The NFL has been given a glimpse of the future after the London buzz for Packers vs Giants

The 32nd regular season game in London showcased the immense potential for the sport’s expansion, writes Jack Rathborn

Monday 10 October 2022 21:30 BST

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts Green Bay Packers vs New York Giants on Sunday (Getty)

After 32 London regular season games in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers – despite a crushing defeat to the New York Giants – may have helped accelerate the league’s ambition to establish a UK franchise.

Instinct suggests a walk of more than 30 minutes from Seven Sisters to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would dampen the atmosphere for fans ahead of kick-off; not so, as thousands happily mingled, proudly displaying their allegiance with an eclectic mix of jerseys.

NFL fans outside the stadium will routinely make a game of spotting every jersey of the league’s 32 teams, and for a while it proved a tricky task following the inaugural contest between the Giants and Dolphins 15 years ago. But the sheer variety on display in 2022 shows the passion this country now holds for the other football.

The feverish appetite for the game was epitomised by the clusters of sponge “cheesehead” hats, available for £60 each.

“We’re sorry,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the reigning MVP, explained after a tough 27-22 loss. “We wanted to come here and put on a show, win a football game.

Packers fans proudly displayed their signature ‘cheesehead’ hats (Getty)

“The crowd was outstanding. This was just a fantastic experience I think for all of us. There are guys in the locker room that have never been across the pond. Just the hospitality from the fans.

“The crowd response today, taking the field, was incredible. Seeing the different flags from different countries was amazing. The fans were loud the entire time. It was outstanding.

“So much love for Packer World. I think we can say that now. It’s been Packer Nation for the first hundred and couple years.

“Hopefully the team will get a chance to come back and play here again because it was a special week for all of us, one that we’ll never forget.”

The spectacle on the turf is, of course, a large part of the equation, and Green Bay – one of the league’s most prestigious franchises – were finally listed on the menu for an international series in the UK, completing the set of 32 teams to have travelled across the pond.

But the community plays an equally pivotal role for the growth of the sport and its potential to expand yet further. Up to a hundred people at any point throughout the day snaked around the circumference of the stadium, eager to snag a souvenir from the official shop.

“I think there’s no question that London could support not just one franchise ... I really believe that,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. “That’s from a fan perspective, a commercial standpoint, from a media standpoint, I think you have all proven that.

"The question I think it is going to come down to [is] ... whether you can do it competitively, where the team here or the teams in the States coming over can continue to be competitive.”

Of course, logistics are still a wildcard factor in the outcome of games. But Goodell clearly has a vision, and you get the feeling British fans’ patience to wait 15 years for the Packers will not be tested nearly as much before a team puts down roots in the capital.

Yours,