The ‘Who Dat’ Renaissance: Saints Granted International Marketing Rights In Italy
The Saints export New Orleans' vibrant spirit, building a European empire in Italy and France. Expect the "Who Dat" chant in Rome soon.
There is a certain irony in a team named the "Saints" finding a second home in the land of the Vatican, but the New Orleans Saints’ recent acquisition of international marketing rights in Italy is far from a joke. It is very much a calculated and brilliant expansion of one of the NFL’s most unique brands. By securing Italy as their second territory under the NFL’s Global Markets Program, following their 2023 entry into France, the Saints are doing more than just selling jerseys; they are exporting a culture that feels surprisingly at home in the Mediterranean.
Andiamo Saints! 🇮🇹 The New Orleans Saints have been granted international marketing rights in Italy! 📝 https://t.
co/29lpnSLNfH pic. twitter. com/J5SpcSHA1e — New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 30, 2026 A Cultural Kinship The NFL’s Global Markets Program is often viewed through a cold, commercial lens—television rights, sponsorships, and merchandise.
However, for a small-market team like New Orleans to thrive internationally, they cannot rely on the sheer "global behemoth" status of the Cowboys or the Patriots. They have to rely on soul. New Orleans and Italy share a connective tissue that is hard to quantify but easy to feel: A Devotion to Tradition: Much like the multi-generational fanbases in New Orleans, Italian sports culture is rooted in family and deep-seated loyalty.