KEVIN CADLE HAS been the face of American football on Sky Sports for twenty years. In that time, he has seen a massive increase in the popularity of the sport among non-US fans.
However, despite the fact Wembley continues to sell out all the games held there, the presenter does not think anyone should assume that London is next in line for an NFL franchise.
That’s not to say it won’t happen, there’s just a lot of details to sort out first. Oh, and the small matter of Los Angeles.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know,” Cadle told TheScore.ie when asked about a potential UK-based franchise.
“Before there is London, there has to be Los Angeles. I can’t see [the NFL] jumping over LA before they get to London. I just can’t see it.
“London could look for something after LA gets sorted but for me that has to be taken care of and as one of the biggest TV markets in America, it needs a team. Not only are the Raiders and Rams talking about moving back to LA but the Chargers are in the mix too.
“Who knows, after decades without a team, LA could get two. Where does that leave London where there are still tax implications, where and how the players will live, etc. I’m sure all those things are being worked on but Los Angeles has to be first in line.
It’s not all bad news though according to the presenter:
“Jacksonville is not a great market, if that doesn’t and the NFL say enough is enough, you might have the Jags swinging towards London. At this stage it’s about logistics but they can be overcome.”
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OJ Simpson with the Buffalo Bills. SportsChrome / Press Association Images
SportsChrome / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Cadle, a former basketball player and coach, insists that American football was always his first love. Growing up across the street from where the Buffalo Bills played allowed him get the autographs of star players like OJ Simpson.
After hosting Sky Sports’ coverage of NFL Europe, Cadle was the obvious choice to front their NFL broadcasts once his very successful basketball coaching career came to an end in the UK.
Over the past two decades, the popularity of the sport outside of the US has exploded, particularly in Ireland and the UK, something Cadle is very proud of.
“I am proud. We – Sky and the team – have played a major part in that.
“You only have to look at the first International Series game in Wembley between the Giants and Miami. Over half a million people applied for tickets to that game, half a million people!
“That proves how popular the game is here – and when I say here I don’t just mean the UK but internationally – and though it can be a silent audience at times, when it comes out, it comes out in force.
“Alistair Kirkwood (the Managing Director of NFL UK) told us that, when we started, American football was the 17th most popular sport to watch in the UK, it’s now seventh and I don’t think there’s any chance of it passing the other six.
“To have that level of interest is great though and the best part is that we have a young crowd, it’s not just the veteran guys who watched the sport back in the eighties. With the younger viewer, the sport is in good hands.”
Cadle also says that, while some of Sky Sports’ American guests were once surprised by the level of knowledge of European fans, that’s changed now and they accept that those who watch the NFL on this side of the Atlantic are just as knowledgeable as those who grew up playing the sport.
A long-suffering Bills fan, Cadle thinks that bringing in Kyle Orton was a good move as it should help EJ Manuel grow as a quarterback.
“I don’t think it’s just about how the season is progressing with the Bills, it’s 12 or 13 years of futility. The defence usually does their job and they were good the first five weeks of the season but this year – every year – it’s the quarterback position that’s the problem and the Bills inevitably end up with one of the bottom twenty players at that position.
“I suppose the thinking behind [Kyle] Orton is that he can come in and be good right now so EJ gets to look and learn from a veteran. Last year, having two rookie quarterbacks, was the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Even looking at Sammy Watkins at receiver, he has the potential to be the real deal but we just don’t know. You read about him, you hear the numbers and see what he can do but there’s a whole lot of guys who were stars in college who didn’t make it.
“Right now, the coin is still in the air with Sammy.”
With a regular rotation of guests on Sky Sports’ NFL coverage including the likes of Cecil Martin and Jeff Reinebold, Cadle says the most important thing they bring to the studio is a sense of humour.
“They [Sky's pundits] are all great but a dream guest for me would be one of the older guys, the likes of Jim Brown but, if you look at the guys who are out there now, I’d have so say I’d love to have someone like Michael Irvin on.
“The way he goes about his job is great. He’s always laughing, joking, creating a relaxed atmosphere and that’s great. After all, it’s just sport, it’s not life or death. It doesn’t have to be serious all the time so it’s good to have fun in the studio.”
While the presenter admits to being surprised by both the Browns and Cowboys this season, he thinks that JJ Watt is a lock for his defensive player of the year if not overall MVP.
As for the Super Bowl, he accepts that it’s still quite early to pick a team but his money is on last season’s runners up:
“That’s the greatest thing about the NFL, you just don’t know. Right now, I’m going with Denver. My man Peyton, I’d like to see him get another Super Bowl.”
