5 Ups & 3 Downs From NFL 2019 Live At Wembley
Downs...
3. The Tailgate
If anyone who knows what a real tailgate is could bend NFL UK's ear, they'd say, "Guys, we need to talk".
The car park at Wembley (or part it) was turned into a big fan zone before Rams/Bengals, but it was barely reminiscent of the grill-heavy party atmosphere games have in the States. Cheerleaders danced, fans posed with jerseys and milled around the various bars selling diverse products like Budweiser or Bud Light, and...that was about it.
For those who could tolerate an interminable queuing system, there was a pop-up NFL shop shifting overpriced shirts, hats, flags and other merchandise. It was all rather empty-feeling, and lacked the same kind of pre-kick off excitement games traditionally do. This wasn't lost on those who had either come from the US or travelled there for games before.
In the future, the UK organisers should try to distance themselves from vapid DJ sets or cheerleader performances and actually use the space to create community between folks who really do enjoy the sport.