A recent SportBusiness panel at the SPORTEL Miami conference focused on the growing influence of European football leagues in the US market. Representatives from LaLiga North America, Bundesliga International and OneFootball shared their approaches.
On the panel:
- Moderator – Jonathan Rest, SportBusiness
- Nicolas Garcia Hemme, VP Strategy & Business Development, LaLiga North America
- Robin Austermann, Head of Europe and Latam, Bundesliga International GmbH
- Yannick Manuel Ramcke, General Manager OTT, OneFootball
European football leagues growing in US market
Nicolas Garcia Hemme from LaLiga North America talked about their joint venture with Relevant Sports Group, established in 2018 with a 15-year agreement. This partnership has shifted LaLiga’s marketing focus to being far more business-orientated – resulting in major media deals with ESPN in the US, and SKY in Mexico.
LaLiga has built a content operation in Guadalajara with 20 staff creating North American-focused content. The results of this strategy, according to Garcia Hemme, has made them profitable since year three, generating about $10 million annually in commercial revenue.
Robin Austermann from Bundesliga International also highlighted their 17-year collaboration with Relevant, which he noted is “the longest deal in DFL’s history.” This partnership covers the Americas and focuses on marketing, PR, localised content, media rights and regional sponsorship.
Like LaLiga, Bundesliga has also established a content studio in Guadalajara with 10 people producing English and Spanish content. Austermann emphasised that this approach allows them to “talk through the lens of the Americans” and reach some 60 million US Hispanics as well as Latin American audiences.
Both leagues stressed the importance of understanding different Hispanic communities rather than treating them as one group. As Garcia noted, “somebody from Venezuela has nothing to do with somebody from Colombia.” Both highlighted the need for authentic, culturally aware content, which requires having local teams who understand these nuances.
Yannick Ramcke from OneFootball discussed how his platform connects content creators with audiences, emphasising the importance of providing relevant content “24 hours a day, seven days a week.” He noted that while leagues dominate their home markets, the international marketplace is much more competitive, requiring a different approach.
Key strategies
Broadly speaking, a few key strategies were outlined by the panellists:
- Working closely with broadcast partners like ESPN, with regular editorial, marketing and PR meetings to create joint strategies
- Collaborating with clubs to ensure they understand international markets’ importance
- Creating partnerships with other sports leagues like the NFL to reach new audiences
- Investing in local content creators who understand specific market segments
- Organising fan events to build connections with international supporters
The panellists discussed the challenges of balancing short-term and long-term thinking, particularly when working with clubs focused on immediate sporting results. However, they emphasised that international growth requires sustained investment and a strategic approach. As Austermann put it, they are “maximising long-term revenues by building brand equity.”
The discussion also touched on the potential for regular season games in the US, with Garcia indicating that LaLiga is “closer than ever” to making this happen, despite potential resistance from domestic fans. He emphasised the importance of making domestic fans understand that “there’s other fans abroad that are as important as they are.”
For more insights like this, check out the SPORTEL Monaco conference taking place in October 2025.