By Christian Radnedge
LONDON (Reuters) – Part of north London became north America on Sunday as British NFL fans and even soccer-mad players enjoyed the first of three mini Super Bowls in London with the Minnesota Vikings beating the New York Jets 23-17 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In the 37th game in London and ninth at the home of Premier League soccer side Spurs, the Vikings extended their impressive start to the NFL season to five wins from five, while it was a second successive defeat for the Jets.
The London series has grown in significance over the past 17 years, especially since it now takes place at the only purpose built NFL stadium outside of the United States.
Tottenham’s stadium, opened in 2019, has an NFL playing surface underneath its retractable soccer pitch as well as dedicated locker rooms for players and cheerleaders. But it was the soccer pedigree of the location, Spurs being formed in 1882, that impressed some of those treading the turf.
“It was crazier than I thought. I’ve never been here before… We love it… The support has been amazing. I can’t say enough about everything about this place,” Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard told reporters.
“I’m a big soccer fan, so playing in the stadium, I’m definitely honoured and I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life.”
Although the game is a regular season fixture, the NFL this time brought a beefed up pre-game and halftime show along with enlarged activities around the stadium that fans were enjoying hours before kickoff on a cloudy day in north London.
All the classic elements of the American “razzmatazz” were on show, from in-game cheerleading displays at pitchside, to kisscams and free t-shirts being launched into the stands.
Activities and bar takeovers across the capital also took place in the days leading up to the game, as the league continues to try and cement its place in other cultures.
Perhaps most significant was the fact that unlike in previous years where fans of all NFL teams would be on show, the stadium on Sunday was mostly filled with Vikings fans in their purple jerseys, mixed in with a healthy contingent of white-shirted Jets fans.
The Vikings are the seventh most popular franchise in Britain, according to a recent YouGov poll, and the fact so many filled the stadium shows a more dedicated, hardcore following is developing well.
“Yeah, I think it goes back to the Vikings atmosphere at home. We kind of got that sense here with the ‘Skol’ chant. It’s the best atmosphere, and when you get a crowd like that going and get them hyped, it’s exciting,” Vikings linebacker Andrew van Ginkel said.
Although some of the 61,139-strong crowd had flown over from the U.S., the standard has been set for when the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Chicago Bears at the same venue next weekend. The Jaguars then face New England Patriots at Wembley on Oct. 20.
(Reporting by Christian Radnedge, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
