People know the teams and players outside America. It’s one of the reason the NFL keeps sending the Viking to play in London, for whatever reason the team is very popular in England. And truth told even international sports are local. Sure lots of the world plays soccer, but China doesn’t follow the English Premier league, they follow their own. Ask an Indian about a cricket team from England, even one AT a cricket game and they will probably stare at you blankly, they follow Indian cricket, not English. American sports generally get the best cross border following.
I must stress I am NOT anti-American. I love America, and its values.
Nevertheless, NOBODY outside America could name more than 2-4 American sportsman or teams. American sports are irrelevant outside America.