OT: Moving an NFL team to London.

[DJ Spanky]

The NFL brain trust seems to be pursuing a long term approach to doing this. Most recently the were contemplating scenarios where a London team makes the playoffs and has to play a west coast team. I was wondering how people felt about this proposed move.

 

[cicero grimes]

The travel would be so difficult. Especially if they go to an 18 game schedule. 9 transatlantic flights without the playoffs for a London based team. How would they play Sunday or Monday night games on the road on the west coast in non bye weeks. I think it would be really tough.

 

[Fishky]

Eh not sure I care really, I guess spreading the NFL around seems to make sense to them. As long as RU is around the NFL takes a back seat for me.

 

[KingHigh]

 

[NotInRHouse]

Too far. Mexico City or Toronto would make a lot more sense. Also I think there is a much more built in base. The Bills get an audience in Toronto and more and more Mexicans follow the NFL. And the travel is way more reasonable.

 

[srru86]

The Big 12 asked if Oxford or Cambridge wanted to be considered in the next round of conference expansion. Their reply was, "With Texas calling the shots? Not bloody likely!"

 

[fischy5000]

seems like a rough situation for everyone except for the NFL organization. I'm sure that it won't be hard to find an owner to bring the team in over there if the NFL goes ahead with it (regardless of the strain it could put on the players). I doubt many players would be excited about moving across the globe ...little more extreme than teams in Canada.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Canada and Mexico make a lot more sense since they are both in NORTH AMERICA and they both love American Football.

London... that is just stupid.

 

[RUChoppin]

Makes more sense to have a Eastern US-based English Premier League team than a UK-based NFL team.

 

[Knightmoves]

Canada and Mexico make a lot more sense since they are both in NORTH AMERICA and they both love American Football.

London... that is just stupid.

The Jacksonville owner is lobbying the NFL to take the Jaguars to London. They have already played there and would love to call London their new NFL home.

 

[RU_DIO]

The amount of money that could be made by a successful NFL team in England would be crazy. I had British bar customers of mine who adopted the Green Bay Packers as their NFL team and would do 1 road trip a year to Green Bay. I believe they'd make a killing out there.

 

[Zak57]

Makes no sense but if the owners figure out a way to make bank on it they'll move the team ASAP.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

The Jacksonville owner is lobbying the NFL to take the Jaguars to London. They have already played there and would love to call London their new NFL home.

it is still very stupid. Once the novelty wears out, that stadium will be mostly empty. See NFL Europe.

 

[RAA-1]

The attendance at NFL games in London has been spectacular. it is all about expanding the TV market to Europe with the hope of a team in the UK and later one in Germany. Mo money, much mo money.

From an article from 2013:

" The annual game in London each year from 2007 to 2012 drew over 81,000 fans, with the exception of the lockout-impacted 2011 game, which drew a little more than 78,000. This year was the debut of a two-game schedule, each of which had reported attendance of over 83,000."

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/10/30/5042694/london-reaction-nfl-jaguars-49ers

.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

read this from an UK site:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other...ondon-nfl-franchise-wembley-tottenham-7171001

 

[mal359]

Move the Giants.

 

[scarletrider]

don't care for NFL. i just watch it when it's on while channel surfing.

 

[miketd1]

it is still very stupid. Once the novelty wears out, that stadium will be mostly empty. See NFL Europe.

That's like comparing MLS to the EPL.

 

[superfan01]

Terrible idea. The tax rate in the UK is higher for high earners then in USA. Add in the terrible travel schedule and you will not have any free agents wanting to play there. I can even see draft pics "holding out" from playing there.


Bottom line... Bad teams don't draw well over time. I think it will be hard for a Europe team to attract the Players necessary to compete and make it a worthwhile investment.

 

[koleszar]

The attendance at NFL games in London has been spectacular. it is all about expanding the TV market to Europe with the hope of a team in the UK and later one in Germany. Mo money, much mo money.

From an article from 2013:

" The annual game in London each year from 2007 to 2012 drew over 81,000 fans, with the exception of the lockout-impacted 2011 game, which drew a little more than 78,000. This year was the debut of a two-game schedule, each of which had reported attendance of over 83,000."

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/10/30/5042694/london-reaction-nfl-jaguars-49ers

.

And yet they still cheer the loudest for kickoffs, punts, field goals and extra points. Not sure if they're there for the actual game or the novelty of it. I think it's the latter.

 

[KaKaKen]

Focus on getting a real team in the New York Metro area

 

[Bamm Bamm Rubble]

The NFL wants into Europe and London is the perfect launching pad. This is going to happen in our life time and the upside is greater than some of the negative bs bi*ched about here.

 

[MikeR0102]

If NFL wants into Europe, go to 17 game schedule with each team playing 1 neutral site game in London for a total of 16 overseas games.

