The NFL makes its first transatlantic journey of 2017 this weekend, as the Baltimore Ravens prepare to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley on Sunday.
Whether you have tickets for Wembley or Twickenham during the four-game international series or not, there’s plenty to enjoy even before a ball has been kicked, thrown, or run with surprisingly little fear into heavily-armoured 300lbs monsters.
Here are five of the many reasons this annual occasion deserves a look.
The Regent Street Takeover
I may be biased, but the inclination to visit Regent Street on a Saturday afternoon increases dramatically when shopping takes a back seat to NFL players, legends, cheerleaders and musical performances. This year the takeover occurs on 30 September and is your opportunity to soak up the atmosphere, eat, drink and buy NFL swag to impress people with your cosmopolitan sporting tastes.
You can also test passing and kicking prowess, or showcase your touchdown celebration dance. There’s no official event for the latter, but the only thing stopping you is the embarrassment of your long-suffering friends and family.
The Logistics
Hear me out. It would be easy for the NFL to send over some players, paint a few new lines on the pitch and call it a day. Instead, we get the closest approximation of the experience you’ll see outside the US. The stadia are transformed, there are bands, cheerleaders and even American toilet paper (not for the likes of us, but in 2015 the New York Jets shipped over 350 rolls to let their players wipe like they do at home).
Tailgating
Named after the fold-down back of a truck, tailgating is thankfully not the American equivalent of a car boot sale. Instead, this pre-game ritual fills stadium parking with deluxe picnics and party games (red cups of ‘light’ beer optional).
While there are no vehicles, and frankly it’s our own fault for not owning enough oversized trucks, both London venues have you covered with a dedicated area serving up food, drink and live entertainment to get you in the mood for some “FOOTBAWWW”.
The Fans
One of the more diverse sporting crowds you’ll find in the UK, with ex-pat Americans, long-time fans from all over Europe and beyond, and many people getting their first taste of the sport. Whether you’ve chosen an allegiance or not, you can also visit one of the London pubs taken over by a visiting franchise.
The Games
Well, duh. This year we’re getting four fixtures (up from three in 2016), including “London’s Team” the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have held a ‘home’ game this side of the Atlantic every year since 2013. We’ll also see the Miami Dolphins, who will be keen to erase the painful memories of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Fittingly, they feature promising, London-born running back Jay Ajayi.
In 2016 there were 138 points scored across the three London fixtures, and with free-scoring New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals also in town, this year promises plenty of scoreboard action.
