Sunday, September 19, 2010

National Football League Going Global

For the fifth year the National (US) Football League is playing a game outside the continental US.  In an effort to expand interest in the American style football (not to be confused with football known as soccer) the NFL has taken the game on the road.  On October 31 the San Francisco 49ers will play the Denver Broncos in London.
What began with a 2005  exhibition game in Mexico City is becoming a regular part of an NFL season.  This year's game is the fourth trip by the NFL to London and it is a regular season game, part of the march to the Super Bowl. 

This game is only part of the NFL’s strategy to build a global experience, expand the platform, fan base and interest in this classic American sport.   In July of this year NFL International (nfl.com/international)  announced that Lord Brian Mawhinney had been appointed special advisor to help guide the development of the league in Britain.  Now the NFL will be represented in the UK not by just one game in October but fulltime.

Another example of the continuing special relationship between the US and the UK.   What will come next?

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Global Cities from around the world

How does your city rank as a Global City?  To find the answer  review The Global Cities Index 2010.  The list is a collaboration of the Foreign Policy magazine, A.T. Kearney and the Chicago Council of Global Affairs. (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/node/373401)

If you’re in London, Los Angeles, Singapore or Sydney your city is in the top 20 as it was in 2008, the first (and only other) list put together by this group.  Moscow missed the top 20 this time moving from 19 to 25.  Frankfurt and Shanghai appeared tied at 20 (or one is 20 and the other 21 – you can decide.).
The last on the list?  That was Chongquing which wasn't on the list in 2008 (which only had 40 cities listed.) That year Kuala Lumpur was # 40 (now # 48) and this year #40 is Atlanta.

Not simply a list based on population but rather an analysis of 65 cities with populations of over a million ranked using “25 metrics across five dimensions”. (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/18/global_cities_index_methodology).  The metrics include, as you’d expect, the measure of business activity,  human capital, and how freely  information flows into and out of the city.  Beyond these basics they considered cultural experience  (sporting events and diversity of restaurants) and political engagement such as international organizations based there and the perceived influence the city on our global dialogue.

Look to see where your favorite city ranks overall and then explore where it is on the dimensions that you consider most important.   What make a city global for you?