Member Article

Potential NFL partnership on cards at Tottenham as club look to recoup stadium costs

Tottenham Hotspur chairman, Daniel Levy, has said that the club is open to the ‘enormous benefits’ that a partnership with an NFL could provide as the club look for ways to recoup the £400m cost of their new stadium.

Speaking to ESPN, the Spurs chairman hinted that the Premier League club could theoretically share a base with an NFL franchise if the league decided to establish a team in London.

The club, which has already agreed to host two NFL games per season at its new Northumberland Park ground, is already on the hunt for a stadium name sponsor which could potentially smash the £400m Manchester City agreed with Etihad Airways.

Any potential partnership with the NFL could be a major money spinner for the North London club as American Football’s popularity in the UK continues to rise following a string of sell-out Wembley events in recent years.

In an interview with ESPN, Levy commented: “The NFL, a number of times when they’ve come to the UK, has used our training facility and, when a foreign organisation goes to another territory, I think being in partnership with a local operator brings enormous benefits.

“I think the NFL has understood that one thing we’ve got is we’re a well-run organisation and we really believe in the word ‘partnership’.”

In a less than subtle hint that Spurs are open to a more involved relationship with the NFL, Levy said that the partnership ‘can expand to however big either party wants it to be’, after he was asked whether the new 61,000 seater stadium could support the eight NFL games per season required for a permanent London franchise.

He added: “We’re going into this, hopefully the intention is our relationship will expand over time and we’re working very closely together.

“But I think in terms of training facilities and things like that, we have discussed that with the NFL, but again that’s something for the NFL to decide upon.”

The club’s new home is currently on course for completion in time for the 2018-19 season.