Sky Sports is showing the NFL as part of an autumn of sport that includes Premier League, Champions League, Formula One and Autumn Internationals.
'London might not be calling for the NFL just yet' - Kevin Cadle
KEVIN CADLE HAS been the face of American football on Sky Sports for twenty years. In that time, he has seen a massive increase in the popularity of the sport among non-US fans.
However, despite the fact Wembley continues to sell out all the games held there, the presenter does not think anyone should assume that London is next in line for an NFL franchise.
That’s not to say it won’t happen, there’s just a lot of details to sort out first. Oh, and the small matter of Los Angeles.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know,” Cadle told TheScore.ie when asked about a potential UK-based franchise.
“Before there is London, there has to be Los Angeles. I can’t see [the NFL] jumping over LA before they get to London. I just can’t see it.
“London could look for something after LA gets sorted but for me that has to be taken care of and as one of the biggest TV markets in America, it needs a team. Not only are the Raiders and Rams talking about moving back to LA but the Chargers are in the mix too.
“Who knows, after decades without a team, LA could get two. Where does that leave London where there are still tax implications, where and how the players will live, etc. I’m sure all those things are being worked on but Los Angeles has to be first in line.
It’s not all bad news though according to the presenter:
“Jacksonville is not a great market, if that doesn’t and the NFL say enough is enough, you might have the Jags swinging towards London. At this stage it’s about logistics but they can be overcome.”
Cadle, a former basketball player and coach, insists that American football was always his first love. Growing up across the street from where the Buffalo Bills played allowed him get the autographs of star players like OJ Simpson.
After hosting Sky Sports’ coverage of NFL Europe, Cadle was the obvious choice to front their NFL broadcasts once his very successful basketball coaching career came to an end in the UK.
Over the past two decades, the popularity of the sport outside of the US has exploded, particularly in Ireland and the UK, something Cadle is very proud of.
“I am proud. We – Sky and the team – have played a major part in that.
“You only have to look at the first International Series game in Wembley between the Giants and Miami. Over half a million people applied for tickets to that game, half a million people!
“That proves how popular the game is here – and when I say here I don’t just mean the UK but internationally – and though it can be a silent audience at times, when it comes out, it comes out in force.
“Alistair Kirkwood (the Managing Director of NFL UK) told us that, when we started, American football was the 17th most popular sport to watch in the UK, it’s now seventh and I don’t think there’s any chance of it passing the other six.
“To have that level of interest is great though and the best part is that we have a young crowd, it’s not just the veteran guys who watched the sport back in the eighties. With the younger viewer, the sport is in good hands.”
Cadle also says that, while some of Sky Sports’ American guests were once surprised by the level of knowledge of European fans, that’s changed now and they accept that those who watch the NFL on this side of the Atlantic are just as knowledgeable as those who grew up playing the sport.
A long-suffering Bills fan, Cadle thinks that bringing in Kyle Orton was a good move as it should help EJ Manuel grow as a quarterback.
“I don’t think it’s just about how the season is progressing with the Bills, it’s 12 or 13 years of futility. The defence usually does their job and they were good the first five weeks of the season but this year – every year – it’s the quarterback position that’s the problem and the Bills inevitably end up with one of the bottom twenty players at that position.
“I suppose the thinking behind [Kyle] Orton is that he can come in and be good right now so EJ gets to look and learn from a veteran. Last year, having two rookie quarterbacks, was the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Even looking at Sammy Watkins at receiver, he has the potential to be the real deal but we just don’t know. You read about him, you hear the numbers and see what he can do but there’s a whole lot of guys who were stars in college who didn’t make it.
“Right now, the coin is still in the air with Sammy.”
With a regular rotation of guests on Sky Sports’ NFL coverage including the likes of Cecil Martin and Jeff Reinebold, Cadle says the most important thing they bring to the studio is a sense of humour.
“They [Sky's pundits] are all great but a dream guest for me would be one of the older guys, the likes of Jim Brown but, if you look at the guys who are out there now, I’d have so say I’d love to have someone like Michael Irvin on.
While the presenter admits to being surprised by both the Browns and Cowboys this season, he thinks that JJ Watt is a lock for his defensive player of the year if not overall MVP.
As for the Super Bowl, he accepts that it’s still quite early to pick a team but his money is on last season’s runners up:
“That’s the greatest thing about the NFL, you just don’t know. Right now, I’m going with Denver. My man Peyton, I’d like to see him get another Super Bowl.”
Sky Sports is showing the NFL as part of an autumn of sport that includes Premier League, Champions League, Formula One and Autumn Internationals.
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