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Bad idea. There's a reason why the NFL pulled the plug on NFL Europe. It lost money and turnout was mediocre.
Not to mention issues with scheduling. If the London team plays on the road one week and at home the next they have to leave for their game on Wednesday or Thursday so they can adjust to the time change. Then they'll lose at minimum a day or two getting readjusted when they fly back to London. It's complete folly by the NFL.
Nope, not good. Having a few games scheduled during a season is one thing, I don't think there is enough support to warrant a franchise being in England.
Horrible idea. It's a novelty for the locals at best. I doubt there's enough local fans or Americans to help keep a franchise funded. As mentioned above travel is a major issue. European players have talked about time spent traveling in MLS based upon the light travel done in Europe.
I don't even think the NFL should hold regular season games in Europe.
Here's my response I posted about this in the London section of this board a few months ago:
I don't think a team in the UK or anywhere in Europe would work. And I'll give you a different perspective on the topic: The players point of view.
First, if you played for the London team, you'd have to travel to the United States 8 different times in 3.5 months or so for away games. I mean sure, some people may do that for work as business men or whatever, but after playing a game on a Sunday and putting your body through punishment, how many players would want to then hop on a plane for a 9 hour or so flight?
And what do they do about practices? Ok, so say the Cleveland Browns play an away game down in Miami, FL and have another away game the following Sunday in Baltimore, MD. After they play the game against the Miami Dolphins, the Browns would then fly back to Cleveland, Ohio that night or next day, practice in Cleveland for a few days, then fly down to Baltimore for their next game. But, if you play in London and have back to back away games, would you play a game in the United States, fly back to London for a few days to practice, then again fly all the way back to the United States for another game...all within 7 days? Talk about being exhausted as a player. No other NFL team would be happy if the London team was allowed a home game every other week since all NFL teams sooner or later have to play a few weeks in a row at an away team's field.
And how would London get these players? In 1995 the NBA introduced two teams to Canada. The Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors. The Vancouver Grizzlies folded a few years later (moved to a US city - Memphis). The Raptors still play in Toronto but aren't the most prominent team. Not only did the Grizzlies not get support from fans, they couldn't get players to sign with their team to play. No one wanted to go to Vancouver to play. And with the Raptors, they are never good because they can't hold onto talent. No player signs with them as a free agent. Players mostly play in Toronto if their drafted to the Raptors or traded to them without choice. No good and high profile player signs with Toronto as a free agent.
So, how would the NFL get players to want to play all the way in London? London doesn't have a lot of the things that males are interested in over here such as the NBA, MLB, certain television shows, certain cuisine (just to name a few). Sure, some players would like to experience playing in London, but most players would see it as too much of a haul to uproot them and their families to live in London and get use to the culture all the while having the player himself make the trek to and from the US for games and such. If the NBA can barely get players to want to play in Canada, which is on the border and close and has most of the same things the US has (food, sport interests, cuisine), how on earth would the NFL get players to want to play all the way for a London team?
I think Roger Goodell needs to take a step back and realize that just because us Americans love something doesn't mean the rest of the world will love it as well. American football has history here, just as soccer does for you good people in Europe.
I honestly think that if the NFL expands internationally, Canada would be the best bet. London would have several problems including but not limited to: not fitting into any division, needing a passport and expensive plane ticket to travel along with your team, etc.. Toronto on the other hand could easily fit into either the AFC east, AFC North, or the NFC north.
I honestly think that if the NFL expands internationally, Canada would be the best bet. London would have several problems including but not limited to: not fitting into any division, needing a passport and expensive plane ticket to travel along with your team, etc.. Toronto on the other hand could easily fit into either the AFC east, AFC North, or the NFC north.
Absolutely. That's why I think Toronto will be the international city chosen to expand the NFL out of the US. Toronto is right across the border, heavily influenced by the US already, and easily traveled to. Just fits perfectly.
The logistics would just be a nightmare. They would have great homefield advantage and be at a terrible disadvantage on the road. Imagine playing for a London team and having to play a road game in Seattle, then go play a home game seven days later! They wouldn't get home until midday Monday at best, then have to fight jetlag all week as they prepare.
Jet lag can be overcome. I'm not going to dig into my school notes right this instant (or stress searching passed silly ads on Google), but there was a formula for traveling both ways and you could time your jet lag out for the most part.
If I use the NBA's experiment in Vancouver, there were players that basically went nuts (cough *Doug West* cough) because the weather was so dreary up there and I bet London's weather is much the same. Maybe Alaska light in regards to the body going bonkers without sun or night for several months at a time.
The other thing...taxes. Can't imagine it's any better in the UK than Canada. Players mind that.
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