Beyond it’s Borders: The NFL

Noah Robinson on 2 November 2024


The NFL outside of the USA? American Football had long been considered a sport solely for
American sports fans, largely ignored by the rest of the world. This is no longer the case. The
NFL has become a hugely popular and fast-growing sport in the UK and Europe, boasting
millions of fans.

The potential for global expansion was first seen by the NFL in 2007, when it hosted the first
ever NFL International Game in London, played between the New York Giants and Miami
Dolphins at Wembley Stadium. The NFL wanted to profit from an emerging European fanbase
for the sport. London became the epicentre of international American Football.

Since then, Wembley has hosted 26 games, joined by Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a host for
London games since 2019. The redevelopment of Tottenham Football Club’s stadium as a multipurpose-built stadium signalled a desire to draw both musical and sporting crowds. The NFL
jumped at the potential, finalising a ten-year partnership with the stadium for two annual NFL
games.

This year, London was host to three successive weekends of NFL games. The first game was
between the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, the second involving the Jacksonville
Jaguars and Chicago Bears, and the last weekend seeing the New England Patriots against the
returning Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Minnesota Vikings were victorious in the first week, forcing three interceptions from Jets’
quarterback Aaron Rodgers on their way to a 23-17 win. In the second week, the Chicago Bears
dominated against the Jacksonville Jaguars, winning 35-16, in the best game of rookie Caleb
Williams’ career, who threw for four touchdowns. The third and final NFL London game
resulted in a much-needed 32-16 win for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the New England
Patriots. Munich, Germany will play host to the Giants and Panthers in November for the final
NFL international game of this season.

The combination of NFL international games played in London and Munich, and the long-term
broadcasting rights deal between Sky Sports and the NFL has made it easier for international UK
and European fans to watch American Football.

Alongside potential for European fanbases, the NFL viewed global expansion as an opportunity
to grow the global talent pool of American Football players. The NFL Academy was launched in
2019 as a major global initiative by the NFL that would allow athletes access to full-time high
school education while being mentored and trained under the tutelage of a world-class
coaching staff. The aim was simple: create pathways for international talent to play
professional American Football.

Recent notable NFL Academy graduates making waves in America include Daniel Akinkunmi and
Timi Oke. Akinkunmi received 35 Division 1 scholarship offers to American programmes, and
committed to the University of Oklahoma in 2023, now in his freshman year. Timi Oke only took
up American Football aged 18 and is now in his freshman year at BIG10 school, Northwestern
University.

American Football in Europe has a legacy dating back to NFL Europe, a hugely popular league
that functioned somewhat like a developmental minor league for the NFL during the 1990s.
Today, The European League of Football (ELF) boasts immense talent and viewership, starting in
2021, and now host to 17 teams as of the 2024 season. The ELF had record attendance
numbers during the 2023 Season, with 32,500 people attending the second-week regular
season game between the Hamburg Sea Devils and, eventual champions, the Rhein Fire.
The continued narrative of franchises outside of America has come to an end. At one stage, the
Jacksonville Jaguars seemed like the most likely of all NFL teams to move to London. Instead,
the NFL has suggested that creating European NFL franchises would involve at least two new
teams being introduced to the league, shifting how divisions were split in the NFL. However, the
possibility of any non-American franchise is highly unlikely given long travel times, player rights
and financial investment.

The NFL is now undoubtedly a game beyond the borders of the USA. Despite the introduction of
European franchises being highly unlikely, through international games, broadcasting rights to
many games, the NFL Academy, and the ELF, American Football has become one of the fastest
growing sports in Europe.

Words by Noah Robinson

Roxy Lanes: Yorkshire’s largest gaming destination and bar opens next week

Alex Gibbon on 2 February 2022

Bar and bowling alley, Roxy Lanes, is relocating from its current location on Bond Street to
The Light on The Headrow. The mammoth venue, due to open on 11th February is a
whopping three times the size of its Bond Street predecessor, which opened in Leeds back
in 2014. This brand-new gaming hub will incorporate all the elements of existing Roxy
venues along with some new games that have never been seen in Leeds before.

Whether you’re looking for date ideas, want to relive childhood memories or simply fancy a
fun night out, the brand-new Roxy Lanes has got you covered. The ground floor will play
host to a large bar area where customers can choose from a selection of craft beers,
cocktails and spirits, as well as slices and fries, The games will begin here for those who
want to shoot some hoops with two Basketball Machines. The basement area will be
dedicated to gaming, with 10 bowling lanes, massive shuffleboards, American pool tables,
air hockey, ice curling and a massive second bar area.

Something new for this venue is the addition of two ice curling lanes where players slide
stones down the smooth surface of the lane, aiming for the bullseye. However, the only chill in
the air will come from your opponents as this is an ice-free curling lane, one of only a few in
the whole of the UK. 

Speaking about the re-location and what customers can expect from this venue, General
Manager Cameron Mosley, says: “This is an incredible location, right in the heart of Leeds city
centre. Whilst the Bond Street venue was a great starting point for us as a brand, it’s now time to up
the ante. We’re delighted to be able to expand and offer our customers even more of that Roxy
Lanes experience, the demand is already going through the roof for our new venue and we can’t wait
to take gaming In Leeds to the next level!”

With two Roxy Ball Room venues already a huge success at their Merrion Street and Boar Lane locations, the Roxy brand looks forward to adding a bigger, better Roxy Lanes to the mix. 

The 15,000 square foot venue is also the perfect place to watch the latest sporting action,
with live BT and Sky Sports showing everywhere, even at the end of the bowling lanes – a
perfect addition in time for the 6 Nations Championship and FIFA World Cup which are both taking place in 2022.

