The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has officially thrown its hat into the ring for the 2024 summer Olympic Games by confirming that either Berlin or Hamburg will bid for the event.

The DOSB had been expected to make a solid decision on its Olympic bid strategy at a meeting on December 6.

However, president Alfons Hörmann told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper earlier this month that the organisation had wanted to determine the results of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ‘Agenda 2020’ initiative as well as gain a stronger insight into the strength of local support in the two cities, before proceeding.

This was expected to delay any formal announcement on a German bid for the 2024 Games until next year, but the DOSB has now committed to pursuing the Games with a final decision over its candidate city due on March 21.

The DOSB has added that it is likely to re-enter the bidding for the 2028 Olympics should its attempt at 2024 fail in what is expected to be a strong field.

“Olympic and Paralympic Games are the most important events for German sports,” Hoermann said.

“Sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games are a chance for the entire country and especially for the city hosting the Games and its region. From Munich 1972 to London 2012 it becomes clear what they can trigger in the economy and society if well conceived and executed.

“We are confident that it will be a big opportunity for one of the cities and a big opportunity for the entire sport. We are also confident that an Olympic project can be – and will be – good for our country. We have two excellent candidates in Berlin and Hamburg.”

Germany last hosted the summer Olympics when Munich staged the 1972 Games, while Berlin was the setting for the 1936 Games. Berlin failed to land the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney and Leipzig was defeated in the race for the 2012 Games in London.

The latest bid process comes with Munich’s failed effort to land the 2018 winter Olympics still fresh in the memory. The bid was rejected in a local referendum and the DOSB insists it has learned lessons from this experience.

Both Berlin and Hamburg plan referendums once it is known which of the two will be the candidate for the 2024 Games. The DOSB said that its latest polls indicate a narrow majority is against the Games in Berlin, while the project has the support of 53 per cent of the Hamburg population. 

“We have to promote the product and convince the citizens,” Hoermann added.

[Source: The Sports Consultancy] The National Football League today announced the launch of a process to identify a partner city for regular-season games in Germany.

The NFL, which has staged 28 games in London since 2007 and will play two more at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in October, is aiming to find the most suitable German city for a possible expansion of the International Series into mainland Europe.

NFL regular-season games, which have also been played in Mexico and Canada, provide a platform for cities to be showcased around the world, as they host the NFL’s unique blend of intense competition, high-level athleticism, entertainment and fan engagement.

“The International Series has become a highlight of the sporting calendar in the UK, with many fans travelling from Germany to attend,” said Brett Gosper, NFL Head of UK and Europe. “We are very excited about the development of our German fan base, and the time is right to identify a partner who can execute a game at NFL standards as part of our international growth strategy.

“This process is designed to explore potential local partnerships, stadium suitability and game logistics. We need engaged and motivated host partners that span the public sector, venue, sport, community and major event spheres and can help us deliver a high-impact event and a long-term partnership. Identifying a preferred host city is a key step in bringing regular-season NFL games to our millions of German fans.”

The process follows a number of strong years of fan growth in Germany.  Weekly NFL television viewership on partners ProSieben and DAZN has grown by more than 20 percent annually since 2017, and millions of fans tuned in for Super Bowl LV, making it the third consecutive season of record German Super Bowl viewership. Germany is a leading market outside North America for NFL Shop sales, fantasy football participation and sales of the Madden NFL video game.

The NFL has engaged London-based The Sports Consultancy to assist in the process, including working with interested cities to develop their proposals.

NFL owners recently demonstrated their commitment to international growth by passing a resolution stating that from 2022 onwards all 32 clubs will play internationally at least once every eight years, ensuring diversity of participating teams and long-term inventory. Up to four neutral site games per year will be scheduled outside the US.

German-born players are making an increasing impact on the NFL, with fullback Jakob Johnson a regular starter for the New England Patriots during the 2020 season and two other Germans currently on NFL rosters as part of the International Player Pathway program, David Bada (Washington) and Aaron Donkor (Seattle Seahawks). In recent seasons Sebastian Vollmer won two Super Bowls (XLIX and LI) as part of the Patriots offensive line that protected quarterback Tom Brady, while Björn Werner was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

The NFL’s regular-season games in London have attracted average crowds of more than 80,000 and have driven exponential growth in the NFL’s UK presence, which now includes an NFL Academy for young student-athletes in London, a nationwide Flag football programme and a partnership with Tottenham Hotspur that has given the League its first purpose-built NFL stadium outside the United States.

The NFL previously staged five preseason games in Germany between 1990 and 1994, and had a professional team presence in Germany between 1991 and 2007, with the Berlin Thunder, Cologne Centurions, Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils and Rhein Fire playing at various times in the former World League/NFL Europe League/NFL Europa.