International college football is here to stay.
The Union Jack Classic was the latest installment of college football overseas, inviting fans from across the world to experience one of America's favorite pastimes in London.
Many Sun Devil fans made the trip, including sisters Anna and Grace Hague, who watched their alma mater play for the first time since graduation.
"We decided to cross the pond for it," Anna Hague said.
The game gave Sun Devil and Jayhawk fans a reason to travel to the U.K. to see their teams play, using it as an opportunity to explore the city and enjoy tourist activities.
"It's been incredible," Grace Hague said. "I feel like there's been a huge ASU presence, which I wasn't sure that there would be."
Fans from both teams showed out for the London game, with a total of 46,523 in attendance. ASU Athletics Director Graham Rossini said he loved seeing the Sun Devil fandom spread throughout the city.
"We had 6,000 tickets on our block that were gone immediately," Rossini said. "We had to add to that ticket block two or three times along the way, and just the sea of gold all over the streets of London this week has been a blast to see."
Fans indeed flooded the streets, with ASU shirts and hats visible across London leading up to the game. The team joined in on enjoying the city's traditional festivities, exploring the historical sites in their spare time.
Coaches and staff shared the sentiment that this trip is as much about the experience as the game itself. Head Coach Kenny Dillingham emphasized giving the players their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity while in school.
"It's an unbelievable experience for those guys to really see the world and be college athletes," Dillingham said. "For this week I can say these guys were college athletes, and that's what was really fun to watch."
Dillingham said he emphasized that staff bring their families along to share in the experience.
Fans also got to share with those closest to them, with Tyler Bell using the London game as an opportunity to celebrate a special occasion with friends and family.
"When the game was announced for my birthday, I asked my mom to buy tickets for me to go and drag her along," Bell said. "We brought our baby with us, as well."
READ MORE: ASU football conquers Kansas in first FBS London game
For this global fanbase and its players, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has good news. The international games are here to stay.
"We're already talking to some of our schools that are very interested to play in London next year, and specifically here at Wembley," Yormark said. "We're very ambitious as a conference; we're a different type of conference, and we do want to globalize who we are."
The Union Jack Classic is already contracted through the 2030 season. Teams aren't officially announced for future years, but the Union Jack Classic and games like the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin show the support football has in England and Ireland.
These fans aren't just from the States. Yormark said ticket buyers came from 35 different countries for the inaugural game. It's safe to say a long future of international games awaits.
Edited by Char O'Neil, Carsten Oyer and Kate Gore.
Reach the reporter at aldeutsc@asu.edu and follow @AlanDeutschend3 on X.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Alan Deutschendorf is a Managing Editor at The State Press. This is his fifth semester, and he previously worked as a sports editor and sports reporter. Alan also works as an event assistant at ASU Health and spent two years playing D1 club roundnet.
