NFL Goes Back to Europe

Have you ever been to a football game in London?  Not a soccer game, my friends, but an American football game?

For the third year in a row Wembley Stadium in London, England is hosting a game that is part of the NFL’s “International Series”.  The first two years were sellouts and this year is looking to be the same.  People are scrambling to buy tickets to see the New England Patriots face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Both teams are defending division champions.  The first 70,000 tickets have already been sold and 20,000 of those were sold within the first seven minutes of them going on sale. This year’s game tickets have sold faster than the previous two games. This shows the ever growing number of NFL fans in the UK and the proven loyalty of those who already love the game.

Last year a crowd of more than 83,000 showed up to watch the New Orleans Saints beat the San Diego Chargers 37 – 32.  There was suspicion that the NFL chose these teams to play in 2008 to avoid a repeat of the low scoring game played by the Giants and Dolphins in 2007.  Either way, a large crowd showed up for the “Taste of New Orleans” festival held earlier that week in 2008 at London’s 02 Arena to support last year’s home team the New Orleans Saints.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have even more reason to be excited for this year’s game because their owners, the Glazer Family, already do business with the UK.  The Glazers own the world’s most popular and valuable sports team, Manchester United.

In 2008 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the season with a winning record (9-7) but did not defend their 2007 NFC South championship and also missed out on the playoffs.  Shortly after the season ended their head coach John Gruden was fired.  The New England Patriots also had a winning year in 2008 (11-5) despite losing their 2007 MVP quarterback Tom Brady early in the season to a knee injury.

Everyone will have to wait and see how the Buccaneers and the Patriots represent both the United States and the NFL in London this year with the leadership of a new coach, Tom Brady back, and new players on the field.