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Week 2 Results

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What a week of injuries week 2 was in the NFL, as the Giants had their knees swept, the Bills secondary became singular, and the 49ers became the 9ers after losing 40% of their squad.
It was a trickier one for betting as some teams truly looked inept and failed to live up to their potential. Not to mention the surprises.
Wade caught a .500 with an 8-8, and Ryan continued his losing week with a 6-10.
Here are some of their right and wrong picks.

Wrong

Bills vs Dolphins

Wade called the weather being a factor in this one as the Bills looked sluggish in the swamp. Fitzmagic pulled TDs out of a hat and made the Bills nervous until the late game shenanigans. Both guys thought that Buffalo would have one by more, and they should have.

Chiefs vs Chargers

The boys from LA sure got a bolt of confidence when they kept Mahomes and the Chiefs at bay for 4 quarters of great football. The Chargers offered up a blueprint on how to beat the champs, & their D was wicked fierce. Both guys thought that the Chiefs would romp instead of limp.

Right

Giants vs Bears

Wade bet against his team as did Ryan. Luckily it was a 5.5 spread, so the Bears took a big lead and led it almost fly away due to lack of focus & ineptitude. Chicago should consider themselves lucky, as should the guys for hanging in on the line. Go Bears.

Panthers vs Bucs

TB12 was firing on all cylinders as he romped to his first win in Tampa. The Bucs were favoured and really exploded on poor Carolina, which was good if you were betting on Tampa to win. Easy win, good spread.

Wade’s Wins

Broncos vs Steelers

Wade is hot on Denver even if they don’t have much except good coaching and few penalties. He liked the Broncos to cover at 7.5 and they did indeed.

Falcons vs Cowboys

Wade had the Falcons to win this one and they almost did. Cowboys were favoured by 5 so it seemed easy that Matt Ryan would torch that D. Too bad his defence was even worse. The ball spun away, but they still covered.

Want NFL tips? Get in touch and we can set you up with weekly tips for £20 per year.

Wade’s Week 2 Upsets

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Wade McElwain is back with his top upsets for week 2 in the NFL.
Who does he think are the teams that will upset or cover their spread?
Just watch the video and you can see.

Some of his top upsets for this week include:

Falcons vs Cowboys -5

This game looks to be a high scoring and fun affair, as Matt Ryan had over 400 yards in a loss. Will Amari Cooper shut out the Falcons, or will they have a chance? Wade likes the Falcons to cover this one.

Broncos vs Steelers -7.5

Pittsburgh is coming off a great game, despite not having RB James Connor. The Broncos were able to keep in the game last week, but lost after some lazy plays. Wade likes them to cover the 7.5 point spread this week.

Giants vs Bears -5

Wade bet against his Bears? What is he thinking? Well, he’s not impressed with Mitch and was impressed with Jones. Add to this the drama of Allen Robinson, and he likes the G-Men to win this one.

If you want to hear all of Wade’s weekly picks, make sure you check out our podcast.

 

Week 2 Picks

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Wade & Ryan make their predictions for Week 2 in the NFL in the latest podcast. They also break down what happened in week 1, and how that will affect some of the scores this Sunday.
Wade had an impressive record of 10-5-1 last week, where Ryan was a more modest 4-11-1, what does this week hold?

The guys look at some of the key games, some of which they agree on and some that totally do not. Among these:

Falcons (0-1) vs Cowboys (0-1)
Dallas -5 +52.5

Both teams lost last week and will be looking for retribution in week 2. Matt Ryan was able to chuck up 400+ yards in week 1, and still takes an L, of course he was facing the Seahawks, but they will need to show more this week. The Cowboys looked flat in week 1, with Aaron Donald and the Rams beating them up and down the field. Will Zeke finally get his legs back?
Ryan likes a Cowboys beating of the Falcons here, predicting a 31-17 victory.
Wade isn’t so sure, and likes the Falcons to cover the 5 point spread, with a Dallas victory of 28-26.

