A contingent from the New Orleans Saints that will include owner Gayle Benson and All-Pro linebacker Demario Davis are traveling to Paris this week to promote the club’s visibility in France.
The NFL granted the Saints international marketing rights in France as part of its Global Markets Program, announced in the summer of 2023. When that partnership was announced, Benson said in a statement that “New Orleans and France have enjoyed a unique cultural connection for centuries and we are excited about working with the NFL and our partners in France to grow the game of American football.”
This trip is designed to strengthen the connection between the team and its fans abroad, as well as making brand inroads with local officials, media and influencers. The team’s delegation will attend a series of events starting July 10 and culminating in a Bastille Day river cruise July 14.
Davis is scheduled to attend every event on the Saints’ behalf, which will begin with a happy hour meet and greet with fans at the New Orléans Saints Cafe, and include a trip to the U.S. Embassy in Paris as well as a flag football clinic in tandem with the Fédération Française de Football Américain.
Benson will join the trip later in the week to attend a Paris Musketeers game. Earlier this year, the Saints announced a strategic partnership with the Musketeers, who play in the European League of Football, through which the team hopes to grow the American game while also increasing its own brand visibility in France.
Benson and the rest of the Saints delegation are expected to attend the team’s game this Sunday against the Vienna Vikings.