Sometimes the simplest of ideas can go a long way, and they can happen with some of most complex businesses. Case in point, anyone watching an NFL game this weekend may have seen an additional decal, a country flag for example, on a player’s helmet, or a flag on the jacket of a coach like Bill Belichick, with the flag of Croatia.
It is part of a two week initiative the league undertook to give players and coaches the ability to identify with their cultural heritage, and wear a symbol that ties them to a place or culture that is not always American. Examples this past week included: Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals — South Korea), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions — Germany) and Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins — Samoa & American Samoa).
For a league like the patch averse, stringently controlled in appearance NFL to do this is impressive and could be a standard setter for others. We have often wondered for example, why an initiative like this wasn’t embraced by a sport like baseball (which has flags for The World Baseball Classic but not for regular season games) or the NBA or WNBA, with their global lineup of players. How great for those from various Latin countries to wear a Dominican or a Puerto Rican flag, or for those Argentinians on the hardwood to wear their country flag? It would take some sizing…the NFL went back of the helmet for example, but it is identifiable storytelling which subtly increases the reach and the fandom and even the national pride for those players.
Of course it would have to be regulated, monitored and measured, but as we try and become more global in business, isn’t it nice to easily understand the roots of those we are following, and give them a readily identifiable platform to show from whence they came.
Nice touch for the NFL, hoping to see it grow.
