Key figures in the NFL’s international marketing activities, Henry Hodgson and Charlotte Offord, have been appointed as the general managers of the UK and Australia to lead the league’s international growth.

Hodgson, currently the vice president of international marketing and based in Los Angeles, will move to the UK and lead the NFL’s UK business, while Offord, currently the NFL UK senior director of marketing, will become the league’s first full-time employee in Australia as she leads the NFL’s business in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), with both starting their new roles in July.

Hodgson joined the NFL as a PR assistant in London, but moved to Los Angeles to focus his efforts on digital content, before focusing on international marketing in 2016, Offord also started at NFL UK, joining the marketing team after the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where she oversaw the UK’s marketing efforts.

Commenting on the appointments, NFL COO of international, Damani Leech, said: “International is one of the League’s fastest-growing business areas and a key strategic priority.”

“Within that we have identified two leadership positions that will play a critical role in our future success and development of our sport.

“Henry and Charlotte have proved themselves as talented, creative individuals and we are excited about the opportunities for growth in their respective areas that these appointments create,” Leech said.

Commenting on his appointment, Hodgson said he’s excited to return to the UK and to have an opportunity to build on the momentum the league has built over the last decade.

“The growth is evident in the size of the fanbase and how NFL fans engage with the sport on TV, social media, at the games in London and across multiple other touchpoints,” Hodgson said.

“I look forward to working with the talented NFL UK team to continue that growth,” he said.

Commenting on the potential for fan growth in the ANZ market, Offord, said: “Having been a part of the NFL’s development in the UK for the past 10 years, I am excited to be taking on this opportunity to drive further fan growth and football development across these markets.”

“Australia and New Zealand are both countries that already have a rich sporting culture so I am looking forward to bringing sports fans in these territories closer to the game of American football,” she said.

The announcement comes after 13 NFL teams partnered with blockchain, Socios.com.