Who watches American Football in the UK? (7 Viewers)

[Gazolba]

84,000 spectators to watch the latest NFL game at Wembley. Just who watches this sport in the UK? Are they all Americans living in or near London or are British people actually getting interested in this 'sport'. I'm curious because I never thought this could possibly catch on in the UK.

 

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[Otis]

84,000 spectators to watch the latest NFL game at Wembley. Just who watches this sport in the UK? Are they all Americans living in or near London or are British people actually getting interested in this 'sport'. I'm curious because I never thought this could possibly catch on in the UK.

Been popular for nigh on 30 years, Gazbola.

Would guess that the majority there were Brits. I went to a Wembley game a few years back and it was mainly British people I cams across. As soon as they announce the games they sell out very, very quickly too.

Think the obvious answer to how popular it is here is the fact that a UK NFL franchise team is very much on the cards, so we'll have a permanent NFL team here in the very near future.

 

[Captain Dart]

I was flipping channels and heard the announcer say 'please take off your hats for the Star Spangled banner', that was all I needed to know. #NotInmyCountry

PS I did go to one game in the States some years ago & it was pretty good entertainment & a great atmosphere, no real idea what was happening but I was never bored.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Never been as I won't go to Wembley until we get there.

i watch it every Sunday evening but have yet to watch any of the London games on the tv think it's just a case of the timings.

 

[stupot07]

I enjoy watching both the NFL and the NBA, and would love to go to Wembley to watch it live but haven't been.




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[Covstu]

never really interested me but looks a good 'event'. One thing the americans can do well is put on a show.

 

[stupot07]

It was the film Wildcats with Goldie Horne that got me hooked as a kid. Then it kind of dropped off due it not being on tv much.


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[We'll_live_and_die]

It's like any sport, once you understand the rules it's really entertaining.

I went on holiday to Mexico 3 years ago and sat watching it with yanks who explained the rules to me. Liked it since.

 

[Otis]

It was the film Wildcats with Goldie Horne that got me hooked as a kid. Then it kind of dropped off due it not being on tv much.


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Well how many times could you see the film before you'd start to get really bored? Jeez, Goldie Horne or not, there's only so many times surely!

 

[Si80]

I watch NFL most weekends on Sky. Follow the Giants, would love to watch them in the US though rather than at Wembley.

Watching sport in the US is a very different experience to watching sport in the UK though. Very much a "show", I like that about it. Madison Square Gardens watching NY Rangers was a great experience.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Not managed to get to a game yet as whenever i was in the US it was out of season or no tickets available.

Seen quite a few Seattle Mariner's baseball games and when in Canada went to watch the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL which was really boring and I was glad when it finished.

Would like to go and see the Seattle Sounders in in the MLS.

 

[Gazolba]

Seen quite a few Seattle Mariner's baseball games

The subject was American Football but since you mentioned it, I've seen a couple of World Series baseball games on TV. If you think cricket is boring, wait until you have seen this game. It's like watching paint dry. I hear the sport is declining in the US relative to their other sports.

 

[stupot07]

Well how many times could you see the film before you'd start to get really bored? Jeez, Goldie Horne or not, there's only so many times surely!

I was only about 8 years old at the time!


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[stupot07]

The subject was American Football but since you mentioned it, I've seen a couple of World Series baseball games on TV. If you think cricket is boring, wait until you have seen this game. It's like watching paint dry. I hear the sport is declining in the US relative to their other sports.

I really don't get baseball. And their outfits look silly


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[Houchens Head]

American rugby? Nah.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

The subject was American Football but since you mentioned it, I've seen a couple of World Series baseball games on TV. If you think cricket is boring, wait until you have seen this game. It's like watching paint dry. I hear the sport is declining in the US relative to their other sports.

Baseball is better in the ground I never watch it on tv, they play too many games so if you miss one there are another two or three soon after where as the nfl there are hardly any games.

ice hockey is the most boring.

 

[Otis]

I would like ice hockey, but have no idea where the puck is half the time.

Baseball is better live. I went once in Denver and liked the occasion so much I went back for another game.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

I would like ice hockey, but have no idea where the puck is half the time.

