It is exciting having international sports in London and we should embrace it.
Last weekend we trekked across London to Wembley Stadium for the 10th game of the international series of NFL, it was also the second game there this year. However this wasn’t my first NFL game as I was lucky enough to go, back in 2011 when they only had one game in London for the season.
I only purchased tickets in 2011 because I’d spent the summer in America and was desperate to keep my American summer alive. We saw the Bears beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I had basically no clue about what was going on. With a late kick off it was freezing and I struggled to enjoy it because of the cold. However since that game three years ago my interest in NFL has only grown, we threw a huge Super Bowl party on the Murray River Queen and skipped work for the only time in our 88 days of regional work. Heading to Wembley Stadium last Sunday I was very prepared for the game we were about to see.
When the three games were announced earlier this year, my boyfriend allowed me to choose which game we would attend. It was an easy choice for me: Detroit vs Atlanta – it was a 1pm kick off and I had actually been to Detroit and I’m so glad I chose that game: never once did I get cold and it turned out to be one of the best games, like ever.
For anyone interested Detroit trailed by 21 at half time but with four seconds to go the scored had been pulled right back to 19-21. In those four seconds Detroit kicked a field goal from the 42 yard line and some how scored, to win by 1 point.
Why is NFL in London awesome?
Having American Football in London to some English football fans is ridiculous. What is this football where they actually pick up the ball? Why do they have four quarters instead of two halves? And why do they constantly change the players on the field?
Trust me, I would have been one of those English football fans five years ago. Don’t get me wrong I still LOVE English football and will support Southampton through and through. However having NFL in London with the possibility of an actual team being based here in the near future is exciting. There is something about the way Americans do things that makes NFL super exciting. It might be an all singing all dancing affair but it’s infectious, the energy and attitude of the people in that stadium in London is electric. You get fans from every NFL team, proudly wearing their team shirt even if that isn’t the team playing. NFL in Wembley Stadium isn’t just a game it is a celebration of the sport.
I’ve seen sporting games in several different countries with all different interpretations of football – for instance Australia have the AFL and that is played in yet another different way. Embracing these world differences of football is fun. We take our English football all over the world and I think it is about time NFL is taken all over the world – or at least to Europe.
If you think that this is just another boring football match you would be wrong. NFL isn’t just a boring match – with music support before the match even starts, cheerleaders throughout the match and a show reel on the TV every time the play stops. You don’t just go to NFL for football you go for the whole event that American football is.
Still don’t believe that NFL in London is awesome? Then check out these photos from last Sunday.
I am lucky enough to be heading to another game this season in New York City, however if you are not that lucky there will be more games in London next year – as tickets are all sold out for the last game in November.
Tags: Football London NFL Things To Do In United Kingdom
