NFL Team in London

[GenJac]

LONDON (AP) -- Wembley Stadium may not be the only London venue in the NFL's future.

Premier League club Tottenham is reportedly interested in hosting an NFL team at its planned new stadium if the NFL puts a full-time franchise in London.

British media report that Tottenham's stadium could include a retractable playing surface that would allow grass and artificial turf to be alternated for soccer and American football games. That would avoid the damage to the grass turf that has been a problem at some of the NFL games at Wembley.

Tottenham's design for the 400 million pound, 61,000-seat stadium also includes larger locker rooms that could be used by NFL teams.

Tottenham hopes to begin playing in the new stadium in the 2018-19 season.

The NFL has played at least one regular season game at Wembley, the home of England's national soccer team, every year since 2007. Three games were played at Wembley last season and three more are planned for the next.

NFL officials have said they would like to have a franchise in London one day, though no time frame has been announced and several logistical issues would need to be resolved.

I can sum up how I feel about a London NFL team in 2 words -- FORGET IT! When the NFL expands I would like to see Portland and San Antonio get teams, and I wouldn't mind seeing Canadian NFL franchises in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, but NO NFL teams permanently in Europe! It's halfway across the globe. Bring back another European league. I watched NFL Europe games in the spring many years ago.

 

[gohusk]

Who the hell would play for them with their ridiculous taxes, let alone all the travel time? They need to just drop this crap.

 

[Wolvie]

LONDON (AP) -- Wembley Stadium may not be the only London venue in the NFL's future.

Premier League club Tottenham is reportedly interested in hosting an NFL team at its planned new stadium if the NFL puts a full-time franchise in London.

British media report that Tottenham's stadium could include a retractable playing surface that would allow grass and artificial turf to be alternated for soccer and American football games. That would avoid the damage to the grass turf that has been a problem at some of the NFL games at Wembley.

Tottenham's design for the 400 million pound, 61,000-seat stadium also includes larger locker rooms that could be used by NFL teams.

Tottenham hopes to begin playing in the new stadium in the 2018-19 season.

The NFL has played at least one regular season game at Wembley, the home of England's national soccer team, every year since 2007. Three games were played at Wembley last season and three more are planned for the next.

NFL officials have said they would like to have a franchise in London one day, though no time frame has been announced and several logistical issues would need to be resolved.

I can sum up how I feel about a London NFL team in 2 words -- FORGET IT! When the NFL expands I would like to see Portland and San Antonio get teams, and I wouldn't mind seeing Canadian NFL franchises in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, but NO NFL teams permanently in Europe! It's halfway across the globe. Bring back another European league. I watched NFL Europe games in the spring many years ago.

I can't see San Antonio getting a team. LA is the obvious first choice, and maybe put 2 teams in there at the same time! Portland would be a good landing spot too.

But I'm on board with putting a franchise in London some day, especially with improved technology in transportation that cuts down on travel time. Would be great for the NFL to open up new markets.

Football > soccer. Once Europe realizes that, the NFL profit margin would expand exponentially from already record highs

 

[nebearsfan70]

L.A. will be a landing spot for the next NFL franchise, and I can see Vegas, San Antonio, the Hampton Roads area, or Louisville as other venues as well. Not too sure about London.

 

[Broncosr0k]

I can't see San Antonio getting a team. LA is the obvious first choice, and maybe put 2 teams in there at the same time! Portland would be a good landing spot too.

But I'm on board with putting a franchise in London some day, especially with improved technology in transportation that cuts down on travel time. Would be great for the NFL to open up new markets.

Football > soccer. Once Europe realizes that, the NFL profit margin would expand exponentially from already record highs

You will be waiting a long time to get travel times down for a London to LA trip. Even at Mach 1 you are talking about a 7 hour direct flight and dealing with the time zone change.

You also won't see a ton of players lining up to move thousands of miles away from their families and pay higher taxes so they can play in Europe. And a lot of fans will be upset when their team is playing at 8 in the morning or earlier on the weekends.

If there are going to be teams in Europe they need to be a different league. I am not convinced the demand is there either. I think it is a novelty right now.

 

[Wolvie]

You will be waiting a long time to get travel times down for a London to LA trip. Even at Mach 1 you are talking about a 7 hour direct flight and dealing with the time zone change.

You also won't see a ton of players lining up to move thousands of miles away from their families and pay higher taxes so they can play in Europe. And a lot of fans will be upset when their team is playing at 8 in the morning or earlier on the weekends.

If there are going to be teams in Europe they need to be a different league. I am not convinced the demand is there either. I think it is a novelty right now.

Obviously the league will have to work out the time zone kinks but it isn't crazy to think that all London home games would be night games for them. There is a 5 hour difference between London and the East Coast so a 6pm local time would be a normal early game (not a big deal). And I don't see players being away from family as a convincing argument either. Players will live where they want to live and during the season they will live close to the team's facilities.

You do make a good point with the 7 hour direct flight from London to LA though. But with the current scheduling format, they play two divisions a year, and the years they get the NFC or AFC West that means two away games per division. It would make sense to have one of those trips to start the season, and the other after a bye week. And when they play the NFC West, if would be a good idea to always make StL a road game which would cut down their travel time as opposed to AZ/CA/WA.

International taxes are an interesting wrinkle though. I'm curious as to how the game checks have been working for the games that have already been played in London. Seeing as how bringing an NFL team to England would generate a ton of revenue for the country, it is likely that a sweetheart tax-break deal would be agreed upon to put those taxes in line with their American counterparts.

There are definitely some kinks that need to be ironed out but I'm not so sure its as insurmountable as you may think.

