There are only two towns called Brentford in the world.
One is in the busy streets of west London and their team is about to play in its first-ever Premier League game. The other is in South Dakota with a population of 99.
4,173 miles apart, the two Brentford’s have come together to celebrate Brentford FC’s return to the English top-flight for the first time since 1947, in what will be their first-ever season in the Premier League.
[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]
Decked out in Bees jerseys, locals in Brentford, SD will gather at the local tavern at 2pm local time on Friday to watch a team with their town name a continent away play against Premier League giants Arsenal (spoiler: it went very, very well for the Bees...).
As you watch the wild scenes unfold at Brentford’s Community Stadium in the western suburbs of London, think of a small group of excited fans fixated on a TV screen in a small bar in the small town of Brentford, South Dakota.
The pull of the Premier League is simply incredible.
Brentford is South Dakota’s team
Meagan Williams is a resident of Brentford, SD and spoke to NBC Sports about the watch party arranged for the Bees’ first-ever game in the Premier League.
“The town of Brentford is extremely excited to cheer on the Brentford Football Club in the UK,” Williams explained. “Being in such a small community, word spread fast about this occasion and everyone is eager to join in and show our support to our twin city across the globe.”
“It is so nice to be able to do something positive and come together to celebrate the only other Brentford in the world,” Williams continued. “Our community feels a sense of connection to the Brentford in the UK. Having a few community members visit the ‘other’ Brentford and having had a visitor from Brentford, UK come to our small town, we feel a sense of kinship to a town that is 4,173 miles from our own. It feels like a secret we share with their community that no one else can be a part of. Brentford Football Club is a form of bridging a gap between two completely opposite, yet partially related communities.”
It has been 75 years since Brentford supporters have seen their club play in England's top flight.
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 12, 2021
Their first opponent? Oh, just a London club down the road called Arsenal.#BREARS | Friday 3 p.m. ET | NBCSN | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/X6qWgKL2MS
What do we know about the small South Dakota town?
The town of Brentford, SD was founded in 1905 and named for Brentford, England. But why?
Brentford in England was the hometown of an employee of the Minneapolis and St. Louis railroad who suggested this name at the time the town was founded. And there you have it. The connection between the two towns was made and 116 years later, the bond is stronger than ever.
What will be the feeling in among the locals in South Dakota when they watch Ivan Toney and Co. walk out on Friday against Arsenal?
“The town is honored to support and embrace the Premier League and the Brentford Football Club,” Williams said. “We hope to cheer them on for many years to come and wish them all the success on the field. Go Brentford Bees!”
Go Brentford Bees! Watching & cheering all the way from our small town! @NBCSportsSoccer @JPW_NBCSports @BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/H6FwBaDy38
— Joclyn Haven (@joclyn_haven) August 13, 2021
How to get your hometown involved
This initiative is part of a start of the season drive from NBC Sports to showcase how American towns with the same name, or other connections, have embraced the PL and its clubs, who are based thousands of miles away.
Show us how you and your hometown are celebrating the beginning of the season by sending us a message on our Twitter account below or using #MyPLMorning.
There are plenty of Manchester’s, Brighton’s, Liverpool’s and Norwich’s out there, so get in touch and we can’t wait to hear from you all, wherever you are!