Rusty Weiss
Legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg, the real-life inspiration behind the iconic character in Jerry Maguire, has strongly pushed back against any notion of taking the Super Bowl overseas.
It’s no secret that the NFL under Roger Goodell is guided by the almighty dollar, and that pursuit involves broadening international appeal. That’s been evidenced by the recent expansion in the number of games played abroad.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Steinberg described the championship game as a “convention of Americana” — a unique cultural event where big business, politics, entertainment, sports, and passionate fans converge in a single American host city.
He argued that moving it abroad would be “difficult” and fundamentally alter its essence, diluting what makes it a distinctly American tradition amid the NFL’s aggressive push for global expansion.
“The Super Bowl has become a convention of Americana,” Steinberg said. “So, it’s not just an entertainment event – it’s a cultural event. Big business, big politics, big entertainment and big sports, along with fans, all coalesce in the city.”
“To take that overseas, I think, would be difficult.”
AMERICANA ON THE LINE: Legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg says an overseas Super Bowl won't happen—the championship is 'a convention of Americana,' not just entertainment. https://t.co/GgwqJMy3jt
— Fox News Sports (@FoxNewsSports_) March 22, 2026
Why an Overseas Super Bowl Faces Strong Pushback from Legendary Agent Leigh Steinberg
The NFL has ramped up its international footprint in recent years, scheduling a record nine regular-season games overseas for the 2026 season across locations including London, Melbourne, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and others.
While fans in other nations have shown enthusiasm for these games and the cultural experiences they offer (despite some awful matchups), Steinberg highlighted significant drawbacks.
Drawbacks for the players. Particularly, the physical toll of long-haul travel and jet lag. He also claims that the coaches don’t like the games either.
“They (players) have mixed feelings,” Steinberg said. “They actually like the travel aspect of it, seeing different cultures and other things. But it takes a physical toll. I mean, to fly from [the West Coast] to London is 12 hours. Then, to fly back, it’s 14 hours. When you start moving east in Europe, it gets longer than that. So, it takes a physical toll.”
“I think that if you ask the coaches, they don’t love international games, because it takes them out of the routine and schedule.”
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Despite the league’s momentum in building a worldwide brand, Steinberg remains skeptical that the Super Bowl — the pinnacle of American sports spectacle — will leave U.S. soil.
At least not in the foreseeable future. But that’s rather optimistic. Whether it’s his selection of sub-par international music acts for the halftime show or the insistence on outsourcing games overseas, it’s clear that Goodell is obsessed with making the NFL a world game. America is not his concern. The almighty dollar is.