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The Buccaneers quarterback is certainly not the only reason for
the massive interest but even the NFL admits that with
seven-times Super Bowl winner on Munich's Allianz Arena field
there is an added buzz.
"Perhaps the understatement of the year it adds to the
excitement and buzz around this game that he'll be on the
field," conceded Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of
club business and league events during a conference call on
Wednesday. "He is clearly a worldwide superstar who not only the
many rabid fans in Germany are aware of but the casual fan.
"Anybody on the street is aware of Tom Brady."
Brady, who was back in the global spotlight last month after
announcing he and supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen had ended
their 13-year marriage, will look to make headlines on the field
as he bids to become the only quarterback to start and win in
four different countries (U.S., England, Mexico and Germany).
He also enters the contest with 373 consecutive pass attempts
without an interception and can pass Green Bay Packers Aaron
Rodgers run mark of 402 set in 2018.
While Brady is the number one attraction German fans will be
treated to a marquee matchup.
The contest at Bayern Munich's home ground will be the first
international game between two division leaders with the 6-3
Seahawks sitting top the NFC West and 4-5 Tampa Bay leading the
NFC South.
"I mean the chance to go across to another country, play a sport
that I love, I have heard there's 3 million ticket requests for
67,000 seats," said Brady during an interview on SiriusXM's
Let's Go! podcast. "So the place is going to be rocking.
"If it's anything like what I see in those German Bundesliga
games this is going to be one of the epic games that we've ever
played in."
The NFL has established a strong foothold in England where it
played three games this season but believes the time is right to
push into new markets.
When tickets went on sale there was an online queue of more than
800,000 fans said O'Reilly but despite huge crowds wherever it
goes, the NFL remains on a learning curve when it comes to a
potential European based franchise.
"I know we learn something every game we play about the capacity
we have to play games there (Europe)," said O’Reilly. "Should
the opportunity arise everything around us makes us smarter and
better regarding the possibility of potentially a franchise
outside the U.S."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing Toby Davis)
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