Could Spurs alienate their fans with NFL link up?

This week Daniel Levy went into detail as to the extent that Tottenham’s new stadium has been designed with the NFL in mind. He made it clear that his end-goal is for the ground to one day accommodate a London-based NFL franchise, as well as Spurs.

“We worked together,” Levy told ESPN.

“It needed to be viewed as a combined joint soccer and NFL stadium. In fact, the way we designed the whole experience is one side of the stadium is a dedicated soccer entrance and the other side is a dedicated NFL entrance.

“If it ever got to a stage where the NFL decided it wanted to have a permanent team in London, this stadium could literally be, whatever the team was, it would be their stadium as opposed to an NFL team feeling they’re renting Tottenham’s stadium.”

The financial benefits for both Spurs and the surrounding area are clear, but one wonders at the possible costs for the very fans that the stadium is being primarily built for.

If you design a stadium with the intention of making it feel like an NFL side’s home, do you not run the risk of alienating Tottenham’s support?

It will be a huge wrench to leave White Hart Lane and it’s imperative that the new stadium feels like a true home and not just a soulless, shared venue.

The possibility of a Premier League match taking place on the same day as an NFL game. It’s one that will get the marketing-men foaming at the mouth, but will it appeal to Spurs fans?

English football supporters and NFL spectators are very different animals and one can’t help but feel that any marriage of the two, can only dilute the traditional match day experience.