Jaguars Se7ens Cup to be shown on Sky Sports
Monday 27 March 2017 12:36, UK
Sky Sports and the Jacksonville Jaguars have announced the Jaguars Se7ens Cup tournament will be featured as part of Sky's NFL coverage.
The Jaguars are offering the biggest prize in British American football for the winners of the tournament, an all-expenses-paid team trip to Super Bowl LII.
There has been record interest in the non-contact seven-on-seven competition, with tournament places selling out in just three weeks.
The TV coverage will be the first time that flag football has been on UK TV, with the TV home of the NFL furthering its links to the game by teaming up with 'London's Team' and the only team to have committed to play at least one game in the capital until 2020 - the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jaguars Se7ens Cup will launch with a festival of football in Manchester with the Northern Regional heats on Saturday, September 2, while the Southern Regional heats will begin in London on Saturday, September 9.
Sky Sports' features will be broadcast from both festivals, in addition to social media content across the Jaguars UK and Sky Sports digital platforms.
The winners of each regional will face off in a North vs South championship at the Jaguars training session at Allianz Park ahead of their game at Wembley Stadium. Each team will be coached by a Jaguars alumni player and the winners will all win the once-in-a-lifetime prize of tickets to the Super Bowl.
The Jaguars Se7ens Cup is part of the Jaguars' year-round commitment to growing participation of American football in the UK. The JagTag schools programme now has thousands of young people playing regularly, while the Jaguars Academy hosted hundreds of amateur players last year.
Hussain Naqi, Senior Vice President of International Development at the Jacksonville Jaguars, said: "We are delighted that Sky Sports has joined us to promote the Jaguars Se7ens Cup and help grow the sport of American football in the UK.
"This partnership with Sky Sports is a great boost for our year-round engagement with NFL fans in the UK, and demonstrates the growing public appetite for new American football content.
"We are delighted by the response to the Jaguars Se7ens Cup, and look forward to making it one of the most exciting sporting events in the UK."
Sky Sports presenter Neil Reynolds added: "Flag football is a great way for fans to try to emulate the NFL heroes they watch on Sky Sports every Sunday evening. This event encourages more people to have a go at playing American football, boosts the grassroots game in the UK, whilst also offering a group of friends the chance to win an amazing prize and a trip to next season's Super Bowl in Minneapolis."
Following unprecedented demand, all 50 places across the two regional tournaments have now sold out.
The Jaguars have today announced an additional 10 places are available for the London tournament, to allow more fans the chance to compete for this once-in-a-lifetime prize. Teams of 7-10 people can sign up at www.jags-sevens-cup.com. The tournament is for players age 18 and older with any experience with American football.
Free JagTag and coaching sessions will be running throughout the tournaments, so anyone with interest in American football is encouraged to attend and learn about the sport.
