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One thing you can count on with the Detroit Lions is that they are never, ever boring. Follow the latest news including injuries, roster moves and more here daily from Oakland Press beat writer Paula Pasche. Plus you'll find regular commentary about the team.

10/25/2014

Detroit Lions — 10 things you may not know about Wembley Stadium


The Detroit Lions play the Atlanta Falcons at London’s historic Wembley Stadium on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.

Here are 10 things you may not know about Wembley:

1. The original Wembley Stadium opened in 1923. It was demolished in 2003 and the new one opened in March 2007.


2. On Oct. 28, 2007, in front of 81,176 fans, the New York Giants defeated the Miami Dolphins 13–10 in the first regular season NFL game ever to be played in Europe, and the first outside of North America.

3. The first touchdown scored at Wembley was on a run by Giants' quarterback Eli Manning. The NFL has hosted at least one regular season game a year at Wembley since.

4. On Sept. 11, 2008, Madonna performed to a sell-out crowd of over 74,000 fans and a gross of over $12 million and surpassed all previous grosses at both the old and the new Wembley Stadium.

5. The Killers played their largest-ever sold out audience of 80,000 on June 22, 2013. They performed a song specially written for the Wembley Stadium: The Wembley Song.

6. Detroit’s own Eminem became the first rapper to headline at Wembley Stadium performing to a record 90,000 fans each night on July 11 and 12, 2014.

7. U2 performed to a record 82,000 fans each of two straight nights in August 2009. 

8. Wembley’s credentials as a music Mecca were boosted with the global phenomenon of Live Aid in 1985 and concerts by Queen in 1986, Michael Jackson in 1988 and the Rolling Stones in 1990.

9. The stadium contains 2,618 toilets, more than any other venue in the world.

10. The old stadium was the home for 33 athletic events at the 1948 Olympic games. The decathlon was won by 17-year-old Bob Mathias from the United States.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)



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