Colts team up with former player Bjorn Werner to expand fanbase in Europe

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are taking steps to expand internationally in Germany and Austria.

The team announced they'll have the help of former Colt and first round draft pick, Bjorn Werner.

"Didn’t work out the way everyone wanted. My body was done. I was getting released, it wasn’t the career I was hoping for myself,“ said Werner.

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Werner now lives back in his home country of Germany. He's an NFL analyst and co-founder of German media company, Bromance Sports.

He'll serve as the official Colts ambassador in Germany and Austria.

"Get more fans to follow the Indianapolis Colts," said Werner.

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The NFL launched the Global Markets Program two-years-ago. It awarded NFL clubs international marketing rights to build brand awareness and fandom outside of the US.

The Colts received the rights to Germany and Austria in April, not long after the Colts played the Patriots in Frankfurt.

"Really kind of lept out as the best choice for us. Germany, that region, is really interested in American football," said Roger VanDerSnick, chief sales and marketing officer with the Colts.

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"Colts won that game and are 1-0 in Germany, that's the story we have to continue. Now, obviously, they realized how big of a market it is," said Werner.

The goal is to expand the Indianapolis NFL brand and the game of football overseas.

A recent survey done by FlashPicks shows the Colts ranked last in the NFL for worldwide Google searches.

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"Because the Colts aren't a big market team like the Giants are for instance. A lot of Germans travel to New York, that's one of the hot spots," said Werner.

Now it's up to Werner and the team to open the door for new football fans and make sure they choose the Colts.

The plan includes a heavy social media strategy, targeting youth, and the help of Blue the mascot, who has 9 million followers on TikTok.

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In the role of Colts Ambassador, Werner will promote the Colts brand in these countries, make appearances on behalf of the team, create authentic connections with new and current fans and serve as an advisor for the team’s overall business and marketing strategy.

Bromance Sports will partner with the Colts to create original digital content for these regions.

"We're going to be different in that market because we have to be," said VanDerSnick.

"The world is small on social media, you can do a lot of inside and behind the scenes. Every person you can convince is a win right now," said Werner.