Following on from the very successful 2015 international series in London England, the NFL has moved quickly to secure more venues, agreeing a three year deal with the Rugby Football Union to use Twickenham Rugby grounds.
ANNOUNCEMENT: At least one @NFL game will be played at Twickenham from next next year – https://t.co/7etsD9CBDy pic.twitter.com/uuRZmqAvbd
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) November 3, 2015
NFL Agree More London Games
For those who followed the recent Rugby World Cup this stadium will be familiar, hosting the finals between New Zealand and Australia. The deal will see a minimum of three games played between October 2016 and 2018 with the possibility of two further games added during that time period.
While the teams to play in Twickenham are yet to be announced it has been confirmed by the NFLUK that a minimum of three games will be played next year the others taking place in Wembley. The announcement of next season’s games has apparently been delayed by scheduling conflicts relating to the NFL wishing to expand into mainland Europe and South America with games in Germany and Mexico.
The NFL has acted quickly to secure its future in London, recently announcing an extension in its agreement with Wembley, with two games a year until 2020 and agreeing a ten year deal with Tottenham Hotspur football club to use their new stadium scheduled to open in 2018 for two games a year.
What makes this deal particularly interesting is 2018 which will see the Tottenham deal come into effect, meaning there could be a minimum of five games in London in three venues that year. A London franchise may come into reality sooner than we think.
The international series has proven to be an unmitigated success since its inception in 2007, with 14 games taking place and an average attendance of 83,000 per game. Twickenham the home of the England International Rugby team has a capacity of 82,000 but like Wembley (home of the England International Soccer team) will see its capacity drop slightly to accommodate the large amount of players standing on the sidelines. Tottenham hotspur’s proposed new stadium will have a capacity of 61,000 and is the most likely candidate for a London Franchise.
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