NFL UK boss Alistair Kirkwood sets three-year target for London-based team

The prospect of having an NFL franchise based permanently at Wembley is still at least three years away, according to NFL UK managing director Alistair Kirkwood.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has frequently admitted he is open to the idea of a team based in London, following the success of the International Series games.

Wembley first hosted an NFL regular-season match in 2007, when the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins and went on to win the Super Bowl the following February.

We’re still at the stage where we think we don’t have a large enough fanbase to sustain a team. We’re going in the right direction, but we need to continue to grow.

Two games were played in London last season, and there are three on the schedule this year to help satisfy the growing demand to see the sport live in the UK.

But while Kirkwood is excited at the possibility of having a UK franchise, he admits the NFL fanbase on this side of the Atlantic needs to continue its current rate of growth.

Asked about how far negotiations had progressed, Kirkwood told Sky Sports News HQ: “I don’t think talks are too far advanced.

“We’ve gone from one game per year in 2007 at Wembley, last year we had two games and this year we’ve got three.

“Our fanbase is growing substantially and Sky Sports have played a great part in helping build that. But we’re still at the stage where we think we don’t have a large enough fanbase to sustain a team. We’re going in the right direction, but we need to continue to grow.

Momentum

“If we keep going the way we are in terms of momentum then we’ll probably get to the stage where our fanbase will be at the size where we can start talking about it internally.

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“Then, there’s a whole bunch of work in terms of logistics and scheduling. It’s really exciting that people are talking about it, but it’s still premature.

“Potentially, if everything was to go our way, we would probably be able to take it to our owners in about three years’ time. That’s not to say it would take place immediately, we would still need to do a lot of due diligence work.

“A team in London representing the UK would be a really exciting thing to happen, but we want to make sure we do it right.

“Who knows, in two or three years, as we continue to grow and benefit from the coverage of the NFL on Sky Sports, we might be there or thereabouts.”

Kirkwood also insisted the Wembley fixtures had been well-received by both fans in the United States and the NFL teams that have featured in London.

“Initially, there was some understandable hesitation, but fans saw the games have worked out well,” he added.

“The teams have been treated well, and in some cases have gone on to win the Super Bowl, they have embraced it.”

Sky's NFL live coverage continues on Thursday night as the Indianapolis Colts take on the Houston Texans on Sky Sports 2.