The Miami Dolphins have not enjoyed a great deal of success through the NFL’s International Series. Since the team went overseas to play in London against the New York Giants in 2007 to start the now-annual affair in the United Kingdom, the Dolphins have played a total of four games “across the pond” and sport a 1-3 record in such contests — their only win coming in September of 2014 against the then Oakland Raiders.
But winning hasn’t exactly been a hurdle that needs to be cleared for Miami in terms of establishing popularity for the franchise overseas. The Dolphins are the NFL’s most popular franchise in the United Kingdom according to a recent poll by YouGov, a British Internet-based market research and data analytics firm.
The five most popular NFL teams in the UK, according to YouGov.
1. Miami Dolphins
2. New York Giants
3. Chicago Bears
4. Dallas Cowboys
5. New England Patriots pic.twitter.com/Jv4bS8LcnG— Front Office Sports (@frntofficesport) June 17, 2020
The first two competitors in the International Series hold the top two spots, seeming to indicate that there is a full generation of British fans who had a big impression left on them by that first game back in 2007. But it is pretty incredible for the Dolphins to claim the top spot, considering they haven’t really attempted to barge into the market to the same degree as some other teams across the league. The Jacksonville Jaguars, for example, have played 7 games in the United Kingdom in total — surrendering a home game every single year to play overseas since 2013. And yet the Jaguars didn’t crack the top five most popular teams.
Granted, this is just one poll — but the Dolphins are nevertheless facing a warm welcome any time they head across the pond; an arrangement that was supposed to be in line for Miami in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic derailed any international play for the NFL this season. Knowing that Miami was due for an international game and pairing that with the team’s popularity overseas, you can be sure it won’t be long before the NFL tabs Miami to pack their bags and head for the United Kingdom again to play. That is, of course, once the COVID-19 pandemic is stabilized and such travel can be normalized once again.