Third London Game For 2014 As NFL Expands
The NFL has expanded its presence in the UK after announcing that, for the first time, London will stage three games in 2014 as it pushes towards having a franchise in the city.
After adding a second game to the international schedule this year, the governing body of the sport has confirmed that the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders will all play ‘home’ games in 2014 at Wembley against opponents yet to be announced.
The Jaguars face the San Francisco 49ers later this month in the first of four games they have committed to play at Wembley each year until 2016.
This follows the Minnesota Vikings’ 34-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in London on 29th September in front of a crowd of 83,518 to Wembley.
The day before, more than 520,000 people attended a football festival on London’s famed Regent Street, enjoying football-themed games and attractions, including visits from Vikings’ and Steelers’ players and coaches.
Meanwhile, television ratings have shown substantial growth in the UK since 2006 – with Sunday viewership of NFL games almost doubling and the Super Bowl audience having increased 75%.
Participation in amateur football in the UK has risen steadily, growing by approximately 15% per year since 2007, the start of the International Series.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said: ‘Our fans in the UK want more. Both of this year’s games in London sold out quickly. The fan enthusiasm for our sport continues to grow.’
‘By playing two games in the UK this year, we are creating more fans. We hope that with three games in London next year we will attract even more people to our game.’
2014 will see Atlanta and Oakland venture outside the United States to play a regular-season game for the first time, while the Raiders were last in London for a pre-season contest against the New Orleans Saints at the old Wembley Stadium in 1990.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who also owns Fulham Football Club, added: ‘The experience the Jaguars have had already in London has been every bit what we anticipated and more, and this is all before we’ve even played our first game in Wembley Stadium.’
‘We made the right decision to commit to playing a home game in London each season through 2016. The Jaguars have a broader worldwide fan base today and the anticipation for our London game later this month is shared by our loyal fans in Jacksonville, so it’s a perfect scenario for everyone. The energy and appetite for the NFL in the UK is incredible. The Raiders and Falcons will see for themselves next season.’
