NFL team credit cards that ran on the Visa network now run on American Express, and the old Visa cards stopped working on October 12. That was nine days ago. Cardholders could not opt out and keep a Visa account, according to CardRates, a card-industry news site.
Comenity Capital Bank is still the issuer, and its parent, Bread Financial, runs the program with American Express.
How the switch to American Express unfolded
The CardRates report lays out a timeline. Full access to Visa accounts ended August 25, and access was limited from August 26 through August 31. On August 31, balances and eligible rewards moved to accounts on the American Express network.
Replacement American Express cards were scheduled to arrive September 20 through 28. The existing Visa cards stopped working October 12.
Along the way, the account number, the security code and the expiration date all changed. A card number saved anywhere before the switch is now out of date.
Which payments may have broken since October 12?
Anyone with an NFL team card on file for a recurring charge is the person affected. That includes a streaming service, a utility, an insurance premium, a gym membership, a pharmacy refill or a digital wallet, any of which could have been set up on the old Visa number.
CardRates says cardholders needed to update the card details, meaning the new account number, security code and expiration date, for recurring payments, merchants that bill regularly and digital wallets before October 12. It also says cardholders should confirm that autopay or scheduled payments transferred, since the bank says they “should” carry over.
A payment that did not carry over can fail without any warning, and a missed premium or utility bill can bring late fees or a lapse in service.
For a cardholder asking which automatic payments broke, the list starts with every bill or subscription ever charged to the old card. The statement for the new card shows which of them posted since the switch, and any bill that has not posted is the first one to chase.
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Why cardholders could not opt out
The switch was a network change, not a new offer, which is why cardholders were not asked for consent. The account, the balance and the rewards moved over; the card number, security code and expiration date are what changed.
CardRates says cardholders cannot opt out of the conversion and keep an existing Visa account. The only way to avoid the American Express version is to close the account.
Rewards, rates, fees, credit limits and payment due dates stay the same, the report says, and existing rewards balances transfer automatically. The card earns 3 percent on qualifying NFL purchases, 2 percent on food delivery, grocery, gym, sporting goods and restaurant purchases, and 1 percent on everything else. There is no annual fee.
The $100 welcome offer, which requires $500 in non-NFL spending within 90 days, is tied to opening an account. CardRates advises that transitioning cardholders should not assume they qualify.
Who is behind the NFL card program?
Allegra Krishnan, the NFL’s senior vice president of marketing strategy and science, said: “Through our partnership with American Express and Bread Financial, the NFL Extra Points Card brings team loyalty to life.” CardRates attributes the quote to the announcement of the program.
Other perks listed by CardRates include 25 percent off at NFLShop.com, according to Bread Financial’s announcement, and special financing on NFL ticket purchases of $250 or more.
The report names the NFL Extra Points card in its coverage, and its headline refers to most NFL team credit cards moving to the American Express network. Cardholders who are unsure whether a particular team card is included can check the notice mailed to them or the number on the back of the card.
Not sure which autopays went with the old NFL card?
A recurring charge that fails after a card swap can sit unpaid for weeks, and a bill that reaches a collector brings a different set of problems. Retirees with several autopays on one card are the most exposed, because a single dead card can break a pharmacy refill, an insurance premium and a utility bill at once.
The Bank Account & Debt Protection Kit includes a debt inventory, call log and deadline tracker. It gives a household one place to list every bill tied to the card, record each call to a biller, and track what was fixed. Part 4 covers what to do when a collector calls.
Get the autopay inventory and call-log tracker for the old NFL card →
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