So, if you want to rack up your strikes, play some drinking games or try your hand at
something totally new, then the brand-new Roxy Lanes at The Light is the ideal venue to
while away an evening or kick-start the weekend. The Bond Street venue will continue to
trade until the switch over takes place. Those looking to get their game on this from February
should book in now!

Night Out Alternatives

Lilian Sztankov on 13 November 2021

As a very fresh first year, one of the main things I heard constantly before arriving to Leeds was how unbelievable the nightlife would be. In such a vibrant and lively city, I hadn’t realized that this meant more than just the clubs; the music scenes, the bars, the pubs, the theatres, the concerts, the exhibitions, the list goes on and on. People talked about going out so much I nearly forgot the initial reason I applied for university is to go to lectures and focus on getting a degree.

The stigma around university life is undeniably centered around the social aspect, and this is natural and an important part of growing up. It’s when you find your people and connect on closer and deeper emotional levels, gaining fulfilling friendships and making memories that last for years. You have fun on nights out together, you dance, sing, and despite the cracking headache which inevitably greets you with its stabbing sharp hug the next morning, you’ll always have a story to tell.

Yet, a fun life is also a balanced one. If by the sixth night of the week, you feel a slight desire to stay in joggers, put on a face mask and watch a movie, that is completely understandable. In fact, I would encourage you to listen to your mind and body if it is telling you to rest and clear your mind, and stay in instead. 

Mainstream media preaches wild nights out every night but it’s always good to have a break and this does not necessarily mean needing to shut yourself in your room and to be asleep by 8:30!  

So, if this sounds appealing but you’re stuck on what to do, choose an activity from this list of fun things with flat mates or friends as an alternative to going out – the perfect way to look after yourself while having fun.

  • Movie night: huddle over a laptop or pitch in and get a cheap projector and have a movie marathon night! Everyone can bring a different snack or order a pizza together, and you’ve sorted dinner too. 
  • Have a pampering session: grab some face masks from Boots and bake some brownies so you can feast on your dessert with baby-soft skin.  
  • Host a dinner party: this might come with more planning and maybe cost slightly more but if everyone chips in for ingredients, cooking together is a great bonding experience and you end up with a nice warm home-cooked meal.  
  • Host a quiz night: each of you make 10/15 questions on a particular topic, and you can decide winners’ prizes and losers’ consequences!  
  • Game night: bring some games from back home: Monopoly, Uno, Cards Against Humanity and make it a competition, scoreboard and all.  
  • PowerPoint night: each person presents a PowerPoint to the group on a random topic, the more random, the better! A good example to get you started could be ‘Shrek characters in a Come Dine With Me episode.’

Seasonal Activities  

  • Halloween: spooky season has officially ended but pumpkin carving, watching a scary movie together or thinking of a group costume theme are all good ideas for next year.
  • Christmas – it’s fast approaching! Get into the spirit by decorating a Christmas tree, stringing up some fairy lights, building a gingerbread house while listening to Christmas music or hosting a festive movie marathon. 

Partying can be exhilarating and just what you need after hours of studying, but sometimes naturally you will crave some downtime. So, the next time you feel you still have not recovered from last weekend’s endeavors, try something new together and you might find you enjoy it. Bonus; you’ll save yourself from that hangover.

A Night Out at Roxy Ball Room

Anushka Searle on 28 July 2021

With the new found freedom and cocktail nights breaking the bank it’s time to find an alternative night out…enter Roxy. Roxy Ball Room, nicknamed “Roxy’s”, is the night out that every friend will enjoy. Whether you simply want a drink, a game of pool, a pizza night or a full night of activities, Roxy’s has a lot to offer. On my visit to their Merrion street location I was lucky enough to test out their duckpin bowling and crazy pool, alongside a pizza, some drinks, and of course I brought some friends along for the ride too.

Duckpin Bowling

A fun and quick alternative to your average game of bowling. Each player gets three tries each go, in comparison to the usual two, meaning that you can rake up a pretty high score. The only downside is that the game was a tad glitchy for us as the pins often came down with the front pin missing, making it impossible to get a strike. On the upside, the game was really fun, you get lots of rounds, and it is right next to the bar! Who doesn’t want a bit of drunk bowling?

Crazy Pool

Never have I ever seen crazy golf combined with pool before, but Roxy’s made that happen. You are presented with a variation of different tables with loops and obstacles at varying difficulties and you have six tries to get the ball in the hole. We had lots of fun with this game, and it was great to try something new. My one suggestion would be that the tables are too smooth so we often ran into the problem of the ball rolling off the table or getting stuck in the exact same place, this could also be improved by changing the sides of the table so that the ball can bounce off of them.

Pizza Time

With all those games and drinks you are bound to work up an appetite and Roxy’s pizza is there to solve that problem. If you’re a bit peckish then you can buy by the slice, but let’s be honest a full pizza is always the better choice. Roxy’s has recently changed their pizza bases and my Italian boyfriend was thoroughly impressed by them. My only point of criticism is that their pizza range is very limited, with only two vegetarian options (including margherita) and no vegan or gluten free option. If they improve their menu to include a few more topping and base options, then their pizza would be incredible.

Overall, the five of us had a great time at Roxy’s and the staff was amazing and very friendly. I would definitely recommend Roxy’s to anyone that hasn’t been as it is a great location for birthdays, befriending flatmates, or a simple games night. Roxy’s is everchanging and I can’t wait to see how they develop this fantastic business further.