I'm a Brit who just went to my first NFL game and even if you don't understand the rules, it's worth going just for the spectacle
It's more than just a game, it's a spectacle
Sometimes at sporting events, you can leave feeling a bit shortchanged. You've paid over the top for a crappy seat, watched 90 minutes of sport, and left without much excitement.
Not in the NFL.
From cheerleaders to on-screen mini-games, and from marching bands to t-shirt bazookas — there is more than enough to keep you entertained, football aside.
That's without mentioning the accompanying fireworks, smoke machines, and gigantic flags, all of which help form a truly brilliant spectacle that's certainly worth the money.
The sport itself is technically engrossing
The complexity of American football is obvious when watching it first hand.
Each play is carefully planned, chosen, and executed with terrifying precision. One man doing his job wrong can result in disaster.
While at first the rules were a little bit overwhelming, I quickly picked them up as the game went on, and I before I knew I'd become a certified expert who knew his second downs from his sacks, and his punts from his peels (sort of, anyway).
The level of detail was best demonstrated by the "stat pack" I was kindly handed at half-time, which was six pages long.
The hits are BIG
My theory that "pads are fashion accessories" was disproved within minutes on Sunday when 300-pound Gerald McCoy crashed into Buccs' quarter-back Jameis Winston at full speed. You could hear the clatter in the stands.
Throughout the game, the high-speed collisions continued to thrill as both sets of players put their bodies on the line at every play.
The atmosphere is competitive, but not hostile
Nobody likes a flat atmosphere. Equally, nobody likes the feeling that they might get punched by the hooligan next to them who has had a few too many overpriced beers.
Sunday struck a perfect balance between the two — competitive, but not hostile. A sort of party atmosphere with just enough tension between the two sets of fans that it was still entertaining.
The atmosphere was helped in part by the entertainment, but the fans should take most of the credit thanks to their crazy outfits, cheers at every play, and relentless flag-waving.
Music is a big part of the experience
Throughout the day, a combination of modern hip-hop and classic rock was blasted through the stadium's impressive sound system.
That means one minute you could be listening to Future, the next, Metallica. One minute later, you were back to Drake, before a quick switch up to AC/DC.
It's a strange combination, but definitely one that helps keep the energy levels up in the stadium, and on the pitch — you can see the players love it just as much as the crowd.
The stadium was a real treat
Tottenham Hotspur's new state of the art stadium certainly added to the experience.
The pitch was pristine, the stands spacious, and the design delightful.
Behind the scenes was where it got really impressive, however. The 62,026 capacity stadium boasts six huge locker rooms — two of which are purpose-built for the NFL, and boast enough space to hold an army, let alone a 53-man roster.
I left with a satisfied stomach ...
"Football food" in the UK is trash. The menu usually consists of a burger, fries and not much else, and you'll be charged a fortune regardless.
On Sunday, I had a world of culinary options to choose from. Stone baked pizzas, tacos, and fish and chips were just a few of the items on offer, as well your traditional American match day dishes such as hot dogs and nachos.
Burgers and fries were still available, they were just a little bit nicer than usual.
... And my thirst quenched!
Whether you wanted lager, stout, or a craft beer — Tottenham's stadium had it all.
What made it even better was the fact that the latter was made on-site at the stadium's very own brewery. The microbrewery, run by beer brand "Beavertown," is the only of its kind in the world, and serves up an array of delicious ales to sample.
My only complaint was that a beer at the brewery cost around $9. But if you don't want to pay that, you can just walk around the corner for a cheaper alternative, and have your glass magically filled from the bottom upwards to cheer you up.
Lastly, it was just good old fashioned fun
Add all of the above together, and what you get is very simple: good fun.
The NFL London Games may be over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for this year, but there are still two to go at Wembley (also in London).
First, the Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals on October 27, and then a week later it's Houston Texans who take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
If you haven't got tickets yet, you seriously should.
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