NFL Team in London??

**3GenClone** · 06-29-2009, 02:03 PM

London is a city that the NFL has been targeting heavily to get more involved in Football, in fact there was a rumor that Roger Goddell wants to have a Super Bowl played there. I think it would be idiotic to move a team to London, but what do you think about the NFL expanding it's reach (and fanbase) outside the U.S.?

Pats owner interested in NFL London team | Truth&Rumors | FanNation

**IcSyU** · 06-29-2009, 02:05 PM

An NFL team in London would be the dumbest thing since a baseball team in Montreal.

**mj4cy** · 06-29-2009, 02:06 PM

sucks to be that team and any others having to deal with jet leg on top of a grueling season.

**gogagig** · 06-29-2009, 02:07 PM

I don't think football can ever be popular in any soccer mad country

**Kyle** · 06-29-2009, 02:08 PM

The potential market size is huge. It would be the "home team" for everyone in the U.K. As I recall there have been a few games played in London and I *think* they have sold well.

**ISUboi12** · 06-29-2009, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by mjones34

sucks to be that team and any others having to deal with jet leg on top of a grueling season.

London is like 5 hours different than the eastern time zone. Playing a night game there would be the same as an afternoon game in the US. Don't see that being a big deal.

Hope this goes through.

**mplscyclone** · 06-29-2009, 02:14 PM

There actually is interest in the NFL by the UK. I went over the London a few years ago to visit a cousin. All of my cousins friends were talking NFL with me, and said there was a lot of interest in general there, you just don't hear about it as much. I think in the 1980s the NFL made an effort to televise games in London, and I think the Superbowl is well watched as well in London.

They won't be crazy NFL fans, just like us in the US will never be as crazy of soccer fans. EPL plays on Saturday and the NFL plays on Sundays so I don't see a conflict of schedule either. In the US, we have college football and NFL and they do not take away from each other. There are over 7 million people in London. I am sure they can fill a 50-60 thousand seat arena for a football game, 8-10 times a year.

The only concern I would see are players not wanting to play on the London team due to traveling, and living overseas...

**mplscyclone** · 06-29-2009, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by IcSyU

An NFL team in London would be the dumbest thing since a baseball team in Montreal.

Not necessarily. There are sports fans in London; the only ones in Montreal are Canadians fans...

**Clonehomer** · 06-29-2009, 02:17 PM

Taxes and financial laws could be a big issue with getting players to sign there. I like the idea of a super bowl there but not a team

**IcSyU** · 06-29-2009, 02:18 PM

The only thing I think is dumber than putting a team there is putting the Super Bowl there.

It's the National Football League...not the international football league.

**Stewo** · 06-29-2009, 02:20 PM

I don't like the idea of it. It just doesn't sit well for some reason.

**DaddyMac** · 06-29-2009, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by ISUboi12

London is like 5 hours different than the eastern time zone. Playing a night game there would be the same as an afternoon game in the US. Don't see that being a big deal.

Hope this goes through.

What about west coast teams? That's a 9-10 hour flight. Are there any non-stop transatlantic flghts from LA, SD, Frisco? Even Denver?

I don't really care - as long as the Steelers stay put. But I don't see it happening. Mexico City or (God forbid) Canada, makes more sense.

**3GenClone** · 06-29-2009, 02:32 PM

But if they play a Super Bowl there what's that going to do to US viewership? London is 6 hours ahead (Central time), so if they wanted to start broadcasting at 5 PM Central the players would take the field at 11 PM. I don't see the TV networks jumping at the idea of broadcasting the game at an earlier time. I think it's a nice idea to get more fans involved, but from a marketing standpoint - and that's the way the NFL works - the Super Bowl just doesn't work in London.

**MoreCowbell** · 06-29-2009, 02:32 PM

The London Silly Nannies?

Seriously, though, while the thought is intriguing, I don't know if it would seriously ever catch on. It might be a novelty for a few years, but I don't see it having the holding power that soccer does over there.