06.11.2023
American football beats soccer in Germany:NFL game Chiefs vs. Dolphins sets new data record at Frankfurt stadium
The guest appearance of the American football league NFL in Germany puts "King Soccer" in the shade: As a mobile data analysis by telecommunications provider O2 Telefónica shows, fans used more mobile data than ever before at peak times during the game between the reigning Superbowl winner Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt am Main on November 5.
A total of around 4,000 gigabytes of data flowed through the O2 mobile network around the Frankfurt stadium on football Sunday. Data usage increased significantly, particularly in the period from 12 noon to 7 pm. At the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund on the previous Sunday (29.10.), the figure was just under 2,400 GB. This means that football fans added another 66% more data volume with their smartphones. They also set a new data record in the stadium: In the hour before kick-off, almost 500 GB flowed through the O2 network - more than ever before.
As is usual at such major events, uploads in the mobile network in particular increase when sports fans share their impressions on site: Fans uploaded around 140 GB around the kick-off of the match from 3pm to 4pm. For example, they shared photos and videos of their impressions on site, the superstars around Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill and later of the half-time show by German musicians Nico Santos and Kontra K.
US fans dominate the audience beyond Europe
Although the majority of spectators in the stadium came from Germany, the mobile network analysis by O2 Telefónica underlines that the game was an international football event: significantly more tourists than usual were registered in the O2 mobile network around the stadium to roam and use mobile data. The sports fans came from a wide variety of nations: The frontrunners in the stadium - based on mobile data - were fans from the United Kingdom, followed by Austria, France, Switzerland, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands. Football fans from the USA followed in eighth place. This makes them the largest group of spectators from outside Europe.
There were also visitors from all over the world, such as India, Brazil, Turkey, China and Australia, who did not want to miss the game in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt in football fever
At around 200,000 gigabytes, data usage in Frankfurt am Main was at a very high level during the entire football Sunday. No wonder, as tens of thousands of fans from Germany and all over the world gathered in Frankfurt at the weekend to celebrate a football festival together. The mobile network was used intensively as they shared their photos and videos with family and friends via social media or messaging services such as WhatsApp.
Colts vs. Patriots on November 12 – Is a new record on the horizon?
A new record could be on the horizon next Sunday. The second NFL game will take place in Frankfurt. The New England Patriots, six-time Super Bowl champions, will face the Indianapolis Colts. O2 Telefónica's network will ensure that fans can once again share their experiences with the football community and those at home next weekend.
The information is based on a mobile network analysis by the telecommunications provider O2 Telefónica, which draws on anonymized and aggregated data. The company connects around 42 million people in Germany with its O2 mobile network, as well as many tourists who roam via the network. No other provider connects so many people in Germany. The O2 network reaches practically all German citizens with 2G/GSM and 4G/LTE. In addition, the network already supplies 90% of the population with the modern 5G mobile communications standard.