NFL in London

National Football League in London

NFL London

London-Gameday Tips

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It’s Bears vs Raiders at Tottenham stadium!
You excited?
You should be, it’s going to be a great game and the atmosphere at the new stadium is electric.
This is the first of many more games to come, and a great fan experience.
There are a few things you should know, so we put together a list of some things to be aware of.


Arsenal
Wait, you’re starting with football?
Yes, because Emirates stadium is pretty close to Tottenham, and they are playing a home game at 2pm.
What does that mean for you? It will be busy. VERY BUSY.
All of the tube stations from Highbury & Islington to Tottenham Hale will be packed with police moving the crowds.
The game ends after 4-so expect a HUGE crush of people then.
If you are travelling-try to time it while the game is on.

Weather
Welcome to Britain, and welcome to rain. It isn’t usually this wet, but Sunday looks particularly horrible. The tail-end of a hurricane will drop almost 2 inches of rain in 6 hours on Sunday. Most of the stadium is covered-but expect the wetness to seep into your bones.

Travel
As per the earlier note regarding Arsenal playing, the tube lines will be packed.
There are other options including the Overground, which will take you right to the station from Liverpool Street. Buses are the best option, as their routes carve through traffic and get you there with height. The W3 bus leaves from near The Princess Alexandra where we are hosting our after party. It’s 25 minutes direct to the stadium. Parking around the stadium is also pretty tight.

Tottenham
It’s a storied area of London, that has been undergoing loads of gentrification in the past decade. It still has its shady areas, and it is a bit rough and tumble around the stadium.
This is NOT central London-so don’t expect the same amenities. It will also close early, so once you leave the game-most of the pubs will be shutting down.

Football
Sunday is football in Britain, and by that we mean soccer.
The games kick off at noon, with the last game kicking off at 4:30. This derby between Newcastle & Manchester United will go until about 6:30. Most London sports bars will not turn this off for the NFL, even if the score is 10-0. Head to the Princess Alex, where they will have the start of the Bears vs Raiders.

Drinking
Tottenham area is cheaper than central London to drink, & you can find some nice authentic pubs close to the grounds. A sloppy Carly might cost you £3 at a Spoons if you know what we mean. Pints at the stadium are £6.50, so save your currency. Remember to not to get too drunk, it ruins your time and the experience of everyone around you. If one of your mates is too wasted, they will be ejected. Take care of your friends. As mentioned earlier if you’re looking for a post game drink, Tottenham will be shut.

Before the Game
There is no such thing as tailgating here, so most people will be drinking in the crammed pubs around the stadium, and there aren’t a lot of them. Time your journey up and where you want to gather/ meet prior. Many pubs will be jammed with football fans-so keep that in mind.
Add time to your journey on the tube, and keep in mind the weather-which is crap.
You might be better off finding a pub close’ish to the stadium and make your way there.

After the Game
London is NOT a 24 hour city, especially on a Sunday.
There are a few venues and areas that will be open late, but won’t cater to NFL fans.
The casinos in Leicester Square can hold 200 NFL fans MAX between them both, and will not play sound on the games-so keep that in mind as you probably won’t get in.
It is a pretty nasty area, so you may not want to be there anyway.
Sports Bars will shut by 11pm, but the Princess Alexandra in Crouch End will be open until 4am-so join us there!

Bags
There is a clear bag policy in effect at the stadium, so watch what you bring. What do you really need to bring anyway? Perhaps a phone charger, but the more you carry-the more you can lose. You probably won’t need your passport, as the UK isn’t as vigilant in checking for ID.

Swag
If you’re looking to buy NFL swag or London trinkets-do you really need to get them there? You can probably buy everything at home, or online & the prices will make your eyes water.
Plus you have to lug it around all night in the rain. And you might lose it.
Is it worth carrying all the crap?

Enjoy Sunday! See you at the Princess Alexandra in Crouch End for pints after!

London-Top 5 Saturday

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What are you doing in London the Saturday before the big game?
Want a few things to do to help you get the full London experience?
Well, we have our top 5 list of things for you to do this Saturday so that you can have a blast in the capital.

The forecast for Saturday is cloudy and 16c (62f)-so you still can enjoy strolling and hanging outside.

