Drafted 24th overall in 2005 to learn from the legendary Brett Favre, the Green Bay Packers struck gold with Aaron Rodgers. A professional from the off, he played understudy to the starting QB for three years before taking over under centre in 2008. By 2010, he’d guided the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl and won the MVP award.
Having been established in 1919 and with Favre having recently won them a Super Bowl as well, the Green Bay Packers were already a well-known team beyond the core fan base of the NFL. However, aligning with league efforts to reach a global audience, Rodgers’ play certainly helped to grow the recognizability of the Packers.
Raising the Bar in Green Bay
Throughout his time with the Green Bay Packers – perhaps with that final season to one side – Aaron Rodgers consistently performed at levels worthy of the NFL MVP title. Even after a most tumultuous time with the New York Jets, he still ranks as the most efficient quarterback in the history of the league.
Over his 17 years with the Packers, he became the face of the franchise. He went to the Pro Bowl ten times, won the NFL MVP four times, and guided the team to the playoffs 12 times. Since 2000, he’s arguably been the league’s most consistently impressive individual, with his 2011 and 2020 seasons for Green Bay being particularly exemplary.
Naturally, the highlight of his time in Green Bay came at the end of the 2010 season at 2011’s Super Bowl XLV. He powered the Packers to a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Arlington, Texas, winning the MVP crown for his efforts. That Super Bowl massively surpassed the next-best Super Bowl ratings at 111.04 to 106.48.
Establishing Green Bay While the NFL Grows
The NFL may hail the Super Bowl as its “world cup,” but it’s clear that it has craved a previously next-to-nonexistent international audience for years. Over the last decade, their efforts look to have begun to bear fruit. While international games have been key to connecting to overseas fans, so have their more subtle exploits.
Sports docuseries have become wildly popular in recent times, with some of the most-watched around the world pertaining to NFL teams. All or Nothing was a huge hit on Prime Video, and Netflix has drawn in Hard Knocks to reach an even wider audience, also helping to get potential fans closer to the league.
The NFL has also explored other popular corners of entertainment, even in slot gaming. There’s an NFL slot game out there, which is almost certainly spawned from seeing just how popular hit online slots like Mega Moolah have become. Looking to tap into the millions of spinners, the NFL now has an official place among these games.
All of these efforts over the last decade have led to a much greater international footprint for the NFL and a wider fan base. During this time, Rodgers’ performances have held him among the game’s biggest draws, automatically making new Green Bay Packers fans in new regions around the world.
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