Arizona State beat Kansas 24–17 in the first American college football game staged at Wembley, but the inaugural Union Jack Classic left its organisers with a broader test: how to turn a London showcase into a fixture that British supporters want to attend every year.
The game drew 46,523 spectators on Saturday, 19 September. That was below the planned attendance of 60,000, although an exclusive multi-year agreement with Wembley gives the event an opportunity to build on its opening edition. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark told BBC Sport that an announcement about next year’s London game was expected within the next month or two.
Arizona State win as attendance falls below target
Both programmes brought substantial travelling support. Around 15,000 fans came from the United States, with approximately 9,000 following Arizona State and 6,000 supporting Kansas. Ticket buyers represented 35 countries, according to BBC Sport’s report.
Those figures help explain the opportunity and the challenge. Travelling supporters supplied a large part of the occasion, while the presence of fans in the shirts of other college teams and NFL franchises showed that the audience extended beyond the two participants. However, the reported turnout also left a gap of 13,477 against the organisers’ target. Some spectators were moved into the lower tier so that Wembley’s upper tier could remain empty.
Arizona State secured the seven-point victory. BBC Sport’s assessment was that the scoreline flattered Kansas and that, despite some big plays, the game had not been as entertaining as anticipated. The result therefore needs to be distinguished from the wider reception: a successful experience for the visiting teams does not, by itself, settle the question of sustained demand in London.
A college occasion with its own identity
The organisers sought to give Wembley a recognisably college atmosphere. The main tailgate opened at 10:00 BST, seven hours before kick-off. Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne performed, while nearly 2,000 people attended a separate Arizona State alumni party.
Marching bands appeared on Wembley Way and on the pitch, and Fox Sports presented its pre-game programme from an outdoor studio. Music during the game and a third-quarter light show added to the presentation. These were central elements of the event rather than incidental entertainment: organisers had promised an authentic college matchday alongside the football.
The experience also mattered to the players and coaching staffs. Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham described it as something his players would remember for the rest of their lives. Kansas coach Lance Leipold praised the hospitality, accommodation and practice facilities. Their responses support the case for another visit, while remaining distinct from evidence about how many local spectators will return.
British university links offer a route beyond one match
The most relevant part of the project for British participation lies away from the stadium. The Union Jack Classic formed partnerships with the British American Football Association, British Universities and Colleges Sport, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. BBC Sport reported that the event had helped train more than 1,050 British coaches and referees this year.
More than 100 UK universities have American football teams. Organisers deliberately targeted university players, in part because students could identify with the college game. That provides a practical audience to build around, rather than assuming that interest in the NFL automatically translates into support for whichever colleges travel to London.
What the next announcement needs to establish
The Wembley agreement provides continuity, but the next participating teams had not been identified in the reporting. Yormark said other Big 12 colleges were interested in playing in London and that the conference was also exploring further international markets.
For British supporters, the immediate questions are therefore concrete:
- Which teams will be selected for the next London game?
- How will the event build on its university and grassroots partnerships?
- Can the next edition bring attendance closer to the organisers’ opening target?
The first Union Jack Classic supplied a result, a substantial crowd and a commitment to return. Its stronger long-term case will depend on connecting those elements: using the Wembley fixture to give local players and supporters a reason to follow college football between visits, as well as a reason to buy a ticket for the next one.