Cast members from Emmy Award Winning TV Series Ted Lasso among special UK guests to help NFL teams deliver their picks on Saturday
Four of the NFL’s UK International Home Market Area (IHMA) teams used the 2023 NFL Draft to engage local fans by announcing picks from locations across London.
The Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets made the UK their backdrop to Day three picks, which took place on Saturday evening (29 April).
The annual NFL Draft gives teams the opportunity to infuse their rosters with new talent. Each of the 32 teams receive one pick in each of the seven rounds with the order of selection determined by the reverse order of finish in the previous season.
Kola Bokinni (Isaac McAdoo) and Cristo Fernandez (Dani Rojas) from Emmy Award Winning TV Series Ted Lasso, returned to screens to announce the Miami Dolphins 197th pick live from Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Later this year, the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the US, will once again host two international games, with the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans heading to the capital as designated teams.
Both the New York Jets and Chicago Bears used their picks to celebrate the inaugural Jets and Bears NFL Flag girls league which launched in April this year. The league is the first UK all girls’ competition of its kind and increases access to sport for young girls through NFL Flag. NFL Flag is one of the fastest growing sports globally. The sport empowers young athletes, boys and girls, around the world. Flag football is fun, exciting, and accessible for all; with women and girls driving some of the fastest growth in the sport.
Maryam Hashi and other Jets players from the Girls Flag League announced their 120th pick live from the talkSPORT studio in London Bridge – alongside NFL presenter Will Gavin. Meanwhile, Majeetah Emilila from the UK Bears team, delivered the 115th pick alongside NFL host Neil Reynolds live from Sky Sports studios.
The Wembley bound Jacksonville Jaguars enlisted the help of starting Offensive Linemen Luke Fortner to make the 121st pick from Fulham FC’s new Riverside Stand. Fortner was joined by Reece Parkinson, host of the Weekly Jaguars Show on Sky Sports and a lucky Jag Tag participant.
The IHMA program grants clubs’ access to international territories for marketing, fan engagement and commercialization as part of an important, long-term, strategic effort to enable clubs to build their global brands while driving NFL fan growth internationally. Since its inception in 2021 rights in the UK have been awarded to the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers.