Embracing Thanksgiving and the USA’s Importance as Football Takes Off

As we approach the festive season, it’s important to note that the United States, one of our key markets, has recently celebrated Thanksgiving. The historical and culturally significant US holiday is a time for friends and families to come together and express their gratitude and blessings. While it is not celebrated in the UK or most European countries, those who have lived in the US still tend to host a Thanksgiving dinner with friends, known as ‘Friendsgiving’.

For this year’s Thanksgiving, we saw some of our clients post creative and festive graphics for the holiday. Serie A North America posted three graphics for the holiday; the first being a playful spin on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner where the turkey was in fact a football.

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A post shared by Serie A 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽 (@seriea_northamerica)

The Leagues Cup posted a graphic which had players from four MLS teams having a Thanksgiving picnic, again with the traditional feast, wishing everyone a happy holiday.

😊 #HappyThanksgiving from the Leagues Cup family to yours — enjoy the holiday! 🦃 pic.twitter.com/AUW90WU4FN

— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) November 23, 2023

West Ham and Everton, who both have US-focused accounts, also posted for the holiday. 

Happy Thanksgiving to our supporters who celebrate! 🍁 pic.twitter.com/tt0ME13B2K

— West Ham United US (@WestHam_US) November 23, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving to all our 🇺🇸 Blues! 💙 pic.twitter.com/PfBFKRjLpZ

— Everton in the USA (@EvertonInUSA) November 23, 2023

The importance of UK/European clubs posting for not only this holiday but other US celebrations will continue to grow as their state-side fan bases expand, much like the interest in the sport itself. Not to forget that the next World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada! 

Engaging in cultural celebrations, including holidays, can be a way for clubs to build partnerships with local businesses and communities beyond their own borders.  This collaboration can stretch beyond the arena and have positive effects on the team’s relationships in the region. Creating a dedicated social account for the region or language is a crucial first step, which we believe can help teams connect with a broader audience and build a more engaged and diverse fanbase.

Matteo Trevisani, Samba Digital’s Territory Manager for the US and LATAM, shared his thoughts on the importance of celebrating cultural celebrations; “Being a part of the cultural conversation is at the heart of what we do at Samba and Força.

Día de los Muertos and Thanksgiving are two of many important dates to our fanbases across the world and for years we have created unique content around key dates to celebrate these special moments. Cultural content can never be forced and our local market expertise is key to create impactful and memorable moments for our clients’ fans. We are extremely proud to see our work published and showcased by the largest clubs, leagues, rights holders and brands in the world.”