Rams (1-0) vs Eagles (0-1)
Pick +46

This game is a pick, which means both team have an equally bad chance of losing in this one. Philly looked limp in week 1, with Miles Sanders out with an injury. He’s back this week, but will have a tough job against that fast LA front line. Can old man DeShaun Jackson come back to life and score some points at home?
Ryan predicts an LA beatdown of Philly, with a 24-13 drubbing.
Wade likes Philly to win at home, as their secondary should make some big plays off of Goff. He calls a Philly win 23-20.

Giants (0-1) vs Bears (1-0)
Chicago -5 +42.5

The Bears won a heavy fourth quarter battle with the Lions last week, thanks to the last minute antics of Mitch. Of course it helps when Detroit loses a key member of its D allowing Trubisky to find holes. How will the drama of Allen Robinson on social media affect the locker room?
As for the Giants, they were smacked around by the Steelers, but Jones had some great moments of play, and some great efforts from Darius Slayton.
Both Wade and Ryan like the Giants to upset here, as much as it breaks Wade’s Beary heart.
Ryan has the Giants winning 23-20, and Wade sees it as a 27-24 victory for the G-Men.

Make sure you listen to our podcast for all the NFL tips and news. We are hoping to start hosting NFL viewing parties in the city soon, just watch this space.

Week 1 Results

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What a topsy turvy weekend in the NFL! Some of the biggest winners lost, and some of the teams that looked to live in Loserville for a long time actually showed some spunk. It was nice to have the game back & to feel a bit of normal again.

Picking Week 1 results against the spread can often be tough given all the time off, but 2020 has made that even more difficult by trashing the preseason and the growth/ injuries that go with it.
Wade & Ryan both took a stab at week 1, with Wade hitting out a respectable 10-5-1, while Ryan managed a more modest 4-11-1.

Let’s take a look at some of the games they got right/ wrong.

Seahawks 38 vs Falcons 25

Wade got this one wrong, siding with past numbers that have Pete Carroll not usually performing well in week 1 since 2013. Of course it was Russell Wilson who performed like a champ, spreading the ball to nine different receivers and running the ball a few times himself. Atlanta didn’t help themselves, dropping balls and getting costly penalties. Atlanta showed rally, but were also very inept on D. Ryan liked the Seahawks to cover, and they were able to do just that.

Bears 27 Lions 23

Who wrote off Trubisky? Wade and other Bears fans did, so it was surprising to see him launch a 4 TD push to overcome the pesky Lions. Mitch was off in the first half, hitting guys on the numbers who should have made some easy catches. Luckily for Bears fans, the biggest drop came in the 4th when the Lions dropped a huge catch which would have been a pretty gimme TD. Wade had the Bears to win, and they came out with a big one. Trubisky played pretty good.

LA Chargers 16 Bengals 13

Wade called a Bengals upset, giving them their first win of the season at home…and it almost happened. Another bad miss from a kicker on  Week 1 (have they all gotten worse) could have sent this game to OT, but alas the football Gods had other plans. Burrow looked good, and Tyrod looked marginal in this low scoring affair. Bengals should be proud of how they played, even if this did end in betting push.

LA Rams 20 Cowboys 17

Wade was a big believer in a Rams upset in this game, and they really came out pumping all cylinders. Goff was on fire, and Robert Woods was an easy target in a game that really underscored the D problems that Dallas has going forward. If the Rams can bully them around like this, then the Cowboys are up for a tough season of potential blowouts. CeeDee Lamb had a respectable first outing, but Zeke looked a bit flat, especially after Aaron Donald picked him up to hit Dak.

Bucs 23 Saints 34

This was the game that everyone was waiting for, and both Wade & Ryan predicted a 33-30 victory for TB12 and the Bucs. In hindsight, not a good call. Tom Brady was picked off 2 times and he couldn’t muster any offence in a game that showed that he still makes some pretty blinding errors. Brees didn’t play great, but looked a lot better than his 40 something counter. New Orleans also made a lot of costly defensive pass interference plays that gouged them for 100 yards+ in penalties. Everyone learned a valuable lesson in this one. The Bucs and Saints both look to roll next week.

Make sure you listen to our podcast so you can hear Wade & Ryan make all of their weekly picks. We will also be starting to promote venues across the UK who would be up for showing NFL games this season.
We know that this new rule of 6 will make things more difficult, but it’s better than a 9pm curfew which would essentially cancel the viewings for an entire season.

