London could reportedly host a Super Bowl in the near future given the popularity of football in the UK in the last couple of years

The NFL, in a bid to boost it's global presence, is exploring options to conduct the Super Bowl overseas in London, UK.

London could reportedly host a Super Bowl in the near future given the popularity of football in the UK in the last couple of years

The final battle for the Lombardi Trophy could be fought in London in the distant future. (IMAGE: GETTY)

The NFL is without a doubt America’s pride. American football or infamously considered rugby by the British has been gaining traction and interest from sports fans around the world. This can be attributed to the league’s relentless push to expand its presence and get a larger fanbase by engaging viewers from other countries. The league started the NFL International Games in 2005, and since then, these games have become the biggest push initiated by the league in order to boost viewership.

The first international game occurred in 2005 between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City, Mexico. However, the NFL has found a market with immense potential and has been slowly building its presence there. It is, of course, the United Kingdom.

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Over the past few years, London has become the preferred destination for the NFL to conduct its International games. The fan response has been overwhelming and the city can facilitate the event without hassle.

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The NFL’s idea to move the Super Bowl to England will not be simple to execute

The logical next step for the NFL is to cement their foothold in London by hosting a Super Bowl. As per Adam Schefter, the league is strongly considering the idea of hosting the biggest game of the year in London. While this is just an idea at this juncture, the league appears to be inclined to make this work at some point in the distant future. The NFL has committed to London and Wembley Stadium and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the long term. The league signed a contract with Tottenham Hotspur F.C. back in 2015 to schedule two games every year for the next decade at the club’s stadium in London.

The NFL is looking into options to hold the Super Bowl in London. (IMAGE: GETTY)
The NFL is looking into options to hold the Super Bowl in London. (IMAGE: GETTY)

The league is still toying around with the idea of moving the Super Bowl to the UK, however, if they do decide to give it a shot, it will not be easy. First, the NFL will have to deal with the backlash from its domestic fans who account for nearly 90% of its ticket sales at least. Then will be the backlash from the owners who form the board. When the Super Bowl is conducted in the stadium of an NFL team, the city and the organization profit irrespective if the home team is playing the game or not. Owners are not likely to take kindly to such a proposal.

Logistics will be a nightmare for the NFL and if not planned and executed to perfection, it could hamper the flow of the biggest sports event of the year. The league is not entirely wrong to consider such a possibility as fans in the UK have been following the league closer than ever. The country has the fans, and great facilities to host an event of this stature, and of course, the impact it would have on their international program would be immense.

The NFL will have to decide if it is willing to do so at the risk of disappointing fans in the USA. If the Super Bowl were to be held in London, it would have to start at least 3 hours sooner than it normally would in order to ensure that the timing is one that Americans are accustomed to. It is good to see that the NFL is considering the idea of holding Super Bowls overseas as that by itself is a milestone that speaks volumes about the increasing popularity of football globally.

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