 

[NotInRHouse]

Terrible idea. The tax rate in the UK is higher for high earners then in USA. Add in the terrible travel schedule and you will not have any free agents wanting to play there. I can even see draft pics "holding out" from playing there.


Bottom line... Bad teams don't draw well over time. I think it will be hard for a Europe team to attract the Players necessary to compete and make it a worthwhile investment.

Ha, well on that point I'd rather pay high taxes and live in London than Jacksonville, Buffalo, Green Bay, and some other NFL cities.

 

[_dave_]

Ha, well on that point I'd rather pay high taxes and live in London than Jacksonville, Buffalo, Green Bay, and some other NFL cities.

Also, with a salary cap I don't know how you can ever deal with the exchange rate differences. $1 is currently .688 Pounds. $1US is currently 1.29 Canadian dollars.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Too far. Mexico City or Toronto would make a lot more sense. Also I think there is a much more built in base. The Bills get an audience in Toronto and more and more Mexicans follow the NFL. And the travel is way more reasonable.

What parochial thinking. There IS life beyond North America, you know.

 

[MadRU]

The NFL has an agreement now with Tottenham to play games in their new stadium starting in a few years once it's finished.

 

[RUsSKii]

Ha, well on that point I'd rather pay high taxes and live in London than Jacksonville, Buffalo, Green Bay, and some other NFL cities.

I'd rather not. Guessing it's a lack of exceptional appreciation for London, a measurable appreciation for the aforementioned cities, or different BATNA..

 

[NotInRHouse]

I'd rather not. Guessing it's a lack of exceptional appreciation for London, a measurable appreciation for the aforementioned cities, or different BATNA..

London is by no means my favorite city, but it definitely has more to offer than Buffalo, Jacksonville, Green Bay...especially if you have money to throw around.

 

[mikefla]

As someone who has lived in London Ive kept an eye out for NFL to London articles here in Florida. The Jacksonville Jags have often been mentioned as a possible team to relocate to London.

The London team would actually have a home base in USA for league games and if they re-aligned and were put in the AFC or NFC east the games would mostly be on the east coast. London to NYC isnt that bad a commute.

It isnt about ONE NFL team...its about the possibility of an entire European conference with London, Paris, Rome etc and a huge market

Mexico City is also often mentioned in some articles which makes a lot of sense.

https://www.google.com/search?num=3...31j0i3j0i46j0i131i46j46i131j33i21.f46MpbNj9gc

 

[mikefla]

According to Roger Goodell London is a real possibility

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/r...ossibility-that-london-gets-an-nfl-franchise/

 

[gman500]

Can't wait till the NY Giants meet up with the London Teabaggers

 

[So.RiverRat]

How many top draft pick players would refuse to go?

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

The Big 12 asked if Oxford or Cambridge wanted to be considered in the next round of conference expansion. Their reply was, "With Texas calling the shots? Not bloody likely!"

Quality response...

 

[Rokodesh]

The NFL wants into Europe and London the perfect launching pad. This is going to happen in our life time and the upside is great than some of the negative bs bi*ched about here.

remember when you said Brandon Coleman was better than Calvin Johnson?

 

[valkabit]

As someone who has lived in London Ive kept an eye out for NFL to London articles here in Florida. The Jacksonville Jags have often been mentioned as a possible team to relocate to London.

The London team would actually have a home base in USA for league games and if they re-aligned and were put in the AFC or NFC east the games would mostly be on the east coast. London to NYC isnt that bad a commute.

It isnt about ONE NFL team...its about the possibility of an entire European conference with London, Paris, Rome etc and a huge market

Mexico City is also often mentioned in some articles which makes a lot of sense.

https://www.google.com/search?num=3...31j0i3j0i46j0i131i46j46i131j33i21.f46MpbNj9gc

I don't follow the NFL much, and I didn't care about NFL Europe at all. But as someone has already mentioned, didn't NFL Europe fail?

 

[Caliknight]

Way more money in England and would be a launch point for more of Europe. No brainier over Mexico and Canada.

They have been playing games there for a reason. Not if, when.

 

[Caliknight]

Ha, well on that point I'd rather pay high taxes and live in London than Jacksonville, Buffalo, Green Bay, and some other NFL cities.

Very few live in those cities. They all live in LA or Miami.

 

[valkabit]

Eh not sure I care really, I guess spreading the NFL around seems to make sense to them. As long as RU is around the NFL takes a back seat for me.

Agreed, although I'd expand RU over NFL to include any CFB over NFL.

 

[RUich]

Having any pro team outside our borders has to complicate travel for sure. I cannot imagine teams wanting to travel there or even consider going to the West Coast. Canada is one thing (ie Toronto Bluejays) but a lot of people will think twice before going to Mexico I think. Europe is all about soccer and the league the NFL tried to set up as a feeder didn't survive.