MUNICH, Germany — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have lost their franchise quarterback to retirement this offseason. But, nothing is stopping the team from remaining in the limelight.
The Bucs announced Monday that they would play an international series game in Munich. It'll be the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Germany.
According to multiple reports, the Bucs will be playing the Kansas City Chiefs. Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal was the first to report the news.
According to CBS Sports, citing German website bild.de, the Chiefs have a close connection to FC Bayern Munich Stadium and have reportedly pushed the NFL internally to play in Munich and get the "home rights" – meaning they'd forfeit a home game at Arrowhead Stadium.
For their part, the Bucs said the official announcement confirming their opponent would come when the NFL's full 2022 schedule is released later this spring. The date and kickoff time for the Munich game will be announced then, too.
In the meantime, Buccaneers.com says fans can register that they'd like to attend the game by clicking here.
"This historic game will play a crucial role in the NFL's efforts to grow its international footprint while allowing us to directly engage NFL fans in Germany," Bucs owner and co-chairman Joel Glazer told Buccaaneers.com.
The game is just one of five international games the league hopes to play in 2022. CBS Sports reports that the Buccaneers and Chiefs are just two of 18 teams being allowed to freely market themselves across eight countries.
“Last year, as part of the League's expansion of the regular season to 17 games, it was determined that, beginning with the 2022 season, up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams were eligible for a ninth regular-season home game would instead be designated to play a neutral-site international game each year,” Buccaneers.com explained.
In other words, every eight years, each of the NFL’s 32 teams is going to play one international game.
Back in December, Tampa Bay was one of four teams given a new International Home Marketing Area (IHMA) in Germany. Along with the Bucs, such designation was granted for the Chiefs, Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.
The NFL's Home Marketing Area Initiative is a five-year plan that allows teams to market themselves in international markets. That includes in-person events, sponsorships and merchandise sales.
In the next four seasons, one game will be played in Germany, specifically, each year. They’ll be held in both Munich and Frankfurt.
While Tampa Bay and Kansas City will reportedly be making regular-season history, it isn't the first NFL game to be played in Germany. For five straight years, between 1990 and 1994, the NFL hosted the preseason "American Bowl" at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. The league hasn't returned since.
Bucs fans will be hoping for a repeat of the last time the two teams faced off. During their Super Bowl matchup, the Buccaneers demolished the Chiefs 33-9.
This won’t be the Bucs’ first time playing a regular-season game aboard. The team has had three games in London in recent years.
However, the Buccaneers are 0-3 in regular-season games outside the country, according to CBS Sports. The Chiefs, on the other hand, are 2-0 in international play.
"Buccaneers season pass members will receive communication from the club about the effect the Munich game will have on their existing account and the options they will have," a team spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement.