The deal, which is a first-of-its-kind for the RFU, starts next October, with the matchup for the first International Series game at Twickenham to be announced later this year. The agreement also gives the NFL the opportunity to stage two additional games over the same period.
“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. 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.”
Mark Waller, NFL Executive Vice President of International
Just weeks about the NFL announced that it has extended its Wembley Stadium agreement, with a minimum of two games per year to be played there through 2020. Earlier this year, the NFL reached agreement with Tottenham Hotspur to play at least two games per year at the Premier League club’s new stadium, beginning in 2018.
Overall, it’s a great result for fans here in the UK, a further opportunity to see the teams we love, play. I decided to ask a question on Twitter to see what our NFL fans here in the UK felt about it. Here are the responses I received:
“More games in the UK is great. Would have preferred them at Wembley though.” @Murph_XF
“Good news depending on transport links?! Don’t really know if its easy to get there, but is a great stadium” @Adam18031983
“More difficult travel than Wembley but more pubs near by” @Dennett08
“I had been speaking about them [Twickenham] hosting games there only yesterday. I mean what is it used for most of the time?” @The_1_Hendo
“There are other places in England than London” @Greeneil83
“Love the decision. More guaranteed games can only be a good thing for us UK fans” @DaleJones14
There are a number of non-London fans who’d love to see the game further north in the likes of Manchester and other cities. Will the game ever make its way up here? That’s another question I’d like to see the NFL discuss as ultimately, having more games in London mean it’s an even bigger expense for travelling fans who want to go to all the games, having a game somewhere like Manchester would mean less expense for some, and a wider audience for those in all corners of the UK. However, I completely understand and appreciate that if the ultimate goal is for a franchise in London, then it makes sense to keep all games there – in which case, can we have other NFL events like the fan forums held elsewhere in the UK perhaps?
Without a doubt, more games here is only a positive but I’ve seen throughout the day, a number of fans showing a lot of concerns, especially with how the season tickets would work across stadiums. I’m sure the NFL has a plan this and that they’ll make more announcements soon to explain it all.