, franchises such as the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs have chosen Spain as a strategic market.
On Sunday November 16, the competition will hold its first official match on Spanish soil when the Dolphins face the Washington Commanders at the Santiago Bernabéu. Furthermore, the league has recently appointed Rafael de los Santos as General Manager in Spain.
The NFL is one of the most followed sporting competitions in the world, with an extremely high market value and enormous television revenues. For Athletic Club, this is an ideal platform to share our history and values with new international audiences who might not be regular consumers of European football, but may be attracted to the club's unique and authentic approach to sport.