Apparently, talks of the NFL placing a franchise in London have begun to pick up quite a bit of steam.
The New England Patriots and St. Louis Rams were in London for a game this past Sunday at Wembley Stadium, that drew more then 80,000 fans.
According to the London Mayor Boris Johnson discussions have taken place with multiple franchises about a team calling London home, specifically in Olympic Stadium.
Per the Telegraph: The Mayor’s spokesman was quoted as saying, “Given the ever-growing popularity of gridiron this side of the Atlantic the mayor and his team have held a number of meetings with senior executives in the last few days to explore further opportunities for NFL in London. The talks were exploratory and we are at an early stage but the signs are encouraging.”
The spokesman also added, “Sunday’s game at Wembley, in front of more than 80,000 fans, further cements London’s reputation as the natural home of American football outside of the US. Only last week the mayor, in conjunction with the NFL, announced an expansion from oneto two regular-season matches in London from 2013. That means in total an additional £44 million in revenue for the capital from next year.”
Now having two different stadium options with Wembley Stadium and the Olympic Stadium, the reality of the NFL in London seems to get realer by the day.
If London can get done, I would certainly hope Los Angeles can get a franchise as well.