By Marisa Braverman, Media Production, Management, and Technology senior

Marisa Braverman was one of 15 students who participated in the Globalizing American Sports study-abroad program from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, held Nov. 1-6, 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany. To read other stories from the program, visit here.

As my college experience is starting to come to a close, I realized that in these short four years, I have become obsessed with traveling. My love of traveling has led me around the world through various University of Florida programs.

The summer going into my junior year, I participated in UF’s onward program where I held an internship with Minute Media in Tel Aviv, Israel. Then in the spring semester of my junior year, I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, through the UF Heavener Business School for five months. I hoped that five months abroad would satisfy my obsession for travel. Yet, it had the opposite effect and made me look everywhere for my next adventure abroad.

When I saw the opportunity to travel with the CJC to cover the first NFL game in Frankfurt, Germany, I knew it would be the perfect adventure to finish off my study abroad experiences in college.

The People

Though I have been in various study abroad programs, there is one thing that made the Frankfurt program stand out from the rest — the people. In my five  months abroad in Spain, I left not even knowing everyone in my program and was disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to bond with the group. Yet, the NFL experience in Frankfurt had the opposite effect. In just a short six days, I became close with all 14 other students on the trip.

From the moment we arrived in Frankfurt, everyone in the class went out of their way to get to know each other. Through everyone’s similar passions, it was easy  to find talking points between each of my classmates.

One specific moment that became one of my favorite moments of the trip, was when we played “Hot Seat” on our bus ride to Heidelberg. That quick bus ride made us all learn so much about one another. By the time we all walked off that bus to our tour, you could see a weight lifted off of everyone’s shoulders. Everyone on that bus ride realized that they could be their true selves throughout the trip.

One thing that I have learned when traveling is it is all about the people that you are with. No matter where I travel to, the trip and the memories I remember are because of the people I went with. Every event that we participated in Germany was so much more enjoyable because of the people I was with.

The Sport

To be honest, I an not extremely passionate about football. I was nervous before this program that I would struggle because I don’t study players, regularly watch games, or have a fantasy football team. Yet, I have always been passionate about the business of sports and the community it creates. I can confidently say that this trip did not disappoint in showing the community the NFL has created and the international business of football in Germany.

One instance that demonstrated the community of the NFL came when I was interviewing fans for my article. One fan started telling me a personal story about why he feels a close connection with the Miami Dolphins. He was 75 years old and tried to travel to as many games as possible. His wife passed away a couple of years ago and they both loved the team. The fans and the community that he has found with the Miami Dolphins allowed him to heal from the loss of his wife. He has found a family within the Miami Dolphins community and can feel his wife with him at every game.

This story really resonated with me because it showed that for so many, football is more than just a sport. It is a community, a sense of family, that can be seen to transcend internationally. Though I may not religiously watch football games, I can admire and appreciate how it truly has changed some people’s lives.

The City

An interesting aspect of the NFL game in Frankfurt, Germany was that the city was transformed for the game. If you walked around the city center over the weekend, everywhere you looked there was NFL advertising.

I was beyond impressed by how much time and effort went into transforming the city for the weekend. They had life-size helmets of each team outside, activities, and even a stage with performances.

I have had the opportunity to go to MetLife Stadium, which is home to the New York Jets and New York Giants, and I have never seen advertising like this in the United States.

A lot of my peers also thought that there was more marketing effort put into this game than a Super Bowl. Through the various marketing efforts of the NFL, we definitely saw Germans who weren’t football fans before becoming curious about the sport.

A moment that struck me was when we traveled to Heidelberg for the day and saw so many people in Kansas City Chiefs gear. Though I was mesmerized by the beauty of Heidelberg, I was also shocked by how many fans traveled for the game. Seeing that so many fans had made a whole vacation revolve around the game really shows the hold that the NFL has on fans.

Takeaways

Overall, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’m so grateful for being chosen to participate in. I left with not only a better understanding of sports abroad, but of myself.

This trip emphasized to me my passion for working in sports abroad and the potential career opportunities. By speaking to various professionals in the international sports world, I realized the vast opportunities that the industry has to offer.

For me and my classmates, this trip offers us an experience that can make us stand out from other applicants when applying for future jobs. I look forward to seeing what the sports industry holds for me and my classmates.

Posted: November 28, 2023
Category: CJC in Frankfurt, Sports, Study Abroad Projects
Tagged as: Globalizing American Sports, sports, Sports@CJC, Study Abroad, Study Abroad experience