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Upon its completion, Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium will be the home for National Football League games in the United Kingdom. On Monday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stopped by to see how things were going.
Goodell, along with NFL Executive Vice-President Mark Waller, were given an exclusive “hard-hat” tour of the stadium construction site in north London by Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and Executive Director Donna-Maria Cullen. Goodell was in London to watch the final NFL game of this season, between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns.
That game, which the Vikings won 33-16, was held at Twyckenham Stadium, the London home of the rugby union in the UK. But beginning next season, NFL matches in London will be played at Tottenham’s under-construction stadium, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018.
And according to Spurs, Goodell liked what he saw.
"The new Tottenham Hotspur stadium is clearly going to be a world-class venue. We are very pleased with how closely we have been able to work with the Club, and are optimistic that the broader regeneration plan will make for an extraordinary experience for NFL fans."
— Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner
Tottenham previously announced a ten-year deal with the NFL to play American football games in their new stadium, a lucrative deal that will bring scores of new fans to North London and will be a lucrative new revenue stream into the club. Spurs are hoping that the new stadium will allow it to compete financially with the biggest clubs in the Premier League such as Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea.
The new stadium will include an artificial turf field for NFL games underneath a state-of-the-art removable sliding grass pitch, a first of its kind feature in the UK that will allow the stadium to host NFL games and association soccer matches in the same week.
Said Daniel Levy on Goodell’s visit:
"It is always a pleasure to welcome the NFL to Tottenham and for them to see the vision that we share becoming a reality right in front of us. We have worked closely with them throughout this project and their involvement will play a significant part in helping us create one of the most compelling venues for sports and entertainment in the world, right here in Tottenham."