American ambition: NFL fights NBA for world supremacy
The NFL stages its first match at Twickenham this weekend, as New York Giants battle LA Rams at the home of English rugby.
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Regular-season NFL games have been a fixture in London since the Giants played the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in October 2007.
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In October 2016, Jacksonville Jaguars beat Indianapolis Colts 30-27 at Wembley. After the Giants-Rams game at Twickenham, the series returns to English soccer's home ground in the final game between Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals on October 30.
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The NFL will also stage games at White Hart Lane, home of English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur. The club is rebuilding its stadium with the American version of football in mind, having agreed a 10-year deal to stage a minimum of two NFL games a season from 2018.
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The UK matches used to start at 6pm local time, but now begin at 2.30pm. The games rate well at US breakfast time in the and also suit the Chinese market.
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The NBA is also forging into other markets, following its 2004 milestone of becoming the first US professional sports league to stage a contest in China.
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Basketball stars like Yi Jianlian, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, have helped to boost the NBA's popularity in China.
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Both the NFL and NBA want to stage regular-season games in China, but have yet to overcome the logistical challenges.
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This year, the NBA is playing regular season games outside of the US in London and Mexico City -- the two venues for the NFL's overseas matches this season.