Thursday 26 April 2018 18:19, UK
Sky Sports NFL presenter Neil Reynolds says Shahid Khan's Wembley purchase would be a massive step towards a team in London.
Speaking after the FA confirmed it was in talks with Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC owner over the sale of Wembley Stadium for a reported £800m, Reynolds said it is a huge day for American football in the UK.
"I think when we look back in three, four, five years time I think this will be a historic day - a day when we look and we say this was the next massive step towards and NFL franchise in London," he said.
"[There are] still lots of steps and hurdles along this process.
"[Khan has] made a bid, that bid still has to be accepted. Then the natural thought process is, are the Jaguars coming to London as an NFL franchise?"
Billionaire Khan announced on the Jaguars team website that the move would "further strengthen our investment in London, which as everyone knows is crucial to the Jaguars' continued sustainability in Jacksonville", perhaps tempering expectations that he'll move the team immediately out of Florida.
However, if he does decide to make the move and attempt to create the first NFL franchise based in London, is it all straight forward?
"24 of the 32 NFL owners must approve a move of that nature," Reynolds explained.
"The Jaguars would have to pay a 550m dollar relocation fee - that was the going rate when the Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles.
"To me, personally, it feels like the next major step."
The International Series started in 2007 and the Jaguars have been at the forefront of its development, agreeing to give up a home game to play in London in every season up until 2020. Their involvement could increase even further.
"It felt like the game was moving that way in this country with the Jags coming back year after year committed to the UK market, but then of course we needed a stadium to step up or a long-term deal to be in place.
"I know the Jags have an existing deal in place with Wembley Stadium but this obviously supersedes all of that if Shad Khan owns the stadium."
Finally, Reynolds was asked how football (soccer) fans might react to the news, and perhaps how they should.
"The whole conversation shows how far the NFL has come in the UK - how big the players and the NFL is in London now and how many stadiums in London are now looking to be involved in the NFL.
"You’ve got the new stadium at Tottenham Hotspur - again with a 10-year deal with the NFL - and now Wembley Stadium and Shad Khan.
However, Reynolds said: "Of course, if you’re a die-hard fan of our football (not American football) then maybe the thought of the NFL taking precedence over the national team or over FA Cup finals would worry you.
"I don’t know how much that would happen.
"I think Shad Khan is smart enough if this bid is accepted to make both happen - where there are potentially more NFL games and maybe eventually a franchise and to keep all the existing events that take place at Wembley."
All three days of the NFL Draft are exclusively live on Sky Sports with opening night getting underway from 12.30am on Friday, April 27 on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Mix.
Watch the full NFL Draft Preview on demand now and the first round will be available on Friday.
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