Minnesota Vikings extended perfect start to 2024 NFL season with victory over New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday; watch Chicago Bears face Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham on Sunday October 13, live on Sky Sports NFL; kickoff 2.30pm
Is London red or blue? Arsenal and Chelsea fans may have wandered into the capital last weekend to realise it is a concoction of the two (we see you, art teachers!) For London is, in fact, purple – and so too, perhaps, is the UK.
How the NFL and its teams measure success can vary according to preference. Swarming four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers on the way to victory over the New York Jets at a sold-out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium leaves a lasting impression.
But convincing beautifully-grumpy, greeting-repellent Londoners to partake in SKOL chanting at 10am is quite the feat. Some may say miracle.
The Minnesota Vikings won big on Sunday, extending their perfect start to 5-0 as one of the stories of the 2024 NFL season, in doing so costing Jets head coach Robert Saleh his job. But they were winning long before kickoff. They had been winning all week, all year.
“We don’t want to show up every couple of months,” said Keisha Wyatt, Minnesota Vikings head of international marketing. “We want to be consistent. We want to be that brand that you notice when you’re walking on the street or in the train station, and somebody has our jersey on or you see an advertisement.”
On Saturday morning, yawning, coffee-clutching locals and bright-eyed out-of-towners ascended the escalators at Tottenham Court Road train station to be welcomed by a purple grotto of Vikings goodness.
Awaiting was a Minnesota takeover at Outernet London, where giant interactive screens depicted Vikings players, colours and U.S. Bank Stadium to celebrate the team’s arrival with a modernised take on tailgating ahead of their showdown with the Jets.
It marked a fresh and unique approach to an NFL team exploiting an international market, the Vikings utilising one of London’s most popular tourist attractions to not only sell itself but amplify its dedication to the UK.
While purple-people eating advocates of young and old took part in games, Vikings hosts decked out in full jersey, pads and helmet orchestrated SKOL chants that continued to draw in more confused-come-intrigued passers-by.
One non-NFL-following Minnesotan approached to ask what was going on. He recognised the colours from a distance, but couldn’t understand why he was seeing them here, and not at home. Was the UK now home? The Vikings aren’t leaving anytime soon.
“It looks incredible, just a proud moment,” added Wyatt. “It can be overwhelming too, because it’s finally here, it’s like planning for your wedding day and that big moment in your life and you’re like, ‘this is it’.
“I got into this role two years ago and from day one I’ve always been thinking of what it could look like, and how we show up in London or in the UK in two years.
“I’m so grateful for this moment, so I’m happy to see the fans stick around too and to be able to create a memorable experience.”
Full throttle has become a prevalent theme to Minnesota’s presence in the UK, both on and off the field. Brian Flores conjured another defensive clinic to light up Rodgers with his unrelenting blitz package and masterful bail-and-pick play diagnosis (looking at you Andrew Van Ginkel), while Wyatt and co. have been leading a no-stone-unturned assault of their own in view of British permanency.
In came the purple Vikings-themed London cab dragging eyes left and right, like Kevin O’Connell toying with defenders through pre-snap motion men; in came a Vikings-themed quiz night; in came franchise legends in Cris Carter, Jake Reed and London Games Ring of Honour inductee Jared Allen to interact with swarms of fans at meet-and-greet events.
The Vikings had, meanwhile, underlined their commitment to community and youth projects with a Flag Football event, before Reed and Wyatt were both in attendance at the NFL Flag Continental Series at Tottenham a day after Minnesota’s win.
During Friday’s pre-game press conference, Justin Jefferson was also presented with a jersey by Italian National Team captain Nausicaa Dell’Orto, who thanked the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history for his work in spreading the game as a Global Flag Football Ambassador.
Wherever you looked, there was smiling, willing, driven purple presence keen to cement and embrace a home from home
“I wanted to be intentional about showing up for these fans because they don’t get the luxury that we have as Americans to watch football at a decent hour, or to be able to go to the stadium,” continues Wyatt.
“We wanted to make sure that we provided the constant relevancy within the market and of course lean on the opportunity to provide a game, so we’re grateful to have been here for a fourth time – undefeated, at that!
“The intentionality behind it has been pure and genuine. And so you know this game will be over with on Sunday but this won’t be the last time that you hear from the Minnesota Vikings.
“We’ll be back in market literally within weeks just because that is the purpose of what we’re trying to do.”
By now the NFL has consolidated its position as a prime spectacle on the UK sporting landscape, its grip on history so strong that there is a sense of urgency among those to have secured marketing rights in the country.
Where for so long the Jacksonville Jaguars had nudged themselves clear of the pack, healthy competition has entered the fold and the race is beginning to intensify, the winners ultimately being, well, everybody.
So back to the question of success and how it is measured. With each year comes new ventures, an Outernet extravaganza coupling with some Jefferson stardom, a Sam Darnold resurgence, Flores fire and O’Connell artistry in representing more significant progress.
The element of the unknown is the beauty of it, Wyatt already plotting her next red zone play-call.
“Success is definitely progress,” said Wyatt. “We were privileged to be selected to have our game against the [San Francisco] 49ers broadcast on Sky Sports.
“But I think progress is also what we are doing with the content we provide and giving fans behind-the-scenes access, and allowing this market to see something not everybody may see.
“I have a lot of thoughts in my head, and I’m really fortunate to have a team that can take all of these creative thoughts I’ve had and really simplify it. It’s about how we continue to light up the city and turn the city purple, and how that looks.
“A lot of purple. Hello purple!”
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The video you are trying to watch cannot be viewed from your current country or location New York Jets quaterback Aaron Rodgers is intercepted by Stephon Gilmore to seal a win for the Minnesota Vikings in London
A staple of the Flores defense in Minnesota has been the versatility in personnel and multiple looks to his formations, from the blitz use of a Harrison Smith to the coverage duties of edge rusher Van Ginkel, to the role of Josh Metellus as one of the league’s most gifted position-less utility men within an ‘everybody feasts’ unit.
They are attacking offensive play-design from all angles and at every level of the field.
They are following a suit with their own blitz behind-the-scenes, not only turning a focus towards London but taking Flag Football tournaments and clinics to both Manchester and Newcastle within the last year, the latter seeing year seven and eight students from eight schools compete at Kingston Park Stadium last week.
Flag Football continues to prove a primary avenue of engagement for the Vikings as they seek to prioritise their efforts in the community.
“It’s a massive priority for the organisation and Joe Rush [youth and high school football manager] has been leading the charge,” said Wyatt. “I’m fully behind him being able to bring a sport over here and introduce it to girls.
“It’s been incredible to watch and a priority for the organisation as we build the sport. We have this as a pillar within what we are doing and I think the biggest thing is ensuring we grow the sport, not just for the Vikings but for the league overall.”
Wyatt had travelled over earlier this summer in the company of wide receiver Jordan Addison, defensive back Metellus and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, the trio’s awe-struck reaction to a sighting of Big Ben serving as a reminder of what a special experience it remains for players that make the trip.
“I love it because a lot of the time it is their first time over, and they love London,” said Wyatt. “Just to give them a taste of the country you call home.
“It’s a wonderful privilege because that’s the real beauty of just being humans in the world. We’re all from different areas in life, but we can all really come together and love sport.”
Wyatt, O’Connell, Flores and the Vikings persist to get it right, so very right. London is no longer the obscure cousin with whom you share friendly and sporadic small talk at the annual family party, but instead the cool relative to whom you run and dap up as they finally arrive at the annual family party.