How popular is NFL football in London - 3 games this year

[DarthTom]

The NFL announced yesterday it's 2014 season and 3 games will be played in Wembley stadium this year including my own beloved Atlanta Falcons. According to the enclosed article, it's so popular that 6 games are scheduled in 2015.

I'm curious, anyone from the UK can testify if this is accurate or exaggerated? Any chance London may someday have it's own NFL team? I always thought that American football was an anathema to most Europeans?

If the below is correct that means with a population of ~ 63 million nearly 20% of the entire population is interested in NFL football.

NFL.com

"Our fans in the UK continue to demonstrate their passion for more football," Goodell said. "Next year for the first time, we will play three regular-season games in London. We have scheduled three attractive games with four teams playing in their first International Series game. The growing enthusiasm for the NFL internationally is exciting and we look forward to continuing to respond to this interest in our game."

The International Series has increased NFL fan interest in the UK, with a current fan base of more than 12 million, including 2.5 million avid fans, a 30 percent increase in avid fans in the past two years.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I think those NFL'ers are so hot the way they are all swaddled in armor.

 

[{ Emilia }]

American Football isn't very popular in Europe (compared to actual popular sports) but there's enough of a niche following that a city as big and as easily reachable as London can fill a stadium a few times a year. Not really surprising.

Even the now defunct NFL Europe had reasonable attendance figures in cities like Frankfurt for a while.

 

[Pingfah]

I wonder what they class as an "avid" fan? I'm a fan, and I only know one other person with my level of interest. I know lots of people that watch the Superbowl though.

I don't think there will ever be a UK based NFL team, purely because of the logistics.

 

[{ Emilia }]

I've known one person who was into American football enough to actually watch more than one game a year. Compared to the myriad of Association football fans I see everywhere I guess it really is a niche. But Europe is big enough to make niches attractive.
I've actually watched a few games during the last 2 seasons because Kestrel made me do it. It's okay.

 

[DarthTom]

I wonder what they class as an "avid" fan? I'm a fan, and I only know one other person with my level of interest. I know lots of people that watch the Superbowl though.

I don't think there will ever be a UK based NFL team, purely because of the logistics.

Here in the US, "avid fans," will pay upwards of $500/game for a good seat to be on the 50 yard line first level and/or attend every game.

More passive fans will watch the games on TV. Even more passive fans will watch some of the games on TV.

There are different levels of, "fandom." I still question the 12 million number who are classified as more passive fans but likely watching the game on TV. The means 20% of all men, women, and even children in the UK are tuned in on game day. That seems high. But maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Pingfah]

I've known one person who was into American football enough to actually watch more than one game a year. Compared to the myriad of Association football fans I see everywhere I guess it really is a niche. But Europe is big enough to make niches attractive.
I've actually watched a few games during the last 2 seasons because Kestrel made me do it. It's okay.

Well, Soccer fans are globally ubiquitous, all sports are a niche compared to that

I think those NFL'ers are so hot the way they are all swaddled in armor.

These guys are typically much bigger than AR or Rugby players, and it's a much harder hitting game. If they didn't have armour, they'd be regularly getting killed.

 

[Pingfah]

There are different levels of, "fandom." I still question the 12 million number who are classified as more passive fans but likely watching the game on TV. The means 20% of all men, women, and even children in the UK are tuned in on game day. That seems high. But maybe I'm wrong.

You're not wrong, that number of people don't even have access to the broadcasts, let alone watch them.

 

[{ Emilia }]

I still question the 12 million number who are classified as more passive fans but likely watching the game on TV. The means 20% of all men, women, and even children in the UK are tuned in on game day. That seems high. But maybe I'm wrong.

Yeah, that is completely unrealistic.
Specially considering the timezone issue. Probably it's even less than 2%.

 

[DarthTom]

Specially considering the timezone issue. Probably it's even less than 2%.

I think they meant fandom on game day in London. For the Falcons v. Lions game it's on TV at 9:30 a.m. EST on 10.26.2014 which means it's 3:30 in London. So, I suppose hypothetically 20% of the population is tuned in at 3:30 but still seems unlikely.

 

[Pingfah]

The article you quoted isn't claiming that 12 million people are tuning in on game day though. That's completely impossible, that would make it one of the top rated broadcasts of the year, across all genres.

Also it doesn't specify what constitutes a fan, which is probably just people who answer "yes" when asked if they like American Football.

 

[DarthTom]

The article you quoted isn't claiming that 12 million people are tuning in on game day though. That's completely impossible, that would make it one of the top rated broadcasts of the year, across all genres.

Also it doesn't specify what constitutes a fan, which is probably just people who answer "yes" when asked if they like American Football.

That's possible. It could also be the aggregate number of people who tuned in and/or attended a game throughout the course of an NFL season. I'm sure these numbers are being touted to sell ad $ [or Pounds in your case] in commercial time.

Are the games on live in the UK on a regular broadcast channel? Or do you need satellite/cable TV to get the game?

 

[Pingfah]

I believe Channel 4 carries a couple of games a week live on terrestrial free to view, and Sky TV carries 4 to 6 games a week on their subscriber satellite service. So only a fraction of what is going on.

If you want to follow your team every week you need NFL game pass streaming, or you need to know how to pick up unofficial streams.

 

[DarthTom]

If you want to follow your team every week you need NFL game pass streaming, or you need to know how to pick up unofficial streams.

That's true here as well.

edited to add: It will be fun to watch the ATL Falcons play live in London in later October albeit unusual to tune in at 9:30 A.M. Who wants a beer at 9 in the morning. LOL

 

[Keith1701]

I think those NFL'ers are so hot the way they are all swaddled in armor.

You are so right of course!!!!

 

[Starkers]

I wonder what they class as an "avid" fan? I'm a fan, and I only know one other person with my level of interest. I know lots of people that watch the Superbowl though.

I don't think there will ever be a UK based NFL team, purely because of the logistics.

I have two friends who I'd class as avid fans because they actually make the effort to go to Wembley when there's a game on. As has been said, the issue is whether they'd go if there were multiple games a year. I actually think they might go to a few, but doubt they'd go to every one.