The challenge: breaking into Germany
The Patriots earned rights to the German market as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program. This initiative gives teams access to international markets to help grow the league's popularity outside the U.S. It provides opportunities for marketing, sales, fan events, and co-marketing relationships with other entertainment properties abroad.
Expanding into Germany was an exciting opportunity for KSE, given the growing popularity of American football in the country. KSE knew they needed to hire a local operations manager to make the expansion successful. In early 2023, leadership met with a candidate who was an excellent match for the role.
The solution: a playbook for international growth with G-P™
To expedite the hiring process and navigate international labor laws, KSE turned to G-P, their existing Gillette Stadium naming rights partner. G-P EOR allowed them to quickly hire, onboard, and manage employees in Germany without setting up a local entity.
“New laws, new pay practices, new benefits programs – every country has different regulations to abide by," Miranda MacKenzie, Director of Benefits, Compensation, and Systems at the Kraft Group & Affiliates (parent company of KSE). "A top priority for us was finding an EOR partner that would uphold our standards for employee treatment and truly collaborate with us, rather than simply handling administrative tasks. Luckily for us, G-P fit that bill."
The impact: touching down in new territories
Thanks to their partnership with G-P, KSE quickly onboarded a local employee to manage the Patriots’ operations in Germany. This addition has been key to engaging new fans, navigating cultural nuances, expanding business networks, and promoting the Patriots to build a loyal following.
“Having a local representative in Germany allows us to establish a genuine connection with our international fans. Hiring global talent through G-P is as easy as it is impactful," said Joe Dorant, Senior Director of Sales Operations at KSE. "We’ve been able to build the best team to engage with our fans and clients in new markets on an organic level.”
G-P global HR expertise ensures compliance with international legal and regulatory requirements. From crafting contracts to implementing pay and benefits programs, KSE can expand globally with confidence.
“With their preexisting global presence and expertise in the diverse rules and regulations in new countries, partnering with G-P empowers us to expand our footprint seamlessly," MacKenzie explained. "Using G-P's platform makes it easy to onboard employees, securely manage their information, ensure accurate pay approvals, and address employee queries. It also includes a wealth of information related to laws and HR considerations for each country – it's an essential resource.”
Our commitment goes beyond compliance. Employees hired through G-P feel fully integrated into KSE’s culture and supported in their roles.
“If I ever need assistance with an HR administrative task, G-P does an excellent job supporting me," said Christopher Knower, Germany Operations Manager at KSE. "While I’m officially employed through G-P, I’m fully immersed within the KSE culture and feel 100% like a member of the team.”
“It was important for us to find an EOR partner who would treat our employees how we expect them to be treated," added MacKenzie. "The most important thing about HR is making sure that we're caring for our most important resource as a company — our employees. With G-P, we feel like we were putting our staff in good hands.”
KSE has continued their global expansion into Brazil, Switzerland, and Austria. With G-P by their side, KSE can easily hire local talent to engage fans around the world.
“G-P streamlines our international hiring process, allowing us to focus on growing our global presence and fan base," MacKenzie concluded. "We’re eager to continue our partnership with G-P to support our employees and continue the seamless growth in new markets.”