 

[Southieinnc]

Vegas can't have NFL team, San Antonio and Hampton roads are too small market, LA has not supported football well so 2 teams there is not bright, Portland? You think SF and Seattle are liberal, try selling violent football in Oregon.....

 

[Southieinnc]

I did not realize San Antonio had grown this much. Here is a link for list of MSA's

List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you look at the list, keep in mind other factors, such as:
Raleigh, NC is all about college sports,
Hampton roads would entirely shut down if you had a game!
Texas would not open up new markets with Dallas, Houston and New Orleans bunched up there.....

 

[Dolemite censored]

LONDON (AP) -- Wembley Stadium may not be the only London venue in the NFL's future.

Premier League club Tottenham is reportedly interested in hosting an NFL team at its planned new stadium if the NFL puts a full-time franchise in London.

British media report that Tottenham's stadium could include a retractable playing surface that would allow grass and artificial turf to be alternated for soccer and American football games. That would avoid the damage to the grass turf that has been a problem at some of the NFL games at Wembley.

Tottenham's design for the 400 million pound, 61,000-seat stadium also includes larger locker rooms that could be used by NFL teams.

Tottenham hopes to begin playing in the new stadium in the 2018-19 season.

The NFL has played at least one regular season game at Wembley, the home of England's national soccer team, every year since 2007. Three games were played at Wembley last season and three more are planned for the next.

NFL officials have said they would like to have a franchise in London one day, though no time frame has been announced and several logistical issues would need to be resolved.

I can sum up how I feel about a London NFL team in 2 words -- FORGET IT! When the NFL expands I would like to see Portland and San Antonio get teams, and I wouldn't mind seeing Canadian NFL franchises in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, but NO NFL teams permanently in Europe! It's halfway across the globe. Bring back another European league. I watched NFL Europe games in the spring many years ago.

This makes sense.

The jet lag will be a huge issue.

 

[Dolemite censored]

Vegas can't have NFL team, San Antonio and Hampton roads are too small market, LA has not supported football well so 2 teams there is not bright, Portland? You think SF and Seattle are liberal, try selling violent football in Oregon.....

The home of the Ducks and the Beavers ?

 

[Dude]

It's probably about some payback from the Brit pussies we have maintained for so long. We even kick their butts in rugby

 

[nebearsfan70]

I did not realize San Antonio had grown this much. Here is a link for list of MSA's

List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you look at the list, keep in mind other factors, such as:
Raleigh, NC is all about college sports,
Hampton roads would entirely shut down if you had a game!
Texas would not open up new markets with Dallas, Houston and New Orleans bunched up there.....

Maybe... But last time I checked GB wasn't exactly a huge metropolitan area. All the major cities are pretty much taken or there is overlap with other teams, so why not Vegas orHampton Roads?

where else in the U.S. can teams be placed?

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Not a fan of a team in London. Beside the jet lag issues we're already seeing a lack in quality QBs. A London team woukd just water that down more. If the NFL decides to put a franchise in London it's all about the Benjamins. Looking around the country the NFL would need to find another area like GB. What an atmosphere in that small town during game days. If you've never been to a game there, do yourself a favor and get it on your bucket list. Otherwise I don't see another area that coukd support a team.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Vegas coukd support it but I recall hearing years ago there is an issue with the gambking?

 

[lilchi721]

San Antonio could if they wanted to. Remember that was the temporary home for the New Orleans Saints after Katrina hit.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

It is just a bad idea. Get over it. I'm fine with teams anywhere in North America. However, Europe, or any other continent for that matter, should never happen.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Well, if they DO put a team in London, it should be called the "American Werewolves."

 

[GenJac]

It would probably get some support from locals, but American football is still a novelty there. And things like jet lag, time differences, getting players convicted of crimes passports and visas, players being allowed to travel outside of the country on probation for crimes, etc. hinder the idea. I'd rather the NFL make the existing teams competitive rather than weakening the quality of players even more but adding more teams. Actually, I think they should drop a few teams if they don't perform well.

Imagine being in the same division with this European team. You'd have to play over there EVERY YEAR. While other teams would only play them in London a few times a decade. The NFL schedule is brutal enough as it is. Get ready to put those American teams in the London team's division at a serious disadvantage.

Americans spend billions on this sport and have made it the business force it is today. And no Americans want this expansion overseas. It's awful for the game. Other NFL teams don't want it, coaches don't players don't, and fans don't.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

It would probably get some support from locals, but American football is still a novelty there. And things like jet lag, time differences, getting players convicted of crimes passports and visas, players being allowed to travel outside of the country on probation for crimes, etc. hinder the idea. I'd rather the NFL make the existing teams competitive rather than weakening the quality of players even more but adding more teams. Actually, I think they should drop a few teams if they don't perform well.

Imagine being in the same division with this European team. You'd have to play over there EVERY YEAR. While other teams would only play them in London a few times a decade. The NFL schedule is brutal enough as it is. Get ready to put those American teams in the London team's division at a serious disadvantage.

Americans spend billions on this sport and have made it the business force it is today. And no Americans want this expansion overseas. It's awful for the game. Other NFL teams don't want it, coaches don't players don't, and fans don't.

I think it goes without saying that the NFL is reaching, trying to expand oversea. It just won't work, until they can teleport teams like the do on Star Trek . Just a frigging fantasy by NFL brass.

 

[Southieinnc]

I think it goes without saying that the NFL is reaching, trying to expand oversea. It just won't work, until they can teleport teams like they do on Star Trek . Just a frigging fantasy by NFL brass.

How long before Belichick figures a way to switch Flacco with Sanchez in the transporter?
Think Harbaugh came unglued with an ineligible/eligible ploy?
Wait until you see him looking at Sanchez out there in a Ravens Jersey "What do you mean we left Flacco in Baltimore????