FRANKFURT, GERMANY — Through two full days in Frankfurt, Germany, I saw about as many Seattle Seahawks jerseys as I did Indianapolis Colts jerseys.
Yeah, it’s safe to say New England Patriots fans won the contest to see which fanbase would show up more in Sunday’s international showcase.
It should hardly be a surprise. The Patriots are designated as the home team for Sunday’s game, with Germany officially being designated as an “International Home Marketing Area.”
Still, as I made my way around Frankfurt, it was one of the biggest things that stood out as I took in the spectacle of an NFL game in Germany.
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Patriots fans were all over my flight to Frankfurt. (Nick O’Malley, MassLive)Nick O’Malley, MassLive
1. Patriots fans showed out
This was apparent before I’d even crossed the Atlantic. My flight from Boston (with a layover in Dublin) was loaded with fans making the journey to Germany. The Aer Lingus cabin had Patriots jerseys and hoodies as far as the eye could see.
By the time I’d made it to the passport control desk in Frankfurt, the immigration officers were simply asking, “Are you here for the game?”
NFL fans were well-represented in Frankfurt this week as part of something league executives described as a “friendly takeover” of the city.
Walking around the main areas of Frankfurt, there was a smattering of jerseys from all around the league. I did see some Colts gear — more than 30 other teams. However, the Patriots were far and away the most popular.
2. The Patriots actually had a little fun – and Mac Jones roasted one of our columnists
In what’s been a pretty dour season for New England, this week provided a much-needed moment of levity.
The highlight was definitely the moment when Mac Jones cracked a bald joke at MassLive’s Matt Vautour (all in good fun).
It went down earlier this week when MassLive Patriots reporter Mark Daniels tried to ask if the Germany trip could help with “team bonding.” However, he accidentally said “team balding.”
Jones cracked up and gave a little point to Vautour at the mention of “balding” before the room cracked it.
You can watch the moment here.
Here’s what I ordered from Dunkin’ in Frankfurt, Germany. (Nick O’Malley, MassLive)Nick O’Malley, MassLive
3. The magical experience that was a Dunkin’ abroad
This started as a joke.
With a Boston sports team making the trip, I wanted to write about what it was like to go to a Dunkin’ in Germany.
I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly didn’t expect a doughnut with a French macaron on it — or a Boston creme donut that blew my socks off.
I would unironically go to this German Dunkin’ again and again.
4. The Patriots Haus was rocking.
The league had a series of events set up around Frankfurt heading into game weekend. The most prominent was the NFL Fan Experience set up around Roßmarkt (one of the busy squares in the city).
It was a similar setup to what the league does at the Super Bowl. There were jumbo-sized helmets to take photos with. There was a “quarterback challenge” that let fans try their passing skills. They even had a display with every Super Bowl ring.
However, attendance was pretty sparse when I went. I’m told it picked up by the time Saturday afternoon rolled around, though.
On the other hand, the Patriots Haus set up at a nearby Hilton hotel was loaded with New England fans. The pop-up experience had Pat Patriot, team cheerleaders, a lounge area, food and even autograph sessions with Patriots legends.
When I arrived, former linebacker Rob Ninkovich was just leaving. Shortly after, former cornerback Malcolm Butler arrived and was greeted by a line leading out the door.
Pat Haley (left) and his son Jack (right) show off their custom-made Bill Belichick shirts at the Patriots Haus in Frankfurt, Germany. (Nick O’Malley, MassLive)Nick O’Malley, MassLive
5. These shirts
During my visit to Patriots Haus, I ran into Pat Haley and his son, Jack. They’re originally from Boston but now live in Virginia. They were there rocking some custom-made shirts featuring dozens of iterations of Bill Belichick.
While some in Boston may be questioning Belichick’s job security, the Haley boys are backing their coach.
“Haven’t lost faith in Bill yet,” the elder Haley said.
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