An All-American Fumble? Or a Hail Mary in British Sports?
OVER the past decade, American Football and the NFL’s popularity in the UK has grown significantly, with the sport amassing more British fans and participants, particularly in London, the Midlands, and the South-West of England.
Whilst it has not yet reached the popularity of Association Football, Rugby Union, or even Cricket within the UK, the NFL is certainly growing in the British Psyche.
Unlike the typical American Disney Bully, the NFL has arrived with a nice and charming subtlety, knowing very well its position in the Gridiron of British sport and culture, whilst respectfully tiptoeing into prominence.
With that being said, the NFL is, of course, a heavily advertised and well-funded entity in the USA, which with the support of key venues such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London, can generate an impressive overseas following.
On one hand, this is a good progression as the expansion to the UK will encourage more people to become fans of the NFL and start following a team, consequently growing the sport, not just nationally, but globally too.
Conversely, American Football games between two American teams, being held in London, could be viewed as a money move rather than a passion project.
It is an American sport, and there is a great cultural significance to consider.
There was massive outrage for example in 2021 amongst English Football fans regarding the creation of The Super League and the prospect of holding Football matches in the USA rather than in England itself (where the clubs are all based).
In the grand scheme of things however, the NFL’s growth is always going to be a positive for those interested, as it offers further opportunities for the sport and its respective fans.
It will certainly be exciting to experience how the sport develops as time goes on.
[ Listen to our audio package here on SoundCloud for linked interviews and further conversation on this matter: https://on.soundcloud.com/97MzWJmBKu3mSFWb8 ]
By Cody Deadman and Ben Lester
