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The NFL experimented a bit with the Detroit Lions' game in London last season against the Atlanta Falcons by having it start at 9:30 a.m. ET. The early morning kickoff for those in the United States meant an afternoon kickoff for those in London, and the experiment was a big success. Ratings were solid, and the Lions-Falcons game was a pretty dramatic way for the day of football to begin with Detroit winning on a last-second field goal.
The early morning kickoff worked so well that all three of the NFL's 2015 games in London are going to kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET. That includes the Lions' game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 1. Here's the full schedule:
Oct. 4, 2015: New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins, 9:30 a.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. UK
Oct. 25, 2015: Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 9:30 a.m. ET, 1:30 p.m. UK
Nov. 1, 2015: Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 9:30 a.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. UK
(Note: Since daylight saving time ends in the UK on Oct. 25, the Bills-Jaguars game will kick off locally an hour earlier than the other two games.)
I personally was a big fan of the early kickoff since the Lions' game was over by lunch and there was still a full day of football to go. It was a bit weird watching football so early in the day at first, but thanks to the Lions' dramatic comeback, it turned out to be a pretty cool experience.