TikTok and the National Football League (NFL) announced an expansion of their partnership through a new multi-year agreement aimed at enhancing the football community’s fan experience. 

This deal builds on their initial collaboration, which began in 2019 with the launch of the official @NFL TikTok account.

Since the partnership’s inception, the NFL has gained significant traction on the platform. The league’s content garnered over 5 billion views during the 2023 season, with over 11 million combined posts using hashtags such as #NFL, #NFLPlayoffs, and #SuperBowl. The @NFL account has become one of the most-followed brands on TikTok.

The NFL has expanded its global reach on the platform by launching several regional accounts, such as @mundonfl, @nflacademy, and @nflaunz, to develop its international fan base.

“TikTok offers a unique platform to showcase the culture, energy, and passion that makes the NFL special,” Brent Lawton, the NFL’s VP of Business Development & Strategic Investments, said in a blog post. 

“Our presence on TikTok strengthens the connection between our fans and the game, offering them a unique way to engage with the NFL,” Lawton added.

The extended partnership will focus on delivering additional long-form content to further immerse fans in NFL-related material and deepen the connection between fans and the sport.

“Since beginning our partnership in 2019, the NFL has leaned into TikTok, offering the global sports community an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at their favorite teams,” said Rollo Goldstaub, Global Head of Sports Partnerships at TikTok.

NFL, Fashion, and Women

According to TikTok’s recent survey, 73% of users enjoyed seeing crossover content that blends sports with other industries, such as gaming, food, and fashion. 

In early 2024, Meagan Loyst, founder and CEO of Gen Z VCs, predicted that women would be the NFL’s biggest growth driver, primarily through TikTok and other social media. 

“The NFL TikTok account posted 20 videos from the [Chiefs vs. Dolphins playoff] game, garnering 19.7M views. 40% of the impressions were FASHION-related, be it Travis Kelce’s pre-game day fit or Taylor Swift’s custom jacket that’s taking the internet by storm,” Loyst wrote on LinkedIn.