The NFL is not at this pivotal point in league history without the help of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Trevor Lawrence's team are playing back-to-back games in London.
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The Bills Mafia will soon visit the same huge city in England, while superstar quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Tua Tagovailoa will play international showcases that will reach worldwide audiences.
With games in Germany quickly selling out, there's no doubt that the NFL's overseas push is in full effect in 2023.
This isn't a fad.
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This is the new world for a league that conquered the United States decades ago and is now seeking new platforms in a rapidly changing media age.
The team that the NFL is allowing to carry the international flag?
Not the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Not the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Instead, it's the reigning AFC South champions, who play in one of the league's smallest markets and are currently seeking major stadium rennovations to remain in Jacksonville, but also have embraced the opportunity of London like no other NFL franchise.
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"It’s been a great journey. A very positive one," Jaguars president Mark Lamping exclusively told talkSPORT. "Obviously the franchise has benefited from this business commitment that Mr. (Shahid) Khan made, not only financial but probably even more importantly just in terms of the building of the brand and the expertise that we’ve been able to acquire over the last 11 years."
Playing back-to-back London games is a major feat for the Jags.
A win against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium and Sunday's matchup against the Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have been a long time coming for an organization that didn't enter the league until 1995 and endured a 1-15 campaign just three seasons ago.
Lamping said that Jacksonville's continued attachment to London has been a win-win for the franchise and the Florida community that serves as the primary home for the Jaguars.
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"What has made it really special is the city of Jacksonville has been a huge beneficiary," Lamping said. "Every time that we come over here the city treats it as a major trade mission.
"We get the business leaders of Jacksonville to come in here usually the week before the game, call on companies that might potentially be good candidates to bring jobs to Jacksonville. There have been very tangible benefits that have accrued to the city of Jacksonville.
"Any time you can put Jacksonville in the same sentence with London, that’s a really good thing for Jacksonville in terms of the global awareness and everything that comes with that."
There are logistical hurdles to temporarily relocating an NFL team -- players, coaches, club personnel and more -- to another city for 11 days.
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But part of the reason for the Jaguars' extended London stay in 2023 is the essential information that will be collected for the league and 31 other teams.
"We’ll learn a lot about what is it like for a team to make a multi-game commitment in a market that is so far away from their home market," Lamping said.
The Jaguars president said that “stars had to align†for Jacksonville to become the first NFL team to play two consecutive games in London during one season.
But he also credited Khan’s strong ties to the city for helping the Jags make history.
“He’s a very unique individual and London is very important to him and has been his entire life,†Lamping said. “To have the opportunity to combine working to benefit the Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville, and to also do it in a way that provides real significant tangible benefits to the National Football League, this is more than just how it works for the Jaguars.â€
At the core of the league’s increased international push is a recognition of changing times and opportunities to explore markets that once would have been out of reach.
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“The National Football League as part of its DNA has this insatiable quest for growth,†Lamping said. “The league is so dominant in the US and if you're committed to growth you're going to have to look in those areas where perhaps there's great opportunity, and international is the obvious place for that.â€
Major League Baseball used to be America’s pastime.
The NBA once battled with the NFL for supremacy during the peak of Michael Jordan’s basketball career.
Now the NFL completely dominates the United States and is playing five overseas games, with the Jaguars waving the league’s flag for two weeks in London.
The NFL’s international push will only continue.
A small-market team from the AFC South is leading the way.
“The response has been terrific,†Lamping said. “London obviously was the first and probably the most developed of the international markets, having played games here for so many years.
“The response that the league has seen in Germany has been tremendous and then talk of expansion to other countries within continental Europe, Spain and even talk about bringing games to South America -- Mexico has always been a very important market.
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“I think the league looks at the growth opportunity, looks at the opportunity to grow their already very, very large fanbase. The NFL is as successful as it is for a lot of reasons and one of them is they're very aggressive and they're fearful of complacency.â€
On Sunday, talkSPORT 2 will bring you live commentary of the Jacksonville Jaguars vs the Buffalo Bills from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, followed by 11 straight hours of gridiron action live from 6pm.
