NFL expands London presence, will play games at Twickinham Stadium

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 3, 2015, 9:19 AM EST
AP

Even more American football games are heading to London.

The NFL has announced a partnership with the Rugby Football Union that will include at least three regular-season games at Twickenham Stadium in London, starting in October 2016. That will be the first London game played at a venue other than Wembley Stadium.

“We are committed to continuing to grow our sport in the UK and believe that adding Twickenham Stadium to our roster of host venues in London is further evidence of that commitment,” NFL executive vice president of international Mark Waller said in a statement. “We are very excited to give our fans the opportunity to enjoy NFL action at another world-class venue famous for attracting loyal and passionate fans from across the globe.”

American fans have given London games mixed reviews. Some enjoy the early-morning kickoffs and the potential for growth of America’s game, but many dislike taking home games away from teams and giving turning them into neutral-field games in London. But the NFL is doing everything it can to expand its London presence. Next season will feature at least two games at Wembley Stadium along with the one at Twickenham, and starting in 2018 the NFL will play at least two games a year at English soccer team Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium.

The NFL does not appear close to moving a franchise to London, but the NFL may soon play eight games a year in London. Whether American fans like it or not.

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29 responses to “NFL expands London presence, will play games at Twickinham Stadium”

  2. YOU GUYS ARE IDIOTS!!! The London thing is already moving to a different stadium??? Why do the fans in America lose a home game from 3 of their teams. This is American football leave the game here for American fans!!! They had 2 European leagues that FAILED, so why keep this thing going???

  4. I especially don’t like it when the owner decides to give up a home game with a division rival, losing the advantage in one of the 3 most important games of the year.

  5. 17 game season coming soon. This way no home games are given away. You will play at a neutral site. It will open up opportunity for NFL to play in other markets where there is no team.

  6. When the NFL finally disciplines the Dolts for not putting Luck’s broken ribs on the injury report, it should include having to play all available London games. It’s all about the integrity of the game, right Roger? Hiding your QB’s injury is a rules violation.
    Hypocrites!

  8. I don’t agree with teams losing home games to play overseas, but Roger and the owners see virgin territory (well, semi-virgin) and a whole lot of money on the table.

    There is no fighting this when the “integrity of the game” is mostly concerned with larger profits.

  9. Making more money across the ocean than here in the states? Why else would they continue to play over there?

  10. – Good for the growth of American football
    – gives me something to do Sunday morning on the East Coast
    – eventually a team will be regularly based in London, which will be fine with me if they end up supporting the team with ticket purchases at least equivalent to a mid-sized American city.

    I’m willing to forfeit the occasional home game for my team to help grow American football internationally. Also, flying from the US East Coast to London isn’t much further than flying from the US southeast to Seattle. Don’t be so shortsighted.

  11. London games really suck for West Coast fans. I’m not going to get up at the butt crack of dawn to watch the games unless my Niners are playing and even then it is still asking me to wake up early on one of my only days to sleep in.

  12. Until the Bronocs, Patriots, Cowboys, Packers, Giants or Steelers lose a home game, this whole thing is a farce. But it’ll never happen and the people of London get stuck with losers like the Jags and Bucs.

  14. asimonetti88 says:
    Nov 3, 2015 9:58 AM

    London games really suck for West Coast fans. I’m not going to get up at the butt crack of dawn to watch the games unless my Niners are playing and even then it is still asking me to wake up early on one of my only days to sleep in.

    Oh BOO-HOO…..

    We on the East Coast have to put up with ridiculously late games EVERY WEEK just in case you clowns decide you want to watch a game out there and then we have to wake up to go to work the next day on only few hours sleep.

    So suck it up buttercup.

    Seriously – the league HAS TO cater to the team fans. If two East Coast teams are playing against one another DON’T make it a late game just so the few people on the left coast might watch it.

    It is ridiculous….

  16. “Until the Bronocs, Patriots, Cowboys, Packers, Giants or Steelers lose a home game,”

    The Pats have played there a couple of times, but I can’t remember if the lost a home game either time.

