Angry Birds Enters NFL Market with Philadelphia Eagles Partnership

Philadelphia Eagles and Finland’s Rovio Entertainment, creator of Angry Birds, announced Wednesday a marketing partnership deal in which characters from the game will be used as animated team mascots.

The Eagles said they are the first sports franchise globally to sign a deal with Angry Birds, who have already attained a billion downloads.

The Birds will use the bird characters to connect with fans, and Rovio will test the football market with an iteration of its current game, perhaps with an eye toward taking it to other NFL markets.

Ari Roitman, senior vice president for business with the Eagles, said the Angry Birds were a “perfect brand fit.” Though the team believes Angry Birds will reach all Eagles fans, they should be highly effective, he said, in reaching the “app and social-media generation.”