London’s third and final NFL game of the season will be the 39th to be held in the city since 2007, and like many previous match-ups, Sunday’s matinee at Wembley will be played between a couple of league bottom feeders — the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars. If local interest in the NFL can survive these dismal 1-5 teams, there are better days ahead for Britain’s growing number of gridiron football fans. Top expert Dennis Deninger predicted that by the end of the decade there will be an NFL team established in London, and within 5 years after that, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host a Super Bowl. With the NFL claiming to generate more than $389 million annually for London’s economy, local politicians are envisioning the financial impact of Britain having its own NFL team. The NFL has considered expanding to London for years, intermittently shooting down the idea of moving the Jaguars or other floundering teams to the city. An expansion franchise would make more sense, given the billions in fees that the league could charge for a new team. NFL spokesman Mark Waller said in January 2016 that the fan base is big enough and passionate enough that it can support a franchise in London. The London Games have certainly helped to build that fan base, and if the NFL has proven anything, it’s that demand is king.
Top Experts Say London Will Have an NFL Team By 2030 and Will Host a Super Bowl By 2035
London’s third and final NFL game of the season will be the 39th to be held in the city since 2007, and like many previous match-ups, Sunday’s matinee at Wembley will be played between a couple of league bottom feeders — the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars. If local interest in the NFL can survive these dismal 1-5 teams, there are better days ahead for Britain’s growing number of gridiron football fans. Top expert Dennis Deninger predicted that by the end of the decade there will be an NFL team established in London, and within 5 years after that, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host a Super Bowl. With the NFL claiming to generate more than $389 million annually for London’s economy, local politicians are envisioning the financial impact of Britain having its own NFL team. The NFL has considered expanding to London for years, intermittently shooting down the idea of moving the Jaguars or other floundering teams to the city. An expansion franchise would make more sense, given the billions in fees that the league could charge for a new team. NFL spokesman Mark Waller said in January 2016 that the fan base is big enough and passionate enough that it can support a franchise in London. The London Games have certainly helped to build that fan base, and if the NFL has proven anything, it’s that demand is king.