Wembley Stadium "will host another three NFL games next year" as the league "continues to expand its push" into the U.K. market, according to the BBC. Sunday's Lions-Falcons game marked the second of three NFL games at Wembley this season, and NFL U.K. Managing Dir Alistair Kirkwood said "to expect three more" in '15. Kirkwood: "We are going to do three games next year, and looking at staging two games back to back in successive weeks to test this support base" (BBC.com, 10/26). Kirkwood said, "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 add a London team] we would want to feel really confident." He said that he "is expecting another bumper crowd" for the Nov. 9 Cowboys-Jaguars game, adding that the Cowboys "are arguably the most famous team in the league." Kirkwood: "This will be our biggest atmosphere at a game and closest to if we were ever to have a London franchise" (SKYSPORTS.com, 10/27).
THE BREAKFAST CLUB: PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Michael David Smith wrote the NFL's decision to have Lions-Falcons begin at 9:30am ET "was brilliant." The early time slot "won't please every audience, but it pleases enough fans that the NFL should keep it up." If the league "puts four to eight games a year in London" at that time slot, "you can bet every network would be interested in airing those games, and willing to pay the league a pretty penny for the privilege" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 10/27).