Wade’s Week 1 Upsets

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Our own Wade McElwain brings us into his back garden for a sunny day of NFL picks.

Wade shows off his smoked brisket and gives you a peek at his meat.

He also blasts off some week 1 upset picks to help you find an advantage in your fantasy pool.

He likes the Falcons, Bengals, & Bucs to pull of some week 1 upsets. Who you got?

DraftKings Week 1

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The NFL is back, and so is your chance to win some money playing in our DraftKings Fantasy NFL contests. We have loads of great offers with DraftKings, including our deposit $10 get $10 back offer.
Adding Fantasy Football to your NFL week just makes things more fun, especially if you want to trash talk your friends.

To celebrate the start of the season, I have made some tips and picks to help you get some value with your DFS this weekend. Make sure you join our NFL in London League on DraftKings, where you can win cash and prizes. Hopefully we will also have a live event or two this season depending on how this whole nasty virus affects us all.

Here are some of my top picks to look at for Week 1.

QB

There are a lot of key match-ups to kick off week 1, so you want to make sure that you are getting value with every pick you make. In terms of QBs you want to see which guys are playing the worst D’s, then you can find out which guy is going to get you some solid points.

Joe Burrow-$5800

Welcome to the NFL Joe, first up is the speedy Chargers D-line. You ready? Surprisingly I think that he will be. Joe has loads of (old) tools at his disposal which should give the Chargers backfield some problems. If Joe Mixon can mix it up, it will take pressure off of Burrow who should have some time to hit some of his WRs downfield. He’s pretty good value for what he should produce.

Phillip Rivers-$6000

This is also Phillip Rivers first game, just not his first ever. Bolstered by one of the top O-lines in the league, Rivers should have lots of time to connect with TY Hilton down the field, burning the Jags D relentlessly. I see this as a high scoring game, so Rivers should factor in at least 3 TDs.

RB

Running backs have declined in the past few years in terms of points scored and definitiveness, so it’s hard to try to find the true value backs instead of splashing out on the big boys who can be inconsistent.

Sony Michel-$4600

Cam Newton will be looking to use his legs against the Fins, so who knows who he will be dishing off to. At $4600 Michel is a steal, as Cam will probably use him in short yard situations which could mean a few TDs.

Miles Sanders-$6300

A bit pricier for a guy who is still dealing with a lower body issue. Sanders is one of my faves for an outrageous season of fantasy points, and I like him to gash the frontline of the Washington D. Look for him to gain some big ground and even bigger points

WR

DeSean Jackson-$4900

The Eagles speedster may have declined slightly over the years, but he still stands up as the go to guy for Wentz. He has the potential to snag the deep ball and run ragged over the Washington team, causing mayhem throughout the game. Good value at $4900.

TY Hilton-$5800

As mentioned earlier, TY Hilton is now matched with the arm of Phillip Rivers. Given that these guys will have been practising all summer, I see them being in a good rhythm for a solid victory over the hapless Jags. At $5800 he should be good for a score of two.

TE

Jack Doyle-$3600

With Burton injured for the Colts, Rivers has another fine target in Jack Doyle. He’s quick, strong and will give the Jags midfield plenty of headaches. A steal at $3600.

Hayden Hurst-$4300

With Austin Hooper banged up, Hurst will be looking to fill some pretty big boots. Hurst has the wheels and hands to satisfy Matt Ryan and should feature heavily as they cross the Seahawks midfield.

DEF

Vikings-$2500

But they’re facing Aaron Rodgers! Yes, but they also have an incredible secondary that looks to feast on tip balls and ill-timed passes. For $2500 they will be able to put pressure on AR, and probably pick off a ball or two as well.

Bears-$3300

Sticking with the NFC North, the Bears are facing the broken back of Matt Stafford. They will apply plenty of pressure on MS, and Mack will be looking to toss the often injured QB around all day.

If you want to join some of our contests, feel free to click the links and play along.