    I know this. If there’s going to be a team there eventually they should have no trouble finding players. If my choice was to live in Cleveland, Minneapolis, Buffalo or one of several other cities in the US or in London, one of the most exciting cities in the world I’d take London every time.

  17. This fan could care less if they moved the entire league to London. I’m just about done with it anyways. How come no tv ratings articles this season boys? Is it because the ratings are declining?

  18. Don’t forget, the NFL wants to add a game in Germany and Mexico as well.

    We really aren’t that far off from every team having to play at least one international game a season. I don’t like it any more than anyone else on here, but I assume what will happen is each team will alternate being the “road” team vs the “home” team each year. That way, each team across the league will lose 1 home game every other year. I hate it, and I think it’s dumb. But it’s the direction the league is taking.

  19. To iamkillerfin

    The leagues which ‘failed’ was the same league, WLAF/NFL Europe

    It produced many good players for the NFL (Brad Johnson, Jake Delhomme, Kurt Warner) but over the years european fans wanted real football not 3rd stringers.

    All NFL games over here have sold out and are very popular, tv coverage is bigger than ever. I enjoyed NFLE but you cant compare that to the NFL.

    The fans went off NFLE, they wanted real football and they’ve got that with regular season games

  20. Better than moving to Mexico, where all home games
    with a 70k seating Stadium would be over flowing with 100k fans by selling 20k Tickets!
    And all their start times would have to be 3:00 because Noon is Siesta time!
    ARRIBA !!!!!!

  21. The Pats have played there a couple of times, but I can’t remember if the lost a home game either time.
    ===
    They were always the visitors.

    Being forced to give up a home game is a “suck tax” of sorts.

  22. So start ANOTHER European league & LEAVE THE NFL IN AMERICA!!! I personally liked the idea of having a second league in the off season of the NFL for players that didn’t get a chance in the NFL to go play there!!! Make it a bigger field like the CFL & play it like a world football league & LEAVE THE NFL ALONE!!!

  23. People you are all losing the reasoning behind this move. Roger needs a raise because he worked hard this off season to hang Tommy. Maybe we could send Roger to England to run a franchise into the ground. Next thing you know it will be announced that SB 5_ will be in London. Kickoff will be pushed back to 10am. Take care of current problems before you think off doing something stupid.

    Why not just expand two more teams and put them both in England.

  24. Mark Waller said in a statement. “We are very excited to give our fans the opportunity to enjoy NFL action at another world-class venue famous for attracting loyal and passionate fans from across the globe.”
    _______________________________
    How intuitive. That’s exactly what I have been missing, the opportunity to enjoy NFL action at another international venue. Give me a break. There is only one reason to add additional international venues – expanded broadcast rights. It has nothing to do with giving our existing fans a better product. Only one issue – money in the pockets of existing owners.
    It’s sickening the ways and means and layers the NFL is breaching the integrity of the game.

  25. Hey NFL , why don’t you figure out how to alienate a few more fans . You are jamming LA down everyone’s throat and have 3 cities worried that they will lose their teams. You continue to jam London down our throats . No one in the US cares about football in London. They will care when you try to move an existing team, maybe the team that doesn’t end up in LA ? The greed never ends.

  26. Also the NFL has signed a deal to play more games at Tottenham Hotspurs new London stadium. So that will be three London venues.

  27. What I miss about old school NFL football when the actual game itself was the biggest story of the day.

    The competition on the field has become secondary to the 24 hour news cycle.

  28. While I don’t want to see a team based in London, I do enjoy watching a game at 9:30am instead of 5 hrs of pre-game shows that now include such wonderful insight as judging the fashion taste of players walking into the stadium.

    And if you ever want to see quality football again you should support the reformation of either NFL Europe or some other minor league. Now that practice is against the CBA, the play is terrible. Maybe playing in NFL Europe players would be taught how to block and tackle.

  29. Maybe if there’s enough popularity at Twinkletoe stadium, London can finally get it’s own team exactly as described in an episode of Family Guy. The Sillynannies.

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