What a first day of the NFL in London, as the Minnesota Vikings pipped the New Orleans Saints just prior to OT to get their third London victory.
The hobbled down Saints made their best efforts, but couldn’t hold the Vikes off in the end, as it was a Skoll London victory.
Despite the slow start, both teams came alive in the second half, adding 33 points between them, and electrifying the London hometown crowd.
How did you enjoy the game between the Saints and Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
Here are a few things we did notice that maybe you did, and some of the folks at home sure did.
Big Smoke
Pyrotechnics before kickoff is a rookie mistake, as the Tottenham crew soon found out with thick black smoke enveloping the centre of the field.
US TV announcers were quick to inform viewers at home that the picture might look dark and cloudy not because it’s London, but because all those fireworks were just set off and it’s going to take a while to clear.
Be interesting to see if they let off that many fireworks prior to the Giants and Packers.
Fan Noise
Yes, it’s a London game, and yes, the fans comprise the whole league, not just the two teams playing.
It’s always interesting to get the perspective of US based fans who couldn’t believe how quiet it was, whereas many UK fans were bloody hoarse today from screaming all day.
Sure, you don’t get people screaming as hard at third down conversions, but they’re just happy to be at the game.
It’s not as loud as an American game, and that’s ok.
London Prices
‘Welcome to London, three pints will be £20.70.’
For anyone who doesn’t live in London, getting a pint in the capital sometimes requires a guarantor to make sure you can afford the debt.
With prices for regular pints hitting £6.90 at the stadium, many fans found it easier to quaff as many as they could before hand, or pop into the Tesco for a cheeky 4 pack.
Thanks to the pond taking a massive dump earlier in the week, American tourists must have felt that they hit the lottery with an almost par exchange rate.
Please-spend your money Yankee Doodle Dandies! We have gas bills to pay this winter.
Transit Strike
Despite the big bad warnings from the RMT and transit unions, travel on Sunday wasn’t as bad as could be expected.
Londoners bemoan the frequency of our transit woes, and it might seem malarky to foreigners, until you get here and wonder ‘how the heck do I get home.’
Thankfully fans were aware that Saturday and early Sunday would be nonsense on national rail, and made plans to get to the stadium early.
Hey guess what? There’s another strike this weekend, and this one could be even more of a doozy!
Sounds lovely! Travel smart and plan ahead.
NFL on Southbank
Well that’s pretty nifty neat-o huh?
For the first time, the NFLUK has brought the fan experience to the banks of the river Thames, with the adjustment to Southbank from Regent Street.
The result is a more fresh and invigorating stroll through the NFL.
While Westminster was nice to play host to the NFL for a few decades, the rot of Soho and surrounding area made it feel like it was stuck on the street like a piece of gum, and that the stores all secretly hated everyone in jerseys who would never shop in their stores.
It’s a whole different vibe now, make sure that you head down to Southbank and check out all of the activities that they have on this week as well.
Giants vs Packers
We have another game here in London this week!
More info to follow on all the exciting things to do in London this week!
