The New England Patriots cruised to a comfortable 35-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third regular season game to be hosted in London. There was no repeat of the extremely closely fought games of 2007 and 2008, as the sell-out Wembley crowd experienced a largely uneven match. In NFL London 2009 the Patriots were ahead within three minutes and went on to easily win against the exceptionality poor-performing Buccaneers.
New England Patriots 35 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7
New England entered the game strongly favored over Tampa Bay, coming off the back of a 59-0 victory against the Tennessee Titans. The tone of the game was set before quarterback Tom Brady, who went on to throw three touchdown passes, even took the field. Brandon Meriweather’s interception touchdown during the first set of downs put the Patriots up 7-0 within the first five minutes of the game. The Patriots went on to dominate the first half, and by the time the Buccaneers fell behind 21-0 early in the second quarter, the result was inevitable. The Buccaneers answered with a touchdown late in the first half; however, two second-half Patriot scores sealed the game and a comfortable win for the dominant Patriots.
NFL London Results
- 2007- Miami Dolphins (10) vs. New York Giants (12)
- 2008- New Orleans Saints (37) vs. San Diego Chargers (32)
- 2009- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7) vs. New England Patriots (35)
The Success of NFL London 2009
The third installment of NFL London was as popular as ever, with a record 85,254 spectators filling London’s Wembley Stadium to enjoy competitive pro football. Any doubts about British interest in the NFL must now have been dispelled, as after three years the demand for tickets has never been greater. This support was made even more evident, with attending British fans wearing jerseys from every NFL team. Though the quality of the one-sided game was not great, the atmosphere within the stadium was, and the desire to see live football in the UK remains strong. This fact ensures NFL London’s continuing financial success.
The league’s aspirations to expand its worldwide profile and increase the international fan base are the main motivations behind hosting international games. The Buccaneers no doubt had similar motivations and believed that by sacrificing one of their home games they too would benefit commercially by playing a game in London.
Due to their massive success in recent years the Patriots enjoy a large fan base in the UK however, due to “home field advantage”, English fans were encouraged to support the Bucks. Free flags on every chair and giant banners across the front rows of seats encouraged supporters to get behind the designated home team. However, after such a poor performance, Tampa Bay is unlikely to have won over many lasting fans.
The Future of NFL London
NFL London is quickly becoming the annual gathering of British NFL fans. The public might get used to the idea that NFL is here to stay; one game is already confirmed for 2010. What’s more, there is rumor that London could host the 2012 Super Bowl or even possibly purchase an NFL franchise.
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