Is The NFL A Step Closer to A Franchise in Europe
Germany became the latest country to host a regular season NFL game in 2022. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the Seattle Seahawks in Munich in what proved to be a big success for the league.
Just short of 70,000 NFL fans packed into the Allianz Arena to watch two of the most popular franchises battle it out. However, the attendance could have been far bigger, as there were over two million ticket requests for the game.
Tom Brady: Serving the Haters
What an atmosphere. Thank you Germany 🙏 pic.twitter.com/hPZFZjxu3e
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) November 13, 2022
Those in attendance for the match in Germany saw Tom Brady produce his best again, leading the Super Bowl champions to a 21-16 victory over the NFC West team. It was a big win for the Bucs as it keeps their playoff hopes alive. They are now priced at 16/1 in the NFL odds from Paddy Power to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February once again.
The success of the game in Berlin has raised the prospects of a franchise moving to Europe soon. The popularity of the NFL is increasing all the time in the continent.
London Games Remain Just as Popular as They Did In 2007
Munich is not the only city in Europe that has hosted NFL regular season games in 2022. London was given three matches, two were held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium.
London has been hosting regular season NFL matches since 2007 and the NFL will have noted that the popularity of those games has not declined in that 12-year period. NFL fans in the UK and Europe continue to sell out those games.
Daniel Jones nursed an ankle injury this week.
The Giants were without WRs Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shephard, Kadarius Toney, & Wan’Dale Robinson.
Leonard Williams and Azeez Ojulari were inactive.
Adoree Jackson left the game.
The Giants beat the Packers to move to 4-1. pic.twitter.com/qUx0wrmWZT
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 9, 2022
This year saw the Green Bay Packers play the New York Giants in London for the first time, which means all 32 franchises have now featured in regular season games in the capital of the UK. They were beaten by the Giants 27-22 in a tight contest at the home of Tottenham Hotspur.
There were also wins for the Minnesota Vikings (vs New Orleans Saints) and Denver Broncos (vs Jacksonville Jaguars) in matches in 2022 in London.
Jacksonville Jaguars Most Like to Move
If a franchise is most likely to relocate to the UK or somewhere in Europe, it is the Jacksonville Jaguars. They have featured in London games more than any other team, as they have often been the home team competing in the international series matches.
Many UK-based NFL fans have selected the Jaguars as the team they support. The franchise is owned by Shahid Khan, the owner of Premier League soccer team Fulham, whose ground sits in west London.
British broadcaster Sky Sports host a weekly Jaguars show, with content produced entirely for audiences in the UK and Ireland. There are also regular coaching sessions across the year which are carried out by the Jaguars coaching staff to help promote the sport to those looking to play for the first time.
For now, the NFL remains committed to giving the UK and Germany regular season games. However, if the sport continues to grow in Europe, it may not be long before we see a franchise based on the continent.
