University of Bayreuth Catches Football Fever

The overwhelming success of last year’s event was surpassed: three days before the big NFL game in Munich, everything in Bayreuth was also centred on American football. The American Football Summit 2.0, held at the University of Bayreuth on 7 November 2024, attracted numerous students, club representatives, and even members of the US military.

Photos: Gerhard Lehner · 13.11.2024

As a unique platform for exchange between practice and research in the field of American football, the Summit benefits from the latest studies conducted by the Faculty of Law, Business & Economics at the University of Bayreuth. This research explores topics such as the international marketing of sports leagues like the National Football League (NFL) and Germany’s Bundesliga (DFL). Researchers on campus are also examining what attracts German fans to American football.

The programme was moderated by sports reporter Christoph Dommisch (formerly of ran NFL). His guests included:

Kevin Abrams (Senior Vice President, New York Giants)
Zeljko Karajica (CEO, European League of Football)
Thomas Krohne (Owner, Munich Ravens)
Oliver Luck (former NFL Quarterback)
Doug Smoyer (Football Insider, formerly NFL)
Nadine Nurasyid (Stuttgart Surge / DAZN)
Dr Frank Meister (B-Level Referee)
Prof Dr Christian Rückert (former German football champion and Chair of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and IT Criminal Law at the University of Bayreuth)
Prof David Ridpath (Ohio University)

In addition to the talks, attendees could experience a football arena, managed by the Bayreuth Dragons, where they could test their skills in practice and try their hand at being a player themselves.

from left: Christoph "Icke" Dommisch, Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible (University president), Dr. Andreas Zippel (Alumnus of the University of Bayreuth and vice-mayor of Bayreuth) and Tobias Reiß (Vice President of the Bavarian State Parliament).

from left: Doug Smoyer (Football Insider, formerly NFL), Ben Guerrero (Director International, Indianapolis Colts) and Kevin Abrams (Senior Vice President, New York Giants) on the attractiveness of the German market for American football: its fan culture.

from left: Dr. Frank Meister (Official Referee), Christoph "Icke" Dommisch and Prof. Dr. Christian Rückert (Holder of the Chair of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure Law and IT Criminal Law at the University of Bayreuth and former professional player)

Prof. Dr. Christian Rückert, Holder of the Chair of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure Law and IT Criminal Law at the University of Bayreuth and former professional player, explains the rules of American Football

Anja-Maria Meister

PR Spokesperson of the University of Bayreuth

Webmaster: Team UBTaktuell