| Over the past few years the popularity of the NFL has risen exponentially in the UK. This, in part, has been down to the NFL London games, where selected teams play a game in the nation’s capital. The London Games have been amalgamated with the NFL Mexico Game to create the NFL International Series. Initially the first London based NFL game, held in 2007, between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins was met with a mixture of mild curiosity and derision, largely because it destroyed the playing surface of the national soccer stadium, Wembley. Over a decade later, it’s a different story with four games held each year to sold-out stadiums. Other factors have helped the NFL’s cause. One is its popularity amongst famous soccer players, including ex-Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, and rugby players. Online streaming has also made it much easier to watch NFL games over the years. The, of course, there is the Brits obsession with sports betting, and with the high points turnover in football, betting on the NFL is a welcome break from the low-scoring soccer games or never-ending cricket matches. Football is also the most popular sport to bet on in the US, which is why the biggest and best online sportsbooks have invested so much in their selection of NFL bets. So how have the Buffalo Bills faired over the pond? Well, it could be worse, in a recent poll by YouGov, we came out as the 14th most popular football team, just behind the Minnesota Vikings and above the Atlanta Falcons. It’s bad news up top though, with the Miami Dolphins claiming first place, followed by the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears. The New England Patriots come in at fifth place. At the other end, the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts come in twenty-first and twenty-second place respectively. So why have the Bills been given such a lukewarm response by our British friends? Well, it’s largely because only 42% of Brits actually know anything about us. Awareness is slightly higher amongst the baby boomer generation, so the future’s bright. The Bills appeal to British men 50% more than British women for some inexplicable reason, but it’s a trend shared with the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots at least. The good news, however, is that the Bills have been described by British fans as ‘promising, up and coming, underrated, determined and talented’. At least some Brits are seeing sense. There has also been a slow rise in popularity for the Buffalo Bills and a significant rise in awareness over the past few years. |
