The following is a guest post by Melinda Goforth, Consul, Head of Trade and Investment — Washington.
George Bernard Shaw once said that America and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language. But I think the quirky differences in our respective ways of phrasing can actually bring us together, a point illustrated by a story in the news today; one to which sports fans in both countries can relate.
America’s National Football League (NFL) has announced that the St. Louis Rams will play one regular-season game in London for the next three seasons, according to Commissioner Roger Goodell, building on the six year tradition of playing a regular season NFL game across the pond. In the autumn of 2012, the Rams will face the New England Patriots (fitting, of course, given the location) on 28 October at Wembley Stadium.
The Rams are pros at (American) football, but they should feel more at home in the UK than other NFL teams might, as they are owned by the same person as the Arsenal Football Club in the Premier (Soccer) League. Stan Kroenke, a Missouri resident, clearly has an appreciation for both meanings of the word “football.”
But before the Rams and Patriots face off, Wembley Stadium will play host to the men’s and women’s football finals during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. British football, that is, or “soccer” as it is better known in the States.
The fan base for American football in the UK has grown exponentially over the past six years, and we can certainly anticipate that there will be American flags raised in Wembley Stadium during the Olympic matches. Really, football is just another example of how Americans and Brits appreciate and share elements of our different cultures, to make for even richer experiences for both.
Because while we might not be able to agree on what to call it, one thing is certain: 2012 will be an exciting year for football fans in America and the UK (even if we might need to discuss in advance which kit to bring along for the “football” game).