Free Contest 1
https://www.draftkings.co.uk/contest/draftteam/91321103

Free Contest 2
https://www.draftkings.co.uk/contest/draftteam/91486054

And make sure you enter the $2 DraftKings Europe pool for a chance to win $500 in their contest

https://www.draftkings.co.uk/contest/draftteam/90978605

Good luck, and happy drafting in Week 1.

Fantasy Draft Party

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Like many at the start of September, we held our annual Fantasy Draft to commemorate the start of the season. Fantasy Draft’s are great ways to bond with fellow NFL fans to challenge each other in your game and playability knowledge of this great game. It’s also a good chance to emotionally bitch slap last year’s losers, bow to the finite rantings of last year’s winner, and plan for the future.

Our NFL in London Fantasy Pool is going on over a decade of play, with a melange of international fans who we have met in our hosting of NFL events across the city.
There are two leagues, the ‘Eh League’ which is comprised of the best of the best, and the ‘B League’, the relegation league where hopefuls can exchange a league win with that of the Eh loser. To be the best you have to beat the best.

We held this years draft at the Princess Alexandra Pub in Crouch End. It’s our lovely local run by our mate Nick Ford and his wife and 2 Alaskan Malmutes. With the crush of Covid, we opted for a nearby place that we could safely distance, as well as support an independent establishment. They have great burgers, Sunday roasts and stay open until 1am on Sundays so you can catch the second game, and be back in Kings Cross in 20 minutes.
https://princessalexandran8.co.uk/

We used the FanDraft software again this year, and cannot recommend this product enough. It is an easy and fun way to host your draft, and you can immediately export the results to input into your fantasy app. You can also make it fun with walk-on music, custom images and funny comments that I as the commissioner can input. We teamed it up with Facebook’s Messenger to create a private group that we could run for over 3 hours. Since we had folks in Dubai, New Zealand, Romania and Scotland, this was really a fun little addition.
https://fandraft.com/

It was nice to have a sense of ‘normal’ again, and hope that all of you also had a great one as well. It’s a messed up old world we live in, & a fantasy group is like a fraternity of sanity. No matter what shit people have to say about what on social media, NFL fantasy chat is all about the BS.
Let’s see what you have to say about it Monday morning.
Good luck everyone.

 

NFC-Division Preview

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The bridesmaids of 2019, the NFC is looking to hoist one of their top teams to Super Bowl glory in 2020, but will they have enough to wrestle the feisty AFC teams in contention?
Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull break down all of the divisions so that you don’t have you. What will each division yield in a tumultuous new season?

NFC East

In the 90s, the NFC east was a spirited division with rivalries between the Giants, Cowboys and Redskins (the Eagles mostly sucked then). It’s been a while since the Eagles had a dominant victory over the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and it’s hard to see one of them repeat that kind of team intensity this year. Wade & Ryan both think that their strong D and running game will give them a winning record of 9-7 with a playoff chance very likely.
Both guys have the Giants hitting at 8-8, which means that they will have some close games, bad losses and terrific upsets. Daniel Jones has bulked up to shake up this division and inspire some real battles. Dallas is the interesting team in this mix, as they have all of the tools to be very good this year. If Mike McCarthy can get this team firing, plus the added bonus of a competitive Andy Dalton, the Cowboys could be VERY good this year. Wade & Ryan both peg them at a respectable 11-5. As for the Washington…team…guys…thing. They will suck harder than an ‘hourly employee’ paid for by Dan Snyder at 3am. Swimming out of that toxic swamp in a city that is a toxic swamp, during a toxic swamp election year will be nothing but stinky. They have some players who will make for some interesting games, but you will only see those moments on RedZone or in the morning.

NFC North

This has to be one of the toughest divisions in football this season. Aaron Rodgers is now in a ‘prove it or lose it’ position with Jordan Love stroking himself in preparation on the sidelines. The Vikings came so close last year, but injuries and inconsistency left much to be desired in a title quest. They have added some great defensive players & Cook is primed for another stellar season.
Oh those Bears. Ask Wade anything about the Bears and expect a flurry of eyerolls and gasps. What do we do with the Trubisky situation. It’s like when you invite your wife’s cousin over to stay for a few nights because you think he’s cool and lonely, and then he moves in and squats in your garage. Use him or lose him. He has a lot to prove in Chicago this year if he wants to stop having dog shit thrown at his house. The Lions are in for a tough season. They lost a lot of tools, and Matt Stafford will still be chucking the ball to Jones Jr for big plays. They can inflict some damage, but will likely whimper off as the post season looms. Both Wade & Ryan like the Packers but Ryan likes the Vikings a little bit more.

