By James Kendall
Virginia is the largest state in the United States – by population – to not have a major league team, but both the Washington Capitals of the NHL and the Washington Commanders of the NFL practice and are headquartered here in the Old Dominion.
So, we’ve got ourselves a fair few Commanders fans here, what with them being our closest football team. The season is now underway, but in October, they’ll be embarking on only their second trip to the UK.
It follows Washington headlining the NFL’s debut in Spain, which saw the Miami Dolphins win in overtime in front of over 78,000 people at the Bernabéu. Now, they get to return to the much more seasoned NFL fan base of the UK.
They’ll arrive at a bit of a tipping point for the NFL’s exploits in the UK. Big new TV deals have been struck to meet demand, and the league looks primed to really push on now that it’s again putting on three games there.
Record viewership and a big new TV deal
The NFL has gradually been on the rise in the UK for over a decade. Where once the Super Bowl was a novelty on a Sunday night to enjoy before missing work the next day, now fans follow the scores week to week.
This culminated in Super Bowl LVIII in 2024 breaking records for British viewership. It was the most-watched NFL game on record for both the premium subscription broadcaster and the free-to-view broadcaster.
The 3.4 million unique viewers marked a 48 percent year-on-year bump. This was followed by a new rights agreement with the premium broadcaster, which has increased its coverage by almost 50 percent, while keeping the “highly popular” NFL RedZone.
NFL is on the rise thanks to the accessibility of the games through the most popular premium TV broadcaster and the games that come to London. Next, the NFL could be eyeing further expansions into entertainment.
Offering more engagement options
There are plenty of NFL docu-series and football films out there, so next could be to mirror an approach taken at home and by other sports in the UK. That approach is to get an official casino online game for UK players to find.
LaLiga Grand Chance is the latest entry from an elite sports competition to the slots scene, being an official game for the popular Spanish soccer league. With this slot, the league hopes to engage with fans beyond the live matches.
In the US, where online casino gaming is permitted, major league teams have several officially branded games. In New Jersey, the New York Jets have slots, instant-win games, and themed table games.
The NFL, as a whole or through specific teams, could do something similar in the UK. It might just help to pump up some of the fame and popularity figures reported in surveys for NFL teams in the UK.
Washington going to London to face the Indianapolis Colts will undoubtedly help to raise the profile and fan base counts of both teams in the UK.
Many have grown a bit tired of the Jacksonville Jaguars always coming over, so this game will be a unique attraction for current and would-be British NFL fans. The stumbling point may be the venue, though.
Less than a month before kick-off, there are 50 zones with multiple tickets available in each at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Prices have surged on the Ticketmaster-powered ticket office, naturally hindering sales.
Even so, plenty of fans managed to get the tickets they want to see what should be an intriguing clash and will likely add more people to the increasingly global fan base of the Washington Commanders.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. AFP editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
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