Last Sunday, I attended my very first NFL game in Paris – and not just any game, the very first NFL game ever played in France.
As the partner of a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers superfan, not going was not really an option. And if I'm honest, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it nearly as much as I did.
But then I had this chance to experience it live.
From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this was about far more than a game. It was an event in the truest sense of the word. The energy around the stadium was contagious. Fans had travelled from all over the world, bringing together a remarkable mix of cultures, accents, and stories. Everywhere you looked, people were united by a shared passion for the sport and their teams.
And then there were the Steelers fans of course.
If you've never witnessed a sea of Terrible Towels in action, I must say this is something special. Seeing thousands of yellow towels twirling in the air at the same time was both impressive and surprisingly emotional. Looking around at the stadium, it was impossible not to smile.
Before the game, I felt a bit nervous. We were proudly supporting the Steelers, and I imagined the stadium might be divided into "friendly" and "enemy" territory and we had no idea whether we were sitting among Steelers fans or supporters of the other team. Maybe years of European sporting culture had conditioned me to expect separation between rival supporters I guess.
Instead, everyone was mixed together.
It was a powerful reminder that passion doesn't have to create division.
Too often, whether in sport, business, or everyday life, we fall into an "us versus them" mindset. We assume differences are barriers rather than opportunities for connection. Yet here was a stadium full of people proving the opposite. They shared a common love of the game, and that was enough to create a welcoming environment for everyone.
I went there thinking I was simply accompanying my partner to a game. I left understanding a little bit more why people love the NFL so much.
Not because I suddenly know all the rules (I definitely don't!). But because I experienced something that, at its heart, was about community, respect, tradition, and thousands of people coming together to share a passion.
And for me, that was the real highlight of the day.
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