Kraft Sports + Entertainment grows American football fandom across Europe and South America

The challenge: hiring in Germany and Brazil without entities in EMEA or South America

When the NFL awarded the New England Patriots international home marketing rights in Germany through its Global Markets Program, Kraft Sports + Entertainment (KSE) saw an immediate opportunity. American football was growing fast across Europe, and KSE knew that capitalizing on that momentum meant having someone on the ground who understood the market, the culture, and the fans. The challenge was hiring in a country where KSE had no legal entity or HR infrastructure.

Brazil wasn't far behind. With an estimated 38 million American football fans and the NFL hosting its first-ever game in São Paulo, KSE saw the same high-growth potential — and faced the exact same legal hurdle.

The solution: a global hiring partner with in-country expertise

To expedite hiring and navigate international labor laws, KSE turned to G-P's Employer of Record (EOR) solution, which allowed the organization to quickly hire, onboard, and manage employees in both Germany and Brazil without establishing local entities.

“Germany was a completely new country for us — new laws, new pay practices, new benefit programs,” said Miranda MacKenzie, Director of Benefits, Compensation and HRIS at The Kraft Group (parent company of KSE). “Everything is different in every country you go to, so we really needed a partner to help guide us. Luckily for us, G-P fit that bill.” 

“We knew right away that we needed someone with boots on the ground,” said Joe Dorant, Vice President, Venue Initiatives & International Operations at KSE. “We found the right person, but we thought, 'how do we make this happen compliantly?' We spoke to G-P, and it was a seamless process.”

The impact: fast onboarding, local compliance, and true team immersion

Thanks to G-P, KSE quickly onboarded local operations managers in both Germany and Brazil — roles essential to engaging new fan bases, navigating cultural nuances, and building brand equity internationally.

“Seeing that G-P was part of this initiative made my life so much easier,” said Lara Magalhães, Business Operations Manager, Brazil at KSE. “I was able to navigate the onboarding process seamlessly under Brazilian employment laws, which are very different from U.S. laws. It took me maybe 20 minutes to complete the entire process, and the materials were available in both Portuguese and English. Having G-P as a partner allows me to focus completely on what I need to do without worrying about international legal complexities.”

In Germany, the employee experience proved just as seamless.

“On paper, I am employed through G-P, but it never feels that way,” said Christopher Knower, Operations Manager, Germany at KSE. “It truly feels like I was hired by the Patriots and work for the Patriots 100%. In fact, 99% of the people who know me have no idea that I work for G-P officially. It’s been smooth sailing.”

“When we were looking for a partner, we wanted someone who would treat our employees how we expect them to be treated,” added MacKenzie. “That means making sure they're able to enroll in their benefits, ensuring their taxes are set up properly, and having all of those processes available within one system. With G-P, we know our team is in good hands.”

With G-P managing global employment infrastructure, KSE can evaluate future international growth in markets like Austria and Switzerland with complete confidence.

“The fact that we can work directly with our fans and connect with them at an organic level in new markets is critical to our growth,” concluded Dorant. “Having G-P alongside us through that process has been fantastic.”