Monday 27 October 2014 12:13, UK
NFL UK chief Alistair Kirkwood says Sunday's Wembley thriller between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons is the perfect advert for those calling for a permanent London franchise.
In one of the most dramatic matches ever in the NFL international series, Detroit staged a remarkable comeback to beat Atlanta 22-21 after trailing 21-0 at half-time.
If you were going to pick a game to show off then that was the game.
Mattt Prater hit a 48-yard field goal with seconds remaining to win the game in front of 83,000 ecstatic fans in the earliest start to a match played in NFL history.
Kirkwood said: "It doesn't get much better than that, the Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford said it was the most emotional he has been around a game in terms of an up and down feeling.
"In terms of drama it was brilliant but the thing I am most proud of is the crowd really, really got behind it. Detroit made a big thing afterwards in their press conference as to how noisy the fans were and that gets back to the States that this isn't a novelty, this is something here to stay.
"It was 9.30 kick-off in New York and 6.30 in Los Angeles, there has never been a kick-off as early as that. What is exciting for us is that every other game we have played at Wembley we have been one of eight or nine games being played at the same time.
"This is the first time that we have owned the window so 100 per cent of the States could see the game. If you were going to pick a game to show off then that was the game.
"We have gone in two years from one game a year to two games a year, and now three games a year. We have proved to the States that our fan base is really passionate but we are two or three years away from a fan base that is sustainable. If we were to do it we would want to feel really confident.
"If we carry on what we are doing I know the ownership want to become much more bigger and important internationally. The level of support we get from the owners and the commissioner is just unbelievable so they want us to succeed but whether that level of success as a franchise remains to be seen.
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford said it was the most emotional he has been around a game in terms of an up and down feeling.
Kirkwood is expecting another bumper crowd when the Dallas Cowboys come to London to play the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 9 for the final game in the series to be staged at Wembley.
He added: Dallas Cowboys are arguably the most famous team in the league, they are America's team
"They are probably Manchester United's equivalent in so far as they have an absolute avid fan base and there are as many people who have reason not to like them as well.
"This will be our biggest atmosphere at a game and closest to if we were ever to have a London franchise."
