NFL Experience: National Football League treats Cape Town fans to a taste of the Gridiron
With the Rugby World Cup in full swing, local sports fans in the Mother City got a taste of another kind of contact sport but of a slightly different kind.
They NFL was on full display in Cape Town where the locals got to experience various aspects of the popular sport.
The Cape Town International Convention Centre played host to the event, and it saw many fans wearing their favourites teams and players jersey; From Indianapolis Colts icon Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, to former New England Patriots star Tom Brady.
Fans could also take part in various activities, like the 40 yard dash, and practicing their throws. Virtual Reality headsets were also available where the enthusiast could get a front seat view of the change rooms and experience all things NFL related.
Not forgetting the world famous Vince Lombardi Trophy, handed to the winners of the Super Bowl, was also on display.
Currently, 125 of African descent, from 15 countries across the continent, are plying their trade in the league.
Dieter Eiselen is the latest export from South Africa, who is signed to the Houston Texans practice squad after spending two years with the Chicago Cubs.
Another South African on show was Parys-born kicker Gary Anderson, who spent over 20 years in the league playing for various teams.
Anderson, who was part of NFL Experience in Cape Town, said he was pleasantly surprised by the number of American football fans who attended the event.
“It’s very exciting to see all the fans here, I had no idea there was this many NFL fans in South Africa, especially (in) Cape Town, especially for me to come back to my home country seeing this is very exciting,” Anderson said.
Anderson, who was a soccer player before moving over to gridiron, said he was glad seeing more players from his home continent making their names in the NFL.
“There’s something like 135 players that are active in the NFL, so that is very exciting. I come from a soccer background and the big European soccer teams have been on to that for many years, recruiting African talent, so it’s exciting to see now that the NFL is starting to do the same thing,” he added.
The event is being held on the 16th and 17th of September to form part of the NFL Africa’s programme, and aims to grow the game at every level across the continent.
The fan experience will culminate at the V&A Waterfront, where an NFL match will be screened at the amphitheater.
@AliciaPillay56