After years of applying, planning and careful preparation, Sunday finally came around and with it, the first NFL game in the Deutsche Bank Park. And the clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins was a roaring success.
Seven hours of American-style entertainment in the heart of Europe, with no fewer than 50,023 fans creating an incredible atmosphere. The Chiefs and the Dolphins went at it for three-and-a-half hours, with the reigning Super Bowl champions ultimately running out 21-14 winners.
DJs whipped the crowd up into a frenzy, while the fans also got to enjoy photo challenges, souvenir shops and typical American-football-style challenges such as field goal kicking, vertical jumps and broad jumps, as well as face-painting.
While the teams out on the field and the fans in the stands got ready to bring the heat, behind the scenes there was a more relaxed get-together featuring German former NFL player Sebastian Vollmer, reporter Florian Schmidt-Sommerfeld, CEO of EintrachtTech GmbH Timm Jäger, and Eintracht Frankfurt Stadion GmbH CEO Julien Zamberk.
Pitchside, Eintracht CEO Axel Hellmann gave a formal welcome to his opposite numbers from the Chiefs – Clark Hunt, and the Dolphins – Steven Ross, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The great and the good from USA each received a miniature stone eagle, and offered gifts of their own in return. And then it was time for the show to begin.
The Chiefs were nominally the home team, so they were responsible for the pre-game programme, featuring cheerleaders, a whole host of dance routines and plenty of music. Dana Bowers gave a fantastic rendition of the “The Star-Spangled Banner”, while Gregor Hägele responded with the German national anthem, with the crowd joining in. The anthems sent shivers down the spine of everyone in the stadium, before the first point had even been scored.
The main event got under way shortly after 15:30 CET, but as is the case with US sports, there was still plenty of musical accompaniment throughout. Every time there was a break in play, the speakers would be blaring out a split-second later and it was a real disco inferno in the Deutsche Bank Park. Nico Santos and Kontra K provided the half-time entertainment.
Take me Home, Country Roads
Once the clock had run out in the fourth quarter, the last word belonged to John Denver, whose evergreen classic “Take me Home, Country Roads” has achieved cult status in the NFL over recent years. Regardless of whom they had been supporting and whether their team had just lost or won, the Frankfurt football crowd – featuring SGE favourites Sebastian Rode, Timothy Chandler and Goncalo Paciencia – sang their hearts out.
With the second Frankfurt Game coming up this Sunday, it really felt like the kick-off to a new era.