1. Rugby World Cup
Lucky you! You came during the Rugby World Cup, and every local will be glad to tell you the differences between the sports, with only a slight tilt towards rugby.
England face Argentina at 9am GMT-so loads of punters will head to the pub early to start drinking. Australia play Uruguay at 6:30am, followed by Japan vs Samoa at 11:30am.
Rugby watching is fun, the crowds are really into it, and the Bloody Mary’s are in full effect!
Most sports bars will show it, but try to find a nice local pub around the corner.

2. Markets
Saturdays and Sundays are market days in London, so get out and experience as many as you can.
Whether you’re looking for some knick-knacks, souvenirs, or some local food and fresh produce and baked goods.
East London has Broadway Market and Netil market is only around the corner from it.
broadwaymarket.co.uk
eatworkart.com/netil-market
Spitalifields market located near Liverpool Street Station is also very cool, and is mostly covered so you can stay dry in your supply. Venture out to neighbouring Brick Lane for yummy Indian food as well.
www.spitalfields.co.uk

3. MLB Foodfest
Baseball is in town baby! Wait, what? That’s right-the MLB is trying to sneak some fans with their own food tasting event in South London. For £8 you get entry to the fest, and then you can sample food from every MLB Stadium. Too bad they couldn’t have combined these huh?
mlb.com/baseball-food-festival/tickets

4. Boozy Brunch
Ready for bottomless alcohol to start your Saturday? If you’re still buzzing from the rugby, then make sure you hit some of the coolest boozy brunches that London has to offer.
Love to drink and play in a ball pit? Great-then go to Ballie Ballerson! Drink, play, meet hot people.
ballieballerson.com/ticket/bottomless-brunch/
What about a hip-hop and Afro Beats Brunch in a secret location? Book the tickets then they lead you to a really cool all you can drink/ eat breakfast? Then you want Bashment Brunch
www.bashmentbrunch.com
Love Hip-Hop and a 3 course brunch of food & drinks all set to music? You will LOVE the Hip Hop brunch
www.hiphopbrunchldn.com/tickets

5. Football
Do you love football?
We mean soccer.
Well, you better-because weekends are football mad in the UK.
Saturday matches usually start at 12:30, 3pm, and a last game at 5:30.
If you are looking to watch other sports-good luck! Football is all that is on.
If you want to go see a match-luckily there are a few London derbys on.
West Ham play Crystal Palace in east London at 5:30 pm in east London.
Try for tickets here:
www.whufc.com/tickets/match-tickets
You could also head north west to Watford (home of the Harry Potter Experience) where they play Sheffield United at 3pm. Tickets here.
www.watfordfc.com/matches/tickets
The big match on TV will be the 3pm game between Liverpool FC and Leicester.

Other activities you might enjoy.

London Oktoberfest-Canary Wharf
www.london-oktoberfest.co.uk/tickets_millwall.html
London Cocktail Week
drinkup.london/cocktailweek/
Bishop’s Gate Fetish Collection
www.bishopsgate.org.uk/event/1250/Archive-Open-Day-Fetish-Collections?&Keyword=&TypeID=
The Comedy Store
London’s premiere comedy club in Piccadilly Circus. Some great acts on this weekend.
thecomedystore.co.uk/london/whats-on/

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London-Best Pubs

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Welcome to London NFL fans!
Are you ready to drink like the British do?
Well, it’s doubtful you can.
Brits quaff pints like Americans consume pharmaceutical commercials-but that doesn’t mean you can enjoy a tipple like Londoners do.

We have a few tips to help you out.

NFL Pubs
The NFL has a deal with Fullers pubs to help promote each team. These are great places to meet like-minded fans, and tip back a few cask ales. They are NOT sports bars however, so there are no TVs, and you can’t watch games there. They also traditionally close around 11pm, so if you’re looking for late beers-you might try elsewhere. Since these are London pubs-so expect London prices of around £6 a pint.
Both are in very touristy areas, so you can always slide to another expensive pub should you wish.

After-Work
Londoners love to get smashed after work. So if you’re looking to hit the pubs around 4pm, sharpen your elbows. Pubs generally stay busy until after work (7-9ish) then drunken suits hit the trains to the north, south and angry-spouse.

Tipping
No need to tip bar staff for pulling pints, unless they are REALLY nice. Generally they will just look at you quizzically. You can tip servers if they bring food & drinks to you, but as a general rule look at the bottom of the receipt to see if the tip is included, or just ask!

