On November 3, 2023, the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany celebrated its 32nd Transatlantic Partnership Award (TAPA) ceremony. AmCham Germany’s prestigious award was presented to the National Football League (NFL) for the association’s positive impact of bringing people across the Atlantic together through the spirit of sport and the shared values that define the transatlantic partnership.
Together with the representatives of the City of Frankfurt and the iconic football club Eintracht Frankfurt e.V., AmCham Germany hosted the award ceremony at the Thurn & Taxis Palais in Frankfurt am Main to welcome the NFL prior to the two seasonal games of the League taking place in November.
The AmCham Germany Transatlantic Partnership Award pays tribute to outstanding individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of German American relations and friendship, and foster collaboration across the Atlantic. Since 1987, AmCham Germany has bestowed the TAPA on exemplary individuals and institutions that have advanced the transatlantic alliance and their impact is experienced by the wide public.
Past recipients include luminary figures and institutions. Most recently, in 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization won the TAPA Award with General Secretary Stoltenberg accepting on behalf of NATO. Other past winners were Bill Gates for his Foundation’s work, German basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki, and the Berlin and New York Philharmonic.
The gala was kicked off with welcoming remarks by Mike Josef, the Mayor of the City of Frankfurt and Philip Holzer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Eintracht Frankfurt. In their speeches, both distinguished speakers underlined the international spirit of the city of Frankfurt, stressing the connectivity of the city in terms of logistics, finance, and ultimately, the strong sports tradition.
Simone Menne, AmCham Germany President initiated the award ceremony. In her remarks, she underscored the importance of the TAPA and explained why the NFL was an exemplary awardee this year. Taking the NFL as an example, she highlighted how the League serves as a great reminder of how to tackle obstacles and keep an eye on common goals. Football reminds us that we must stick to the rules, stand in unity in difficult times, trust our partners and teammates, and to celebrate what each partner brings to the field.
During his laudatory speech, David Knower, Managing Director and Partner, Cerberus Deutschland Beteiligungsberatung GmbH, emphasized the significance of bringing the spirit of the NFL to Germany and the thrill of having two games take place in Frankfurt. He underscored the importance of the connection between business associations such as AmCham Germany and the NFL – a connection that provides the opportunity to invigorate transatlantic spirit and coming together to celebrate sports. A key point in his laudatory speech was the goal of thinking about tomorrow – and the generations that follow. The NFL provides platforms to give opportunities for younger generations: The League constantly seeks talent and has established initiatives of learning and training opportunities for sport talent across the globe. He expressed the value of having sport as means of bringing people together - from being a great conversation starter to creating common identities.
It was an honor to have Commissioner Roger Goodell, representing the NFL, accept the award in person. As star of the evening and of the TAPA award ceremony, Commissioner Goodell touched upon the great cultural value of the event itself, and of the exciting games ahead in November. This touchdown in Frankfurt symbolizes a thrilling journey of the NFL in Germany and provides an excellent opportunity of uniting people across the Atlantic and strengthening ties.
The gala concluded with a moderated talk between Peter O’Reilly, Executive Vice President, Club Business, International & League Events, NFL and Axel Hellmann, Speaker of the Executive Board, Eintracht Frankfurt Fussball AG.
We would like to thank all our distinguished guests and speakers who attended this year's award ceremony: our premium sponsors Accenture and McDonald’s Germany LLC, and our sponsor FrankfurtRheinMain!
Once more, a heartfelt thank you goes to our TAPA jury members that discussed numerous candidates and proposals for this year’s award:
Simone Menne, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Germany (Chair),
Ambassador Baiba Braže, Assistant Secretary General, Public Diplomacy, North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
Mario Federico, President and Managing Director, McDonald's Deutschland LLC,
David Knower, Managing Director and Partner, Cerberus Deutschland Beteiligungsberatung GmbH,
Michael Link, Member of the Bundestag, and Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation, Federal Foreign Office,
Kirsten Ludowig, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Handelsblatt,
Christina Raab, Market Unit Lead ASG, Accenture GmbH.