NFC South

Oh the south will rise again, because Tom Brady is here! There are a lot of expectations from the Bucs this year as the old Patriots become the new TB with a few solid weapons. They almost made the playoffs last year with Winston, so they should do very well if they stay healthy. Wade & Ryan both think that they will hit a 10-6 record. If Tampa sucks this year, how much could it affect the dynasty of TB12?
The Saints will be marching in this year with playoffs on the playlist. After coming so close in the past few seasons, they finally seem to put a dent in the NFC. Wade likes them at 13-3, while Ryan sees them a more comfortable 11-5.
Atlanta is that flashing button on the microwave. The oven still works fine, but for some reason you don’t know how to fix it. Matt Ryan has incredible numbers, but their injuries in the past few seasons have been woeful. The are Mr. Mediocre for the past few years and look to stay that way in 2020. Wade says 8-7, Ryan has them at 8-8.
Lastly is team Christian McCaffrey, the little engine that runs over teams and tops all the fantasy tables. Adding Teddy B will take a break off of CMcC’s back, & adding the wheels of Robby Anderson makes them interesting. Just not winners. If Christian gets hurt they are well and truly screwed.

NFC West

The West has a bevy of good teams in it, but are they good enough?
Many have already begun to write off the 49ers after their offseason moves. They had the lead in the SuperBowl and looked poised to lift it up, but just didn’t have the tools to beat a crushing KC team. Wade and Ryan both see the Niners dropped off huge from last season, with Wade calling 8-8 and Ryan 9-7.
The Rams saw their hype get chin-booted in 2019, with the trauma of Tom Brady’s beating in the Super Bowl still fresh on their vibe. Goff has loads to prove, and you can only rely on the defence for so long. Wade has them going 9-7, while Ryan is a .500 man at 8-8.
Arizona has a team with incredible potential and nothing to really lose. Kyler Murray was impressive last year, and could be the softmore to watch, as adding Andre Johnson makes them a fun prospect. They won’t have enough on D to stop the big guys, but they should be able to disrupt and score some fun upsets. Both guys have them at 8-8.
Both guys think that the Seahawks will crap all over the competition. Russell Wilson is primed to explode this year, provided their team doesn’t implode with injuries. They came close last year, this year the go hard.

Want NFL tips? Get in touch and we can help you with your weekly picks. We offer a yearly subscription so that you can get all the tips for your weekly picks and pools. Just get in touch.
It’s a big year of the NFL ahead, get in!

 

FanDraft your Draft

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Holy crap! The NFL is finally here in an eerie new way. Sure there’s a global pandemic wrecking havoc on our way of life, but football is back, so screw you Covid.

As the pumpkin spice springs back to life on the shelves, so do the Fantasy Football magazines, beckoning us to buy them to flip through those crispy pages on extended toilet breaks. Maybe magazines are old school, but there’s nothing like the nostalgia of dipping through the stats as you’re dropping the kids off at the pool.

Having run numerous drafts, the worst thing is the paperwork. And the alcohol. If you’re going to be a commish, make sure you don’t get too wasted or you’ll have a bugger of a next day trying to remember who had who and in what order.

Good thing there’s FanDraft, a wicked piece of NFL Drafting software that makes your draft simple and fun. With the pandemic blowing out the fun of a Draft Day outing, you can use FanDraft to virtually pump up your party, teaming it with streaming software for a fun few hours of bonding.

Here are some of the key features that makes FanDraft so wicked easy cool.

Draft Boards

Remember the days of the big old draft boards on cardboard that had sticky names on them? There was always one guy who had to build them, order the name tags, or worse-having to write them out manually. With FanDraft the board is a big screen of all the names, ordered in whichever way you like. The commish can switch between the DraftBoard, as well as top players by category and a précis of whatever guys you have drafted thus far. If you make a mistake or a glitch, the commish can simply fix it and the draft is paused until it’s ready to go. The players are also ordered by colour for position, so you can easily see what positions you still have to fill on your roster.