Baseball is better live. I went once in Denver and liked the occasion so much I went back for another game.

I went to one that had about 50k inside the dome which was very noisy and then a working day game that had about 30k there. The advantage with baseball was the price I think we only paid a few dollars to get in, where as the ice hockey was about 80 Canadian dollars to get in but I have to say as it has a closed roof the atmosphere was very good.

 

[CCFC88]

Went to watch the Yankees this summer, great stadium and a real buzz around the place but the sport is just so dull.

Went to a Washington Redskins NFL match which was great and going to my first game at Wembley on sunday. Really good Sunday evening viewing before a week at work and fills a gap left by the lull in the golfing calendar

 

[Otis]

Last Sundays' game was a real thriller, so hope this week's game is a great one too.

 

[ajsccfc]

Are they all Americans living in or near London or are British people actually getting interested in this 'sport'.

It's definitely a sport.

 

[scubasteve]

go to all the games at Wembley back there again this weekend. I love the sport its my 2nd sport after football. been to games over in the states as well, went to MetLife stadium in new york to watch the jets, and also been to Oakland to watch the raiders, atmosphere at the games and the pre game tailgates is great. I am a raiders fan so it hopefully we are starting to see us return to the good days, after the last 12 years of being awful.

 

[chiefdave]

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. There's a big difference between selling out 3 games featuring different teams to shifting 80K tickets for the same team every week.

Especially if that team isn't one of the better performing.

Remember the World League? That launched in a blaze of glory with a London team at Wembley but went downhill from there with the team ending up moving around various stadiums until the whole thing was binned.

 

[scubasteve]

Exactly, as much as I love going to the games, 3 games is pushing my limit. As its such a short season, games are close together, 3 games in a month this year, its 40 quid a ticket up in the top tier, add the train at 30 quid, plus beer and food, its a expensive day out, probably 150 quid all in every time I go. On top of telling the Mrs I am at the city game on the Saturday, then a all day and night on Sunday at the NFL.

I think they will struggle to keep selling 80k+ if they got a franchise in London for a minimum 8 games, I think the NFL recognise this hence the shift to using Tottenham's new stadium with a purpose artificial pitch, and I think the capacity is 55k? and also trialling things like this season back to back weekend games which they will have to do if they have a franchise due to the traveling.

 

[Houdi]

go to all the games at Wembley back there again this weekend. I love the sport its my 2nd sport after football. been to games over in the states as well, went to MetLife stadium in new york to watch the jets, and also been to Oakland to watch the raiders, atmosphere at the games and the pre game tailgates is great. I am a raiders fan so it hopefully we are starting to see us return to the good days, after the last 12 years of being awful.

Went to see the Raiders last season at Wembley and saw them many years ago at the old Wembley play an exhibition game against New Orleans,needless to say they lost both games. Yes the last decade has been very hard going for the 'Raider Nation' ,but finally they seem to be turning it around. Love the mystique of the Raiders and they have a fanatical and worldwide devoted fanbase.
Would love to visit the blackhole in Oakland,was in San Francisco many years ago ,but unfortunately it was out of season.
Last weeks win San Diego was hugely impressive and Amari Cooper looks a stud, amazing that there was more Raider fans there than San Diego it seemed like a virtual home game.

 

[Sick Boy]

I wonder how long it'll be before football becomes soccer in this country?

 

[scubasteve]

Soccer AM?

 

[ajsccfc]

We invented the word soccer itself so it would have happened by now.

 

[mechaishida]

Never took to it, personally, too much stuttering 'action' and needless machismo for such a rudimentary sport.

I do agree that a UK-based 'NFL' is inevitable, however I'd very much hope that it'll be branded as the British National AMERICAN Football League. Calling it purely 'football' is a spiteful jibe, in my book. No disrespect intended to actual NFL fans, I'm just not a fan of it whatsoever.

 

[ajsccfc]

I do agree that a UK-based 'NFL' is inevitable, however I'd very much hope that it'll be branded as the British National AMERICAN Football League. Calling it purely 'football' is a spiteful jibe, in my book. No disrespect intended to actual NFL fans, I'm just not a fan of it whatsoever.

