The French national team landed in Boston on Tuesday evening for the start of a quick tour where they will face Brazil (Thursday 26) and Colombia (Sunday 29). This American trip was carefully planned by Nike and a promoter to showcase the French team brand.
A brand new plane, with the French Football Federation (FFF) logo on the rear wing. The French team players saw for the first time on Tuesday morning at Orly the Airbus A321neo from La Compagnie that flew them to Boston, and will also take them to the World Cup next summer. This new “toy” is part of the partnership between the airline and the FFF, announced on February 18. It’s also proof that during the brief stay of the French team in the United States, marketing will be everywhere.
This American tour was also orchestrated by Nike, a major partner of the French Football Federation. The two parties are connected until 2034 for an estimated contract worth €100 million annually. So far, no budget details for this tour have been leaked, but the Nike logo is prominent backstage. Nike has organized several marketing appointments while the team stays at the Four Seasons hotel in Boston to prepare for the first friendly match against Brazil on Thursday night, before heading to Washington for the second game against Colombia on Sunday. This also helps promote the new French jerseys unveiled on Monday, one navy blue and the other mint green, reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty.
A meeting with the NBA team, the Celtics
But this tour initiated by Nike and planned months ago did not happen without the approval of Didier Deschamps. The coach agreed as long as it allowed him to test things before the World Cup, both in sports and operationally in Boston, the future base camp for the team.
In addition to the hotel, the French team staff will also be able to evaluate the facilities at their training center at Babson College, even though not all contracts with this private school have been finalized. The players will also have the opportunity to train at Gillette Stadium on Thursday when they face the Selecao before playing against Norway on June 26. This reassuring context for the team also promotes team bonding, a key aspect highlighted since the start of this gathering. Amidst various preparations, Didier Deschamps and his team are expected to meet the local NBA team, the Celtics, at their hotel.
Nike preferred the USA over Colombia
The coach also expressed his skepticism last Thursday when talking about this tour to the United States as “not ideal sportively”. In an interview with Le Figaro on Sunday, FFF President Philippe Diallo pointed out that it was not imposed by a sponsor.
However, the reality seems slightly different as both matches against Brazil and Colombia were organized and funded by an external promoter, Pitch. This promoter covers all travel expenses and decided that the second game would take place in Washington and not Tampa Bay as initially planned. Nike strongly pushed for the French team to play against the United States in addition to Brazil, as they are an important partner of the brand. Despite efforts, this did not materialize. With Kylian Mbappé in the lead, Nike continues behind the scenes to work towards bringing the French team closer to the NFL, another powerful sports league in the USA.
Arthur Perrot, Jean-Louis Tourre, and Florent Germain, in Boston.