Bars we Recommend

So where would we recommend you drink?
Good question-here are a few of our faves in London.

Brewdog
Brewdog is an amazing brewery/ bar group started by two young Scottish lads over a decade ago. Now they have some of the hippest brewpubs in the world.
They have big locations in Camden, Covent Garden, Canary Wharf, Dalton and more.
Great beers at an affordable price, plus good food as well.
One of the best beer chains in the city.
www.brewdog.com/bars/uk

Borough Market
If you do head to the Bears bar in London bridge, then you have a whole host of bars that await you behind it. Rake, The Miller and Gladstone Arms are all nicely tucked in behind the market and have outdoor spaces. Best of all-if you’re hungry, just nip to one of the lovely local food stalls which will be tempting you with their aroma.

boroughmarket.org.uk/traders/cafes-bars-restaurants

Granary Square/Coal Drops Yard
Located next to Kings Cross Station, this new development of condos, restaurants and bars is very cool. Next to the canals, there are loads of reasonably priced places to grab a drink, sit down to a nice meal, or just hit a brew pub. This area has changed dramatically, and is not to be missed!
Very close to the station, so you can get pretty much ANYWHERE in London
www.kingscross.co.uk/coal-drops-yard

Camden
Camden has a reputation as a rock’n’roll haven for naughty. It has gentrified quite a bit recently, but you can still find some great bars and restaurants, and the area is open much later than the rest of London. Plus, pints are cheaper than the other touristy areas.
Loads of places are next to the canals, so you can sit outside and enjoy the view.
Or feel free to walk up the road a bit to Kentish Town, which has some nice pubs of its own.

Enjoy your visit! And let us know if we can help make your vacation better!
See you Sunday!

Week 5-Sky Sports

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Week 4 is here already, and so are the Bears and Raiders.
Which games will you be watching?
Are you lucky enough to be going to the Bears vs Raiders at Tottenham?
If not-come join us at the Princess Alexandra in Crouch End for a great, late night of NFL football.

Sky has the following games locked and loaded for the weekend.

6pm-Bears vs Raiders
It’s a home game for us in the UK! Join the team from Tottenham as they welcome the NFL to the UK.

9pm-Packers vs Cowboys
What a game this will be! A truly great match-up between Dak and Aaron. Who will come out on top in this contest?

1am-Chiefs vs Colts
This AFC match would have been great, had Andrew Luck still been in the game. Will Mahomes get a TD this weekend?

Bears/Raiders After Party

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How are you watching the Bears vs Raiders game in London?
Looking for a place that’s cool, close to the stadium and open late?
Great!
Come on down to the Princess Alex in Crouch End, London for our after party.

The Alex is a traditional English pub in the village of Crouch End, less than 10 minutes away from Finsbury Park station.
It has a great selection of Sunday roasts, cask ales, and loads of chicken wings.

Here is some more info to help you for Sunday.

Getting There
The Princess Alexandra is in Crouch End, north London.
The quickest route is via the Piccadilly or Victoria Line to Finsbury Park.
From there grab the W7 bus to the pub. It is the first stop after the Crouch End Broadway.
Once you exit the bus, the pub is on your right side.
You can also grab the W3 bus to Park Road.
The W3 bus is the one that will take you to the stadium.
It is also accessible via Alexandra Palace train station, and Hornsey train station.

To and from the stadium
It takes about 25 minutes to get to the stadium from the pub. We will have signs up on how to get there. But it’s very easy.
Walk out the pub down Park road (400m) and on the left hand side is Park Road bus stop to the stadium. Just hop on, and you’re at the stadium.
Upon leaving the stadium-same thing.
Grab the W3 bus from outside the stadium to Crouch End. Get off at Park Road and walk up the road to the pub. Buses stop running around midnight.

Going late
The Alex has a late license until 4am-so you can party until the wee hours.
It will help to have Uber or an app on your phone, as ALL of London transport shuts down at night.
There is a 91 late night bus that goes to central London every 15 minutes.

Tickets
If you are coming to the after party, you will need tickets.
They are £5 and includes a welcome beer (1 each) upon arrival.
You MUST have a ticket after 9pm to get in.
www.eventbrite.com/o/nfl-in-london-17838428996