Draft Reports

In the olde days, the draft was written in a notebook, and some schmuck had to enter all the data into a document that would then be shared to the group. Some of you still do that? Damn! With FanDraft as soon as your draft is done you can export the results into an series of documents for the league and each player. This data is just a  copy & paste into whichever app you’re using. The process for a whole league can take less than 5 minutes and you’re ready to go.

Remote Drafting

Like any remote engagement, it all depends on the connection of the devices to really get one going. FanDraft has used an online method previously with increasing success each year. With the new platform for drafting, this is a fun way for everyone to play along in real time. Again your connection speed is going to be the key wherever you are, so run a few dry runs to see how it goes. Careful, some guys get pissed when they see what ‘could have been.’

Music & Pictures

It’s nice to have some tunes when you’re drafting, and FanDraft allows each player to choose 3 songs for their walk-ons. It’s a fun little addition, especially if you like to burn one of your fellow players. There has to be a loser every year, and why not rub it in with some cheesy songs to remind them of their loss? You can also add images, which are pretty handy when you want to see who’s on the clock.

Clock Management

There’s always one person who takes so bloody long, even in the early rounds. Make them pay by changing the selection clock to a shorter length. If you can get the draft down to 60 seconds per choice, you can get a good round down to under an hour. Some people might like the pause of a long and chatty draft, & other people have shit to do.

Conclusion

FanDraft is totally worth it. If you want to run an easy and efficient draft, this program will help you help you in so many ways. We love it so much, we want to give you 15% off the pro version with our promo code ‘FANDRAFTUK‘.
Just go here, sign up and start drafting. You can do as many drafts as you like, so have some fun.

https://fandraft.com/

Here’s a video that will help you run through how it works.

Heating Up-Podcast

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We should be enjoying the NFL preseason right now, but 2020 had some other plans. We’re still left with many lingering questions about the potential of the 2020/21 NFL season, and with summer winding down and autumn looming, it’s starting to heat up.

Wade & Ryan take a break from doing nothing to deliver a blistering podcast-literally. With an unending heat wave in London (no really), the boys sweat it out to prognosticate on the upcoming NFL.
They tackle a myriad of topics and issues around the NFL season so that you don’t have to.

What if Tom Brady Dies?

Shocking headline, but what if a high profile player dies of Covid? It’s a morbid thought, but it’s one that could be on the minds of everyone in the NFL. How will they be able to manage a bubble, and keep everyone safe?

McCoy is a Buc

Congrats LeSeann, you have now joined one of the oldest teams in the NFL. McCoy is quietly making his rounds to every NFL team, before he sets his sights on every XFL team. What will Shady being to an already high powered offence? He was set aside by the Chiefs in the SuperBowl, so how will TB12 find ways to use and abuse him?

Sky Sports NFL

Congrats to Sky Sports for signing a new NFL deal securing 5 more years of American football in the UK. For anyone who doesn’t have Gamepass, Sky sports is an essential element for any NFL fan in the UK. The new deal means that we will have more football programming on a new, dedicated channel. There is also the potential for some UK organically created content for fans. Ahem…two Canadian comedians talking NFL? Just sayin’.

Saturday NFL

If the NCAA Football season blows up as it looks like it will, what will the NFL do with those nights?
Under an archaic TV rule, the NFL wasn’t allowed to compete with high school and college games, but if all of those are cancelled, will the NFL start showing games on those nights? It could be a punch for UK fans, as those games would most likely be schedule at night, meaning we won’t see them until the wee hours. More games, more nights, more NFL. Hooray?

London Viewings

Sadly, it doesn’t look like many places will be keen to show the NFL on Sunday nights in the UK. Sports bars won’t be pushing for late Sundays in this ‘new normal’, and casino’s are a petrie dish of virus potential. We asked UK fans where you plan on watching the games this season and a whopping 90% said at home. We will be working to develop some new ways to watch this season. Watch this space.  Stay safe and keep in touch.