The NFL aren't looking to create a new league here, they want to either move a team or create an expansion team here that will be part of the existing competition there. We do have a British league already that goes under the British American Football Association which includes the Coventry Jets (http://www.britishamericanfootball.org/clubs-and-competitions/competitions-overview#.VjdgkESCPk0).

It being called football in North America isn't a jab at association football, it's just named as such because it's played on foot and was prominent there before the other codes of football.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

That takes moving to a whole new level. I'd always assumed it'd be a new team tbh!

Imagine Southampton suddenly being based in Detroit...

 

[chiefdave]

I do agree that a UK-based 'NFL' is inevitable, however I'd very much hope that it'll be branded as the British National AMERICAN Football League. Calling it purely 'football' is a spiteful jibe, in my book. No disrespect intended to actual NFL fans, I'm just not a fan of it whatsoever.

It will still be NFL as it will be an existing team moving to London, by the looks of things Jacksonville. Be interesting to see what happens if that is a success. Will they expand the league to add more European teams, they can't really add a third conferernce without huge changes.

They tried a seperate league before, the World League launched in 91, which had London Monarchs playing at Wembley in a league that was a mix of Europe, Canada and America. Started well but only lasted 2 seasons.

Was then relaunched in 95 as NFL Europe, with a move to White Hart Lane for London, with just European teams with the season moved to after the American season to try and increase TV numbers in the US. Then then moved to Stamford Bridge.

In 98 it was decided London wasn't working, attendances had dropped to well below 20K and there was a rebrand to England Monarchs with the team travelling around the country. Didn't work and attendances dropped off massively. They folded after that season, the only other UK team (Scottish Claymores) folded in 04 and the whole league collapsed in. From then on all but one team was German. The whole league was binned off in 07.

There's still a European League which has a London and Manchester teams. There's a British league as well which has the Coventry Jets who play in the top tier and do pretty well. They play at Sphinx I think.

 

[Otis]

It will still be NFL as it will be an existing team moving to London, by the looks of things Jacksonville. Be interesting to see what happens if that is a success. Will they expand the league to add more European teams, they can't really add a third conferernce without huge changes.

They tried a seperate league before, the World League launched in 91, which had London Monarchs playing at Wembley in a league that was a mix of Europe, Canada and America. Started well but only lasted 2 seasons.

Was then relaunched in 95 as NFL Europe, with a move to White Hart Lane for London, with just European teams with the season moved to after the American season to try and increase TV numbers in the US. Then then moved to Stamford Bridge.

In 98 it was decided London wasn't working, attendances had dropped to well below 20K and there was a rebrand to England Monarchs with the team travelling around the country. Didn't work and attendances dropped off massively. They folded after that season, the only other UK team (Scottish Claymores) folded in 04 and the whole league collapsed in. From then on all but one team was German. The whole league was binned off in 07.

There's still a European League which has a London and Manchester teams. There's a British league as well which has the Coventry Jets who play in the top tier and do pretty well. They play at Sphinx I think.

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Yep. They've moved around a bit. I used to follow them avidly, travelling all over the country to see them. They've had a lot of revamps since then. They were the Coventry Bears back then.

 

[B-Ban-Boogie]

Not managed to get to a game yet as whenever i was in the US it was out of season or no tickets available.

Seen quite a few Seattle Mariner's baseball games and when in Canada went to watch the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL which was really boring and I was glad when it finished.

Would like to go and see the Seattle Sounders in in the MLS.

I was there last Saturday to see the final league game of the year against Real Salt Lake.
My ticket was $21 and I had a great seat in the corner of a fantastic stadium.
Sounders won 3-1 with Clint Dempsey scoring so it was a great day all round..

The atmosphere was a little strange though as kids were just running up and down the stands and whole families just sitting chatting to each other as the game went on.
The noise level was really quiet considering there were 55,000 in there..

Obafemi Martins was playing for the Sounders as well and if he'd have made a bit of an effort during the game the score might have been even more emphatic..
Jesus, he's one lazy bastard..............


All in all a great game though

 

[B-Ban-Boogie]

couple more pictures...