Tottenham would have to pay an eye-watering amount of money to secure Daniel Levy’s NFL dream
Kieran Maguire has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur may be prepared to spend a huge amount to host an NFL franchise at their stadium, explaining why the move might not be appreciated by Spurs fans.
The move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019 has been a game changer for Spurs financially, with the club now in better financial health than it has ever been.
By building the kind of revenue streams that they have, Daniel Levy and co have ensured the club’s long-term financial sustainability, but many Spurs fans feel that the wealth that is being generated is not satisfactorily represented on the pitch.
It has now been suggested that the Tottenham board may be about to make another huge move that will not go down with the club’s fan base.
Could we have a new Tottenham-branded NFL franchise?
TBR Football explain that Spurs have never hidden their intention to build on the partnership with the NFL and perhaps even host a permanent franchise based out of London.
It is explained that they could suggest launching a Tottenham-branded NFL franchise, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan even willing to throw his political weight behind it.
According to the outlet, NFL insiders believe that a new franchise in North London could be a reality by 2030, but Kieran Maguire warns that the move might not be popular among Spurs fans.
When asked about Tottenham’s aim to host a permanent NFL franchise at their stadium, Maguire told the publication: “I think it would reinforce the view that Spurs are a business with a football club as a side line. That would be totally unacceptable for the Spurs fans who aren’t happy at the moment.
“It’s impossible to say whether this would see fans pushed too far, although we did see that with Super League. Although, I think many supporters would think that the identity of the club would be diminished. But owners don’t care. They are living in their ivory towers.
“Ultimately, how many owners are really attending matches like Daniel Levy is? You never see John Henry at Liverpool, the Glazers at Man United, or Stan Kroenke at Arsenal. Control of their clubs is now remote.”
Tottenham may need to spend £2 billion on NFL agreement
Maguire also explained that in order to have the right to host a franchise, Tottenham would have to pay a huge amount, potentially up to around £2 billion.
However, he suggested that it is something that the Premier League side will be tempted by as they have a chance to earn big by securing Europe’s first NFL franchise.
Maguire added: “From a business perspective, I think this would be a fantastic deal. First of all, they would have to pay a huge expansion fee to the NFL. You’re talking £1-2bn, but if you look at the metrics, you see it’s worthwhile.
“Spurs have proven that they can sell out their stadium for the NFL and charge prices that are higher than those generally seen in football, as well as premium catering and merchandise prices.
“People keep coming back – and that is because there is a different psyche among NFL fans. Whether that could be maintained for a full season, we’ll have to wait and see, but I suspect it would.
“If you’re the only NFL franchise in Europe, you’re going to attract all the NFL fans from across the continent. You become a bit of a lightning rod. If you have a couple of good seasons, that will help too.”
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