Latest news with #ParisMusketeers
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NFL affiliation lifts American football in France, says French Federation President Frederic Paquet
Having an franchise such as the New Orleans Saints in Paris is a benchmark for the development of American football in France, opines French Federation of American Football President Frederic Paquet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With the Paris Musketeers taking on the Vienna Vikings in a pivotal European League of Football match, Frederic Paquet opines that being an NFL franchise lends legitimacy to the sport's spread across the country and hastens its pace. New Orleans Saints visit gives American football in France exposure and legitimacy The arrival of New Orleans Saints representatives in Paris, including linebacker Demario Davis, was a turning point in the development of the sport in France. Their visit coincided with the Paris Musketeers' headline game against the Vienna Vikings, and an event staged jointly at the U.S. Embassy gave visiting players like Frederic Paquet the chance to show the way that American football is slowly building support in France. To Frederic Paquet, having an NFL franchise is more than just bragging rights. "Everything that unites us, fans of American football, flag football, and even cheerleading—that's the federation's objective. In fact, we have this culture, this attachment to American sports culture, this American lifestyle. So everything brings us together and, naturally, we're all drawn to the United States, or at least to a part of it. When I say the United States, I mean the American sporting culture, which is all around us," he said. The NFL, as Frederic Paquet pointed out, has resources, visibility, and developmental structure—something the local French ecosystem has traditionally lacked. New Orleans Saints and Paris Musketeers management both emphasized that this is not an isolated publicity event. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It's about creating grassroots programs, such as flag football, and helping children in urban France find new opportunities through the medium of sport. "When it comes to American football, if the NFL supports what we're doing, it's much more credible. And then, it's a development power; it's a project power. That's what I was saying about the young Manceaux players who created a team and went off to play in Orlando. That's what the NFL can do for us. It's a power that we can't have on our own today," Paquet said. 'The Olympic Games are a bit like the NFL. In other words, it's a way of raising awareness, increasing power, and generating desire. So it allows us to develop a high-level program for the flag. We hope this is just the first step. We hope that the IOC will renew the flag license for 2032. So it's also an opportunity to perhaps send young and older athletes to Los Angeles. Initially, that wasn't possible. That's what American football and flag also create: the ability to forge links and create experiences that they wouldn't have had if they hadn't taken up this activity." One of the most significant developments in the French American football infrastructure is the creation of the Paris Musketeers, which provides a critical bridge between amateur clubs and professional hopes. With existing talent like current player Anthony Mahoungou already on the team, and other prospects such as Marcelo gaining recognition, the Musketeers provide an in-between tier for those who dream of playing in the NCAA or NFL. Paquet believes this was a long time in the making. 'We have Marcelo, who is also promising. We've got a few French players, and we've got a few young players who are in university leagues. That's why the Musketeers are so important, because they're in that intermediate stage before a move to the NCAA or even the NFL," he said. Also read: The collaboration of the NFL, the French Federation of American Football, and local franchises like the Paris Musketeers can be the beginning of something big for the sport in France. With global exposure, Olympic ambitions, and grassroots backing, Frederic Paquet's vision to legitimize American football in France is slowly taking shape, yard by yard.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Saints partner up with European football team coached by former player Jack Del Rio
This is worth watching. on Wednesday, the New Orleans Saints announced that they have agreed to a "strategic international partnership to grow American football in Europe" with the Paris Musketeers, the latest union between the NFL and the European League of Football (ELF). Saints president Dennis Lauscha spoke about the move in a statement from the team: "We are proud to announce our partnership with the Paris Musketeers, a collaboration that reflects our ongoing commitment to growing the game of football globally. This strategic alliance provides a valuable opportunity to expand the reach of the Saints brand, engage with the French audience, and share the rich tradition and passion of our organization with fans around the world." Advertisement Founded in 2022, the Musketeers went 6-6 in their inaugural season before improving to 10-2 last year, coached by Marc Mattioli; he was hired as the defensive coordinator at Kennesaw State in the fall and replaced by longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio, whose playing career started with the Saints back in 1985. After he hung up his cleats and took up coaching, Del Rio was hired by then-Saints head coach Mike Ditka in 1997. The Musketeers' regular season kicks off on May 17 from Stade Robert Bobin in Bondoufle, just south of Paris. Musketeers CEO John McKeon also shared a statement on the occasion: "Joining forces with the New Orleans Saints is a significant milestone for our organization. We look forward to collaborating on initiatives that will not only enhance the fan experience but also contribute to the development of American football in France and beyond. One of our first joint initiatives will be the launch of a halftime flag football series with local youth groups at our home games this season." The Saints have been awarded exclusive marketing rights in France, and signs point to them playing a regular season game in the country as soon as 2026; partnering up with a team based out of the nation's capital would go a long way to start developing a following abroad. There are many historic and cultural ties between France and Louisiana so this does stand out as one of the more obvious partnerships the NFL has launched overseas. Stay tuned for details on which events and promotions the Saints and Musketeers are planning. This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: New Orleans Saints, ELF's Paris Musketeers launch 'strategic alliance'
