Former Football League chairman Lord Brian Mawhinney has taken up a role with the NFL as a special international adviser.
Former Football League chief to assist NFL in UK development
Former Football League chairman Lord Brian Mawhinney has taken up a role with the NFL as a special international adviser.
Lord Mawhinney will assist NFL International in helping develop the popularity of NFL in the United Kingdom, which now includes a game at Wembley Stadium every year.
Mawhinney stood down from his role at the Football League in March after seven years in the post, but has remained in football as deputy chairman of England's bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The former Conservative MP served as Transport Minister and Conservative Party Chairman during his stint in Parliament from 1979 to 2005.
Mawhinney will now aid the NFL in growing the fan base and popularity of American Football in the UK.
Fan
"As a long-time NFL fan it is an honour to be linked with NFL International in this way," said Lord Mawhinney. "The sport is developing impressively in this country and I look forward to aiding that process."
Alistair Kirkwood, managing director of NFL UK, added: "We are very pleased to be able to call upon someone with Lord Mawhinney's background and knowledge.
"We plan to utilise his success in various fields to help us continue, and accelerate, the growth of our sport and our business in the UK."
The NFL now plays one regular season game a year at Wembley, but there is talk of adding a further game a year and even staging a Super Bowl has not been totally ruled out in the future.
The San Francisco 49ers will play the Denver Broncos at Wembley in October in the fourth NFL game to be held in London, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is looking for more expansion.
"For the past three years we have seen the extraordinary passion that exists for NFL football in the U.K.," said Goodell in January. "We want to continue to build on that passion by strengthening our ties to our existing UK fans and creating new ones."
