Kick it across the pond for fun and games,
From that other football to ours, LONDON is a dream destination for sports lovers
HAVE game ticket, will travel.
That’s been the vacation credo for my entire adult life. While most people go on holiday in search of things you find in a Fodor’s guide, I’m after local soccer matches, football games or baseball outings. Or, hell, even a cockroach race would do.
Live sporting events offer an excellent window into a society. You learn what locals eat and drink, how they celebrate and, most importantly, the frequency with which they use unsavory language.
Out of soccer fandom alone, I’ve attended English Premier League games, La Liga matches in Spain and an FA Cup Final at Wembley. Domestically, I check off a few new cities, events and stadiums every year. Yet it seems almost impossible to make much of a dent in my sports bucket list, which includes attending the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and a college hoops game at Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, where “Hoosiers” was filmed.
Plus, I still like a side of culture with my ball games: museums, history and good grub. And by far the best combination of all three is London. Since the Olympics, London & Partners — the city’s official tourism board — has made it a priority to lure large sporting events. And this fall, the NFL will play four games across the pond. (That’s up from only one in 2007, the first year the league started scheduling regular season games in London.)
These NFL matchups are a hot ticket on the other side of the Atlantic. The games always sell out, and the league has been pushing to add a franchise based in the English capital. The sport also seems to be catching on with locals. In 2016, area TV networks’ NFL coverage saw an 80 percent increase in ratings from the previous year.
I’m not alone in my search for sports sights. “Last year, we had about 19 million international visitors,” says Iain Edmondson, head of major events at London & Partners. “We know approximately 13 percent come to attend a game.”
In January, London & Partners flew me over for my own sports pilgrimage. I saw the Denver Nuggets play the Indiana Pacers at the O2 Arena, where every hoops-obsessed soccer star sat courtside, making the sidelines more exciting than the main event.
It was also mid-season for the Premier League, and I was lucky enough to see my favorite team, Tottenham Hotspur, play West Bromwich Albion. Striker Harry Kane netted a hat trick. Also at the game was former Met Daniel Murphy. He, too, is a rabid Spurs fan and makes yearly trips to see them play. It was also my last chance to experience the historic White Hart Lane stadium in North London. It is being torn down to make way for the Spurs’ new stadium, which will mimic the US model and boast posh hospitality suites. When it opens up for the 2018 season, the new digs will also play host to NFL games.
I dropped by Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where the centerpiece of the 2012 Games has been converted to the home field for West Ham, another Premier League team. If there’s no match going on, you can take a tour of the stadium, complete with access to the locker room, and head onto the field through the tunnel just like the players do.
Taking a break from indulging my inner stadium nerd, I visited the Tate Modern and the observation deck atop the Shard. The latter has toilets with full glass windows — making it a loo with an incredible view.
But of course, there are five Premier League teams in London, and I haven’t seen them all yet. It’s time to plot my next long weekend across the pond.
GET THERE Low-cost carrier Norwegian Air has a solid business-class experience (from $900 round-trip) and an affordable economy class (from $430 round-trip) out of JFK. Or there’s always the venerable Virgin Atlantic (from $1,700 round-trip), which flies from both JFK and Newark. STAY St. Ermin’s is a history buff ’s delight. The former mansion was the headquarters for the Special Operations Executive and MI6, playing an integral role in the country’s World War II resistance. It’s also luxurious, has beautiful beehives on the third floor for homemade honey and is a quick walk from Westminster Abbey, Parliament and the Tube (from $350; StErminsHotel.co.uk).
EAT Iconic London restaurant Bentley’s Oyster
Bar and Grill is tucked away on a side street in bustling Mayfair. The seafood mecca, helmed by celebrity chef Richard Corrigan, has a large raw bar and the most delectable fish and chips ( Bentleys.
org). If fresh pasta is your dish, then Padella is your spot. The charming-but-nofrills noodle haven in Borough Market feels like your grandma’s kitchen — and might make better spaghetti ( Padella.co). In Soho, relaxed
Casita Andina serves modern takes on Peruvian dishes. Wash down spicy plates of seafood and meat with a Pisco sour ( AndinaLondon. com/Casita). The author was a guest of London & Partners.