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Several polls have indicated that Southeastern VA actively supports the Redskins. Today if you ask residents whether they would want tickets to Norfolk expansion team or the Skins, most would say Skins.
I have been reading off and on about NFL expansion for a few years now, especially since Los Angeles is without a team.
I was thinking about future expansion teams and where they should locate, and thought it would be fun to propose some team locations for the future. I think an expansion of 4 teams for each division would be appropriate, bringing the total number to 8 total (aggressive but more fun to think about):
Virginia Patriots (stadium in Norfolk/Virginia Beach metro)
San Antonio Rebels
Memphis Hound Dogs
Oklahoma City Gunslingers
Los Angeles Destroyers
Portland Lumberjacks
Las Vegas Gamers
Salt Lake City Werewolves
Other cities intermixed could be Alberquerqe or Birmingham....
You mean four expansion teams for each conference not each division.
This would lengthen the schedule to 20 games. Far too many games to be played in my opinion. For those who don't know, here's how the schedule is derived currently:
A home and away game against each team in your division (six games)
Four teams from another division in the same conference on rotating three-year cycle (four games)
Four teams from another division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games)
Two intraconference games based on the prior year's standings (2 games).
This is your 16 game season. So, adding eight more teams means adding two more division games, and a game from each of the other AFC and NFC divisions your team plays that year. Bringing the season to 20 games.
The NFL could do away with the games that are played based on the previous season's record, which would only expand the season to 18 games - but no matter what, the season would have to be expanded.
I realize a fan would say, great more football, but in reality, that's pretty tough on your players. a 16 game season is quite grueling as it is. Of course, in the end, guys like Roger Goodell is only thinking about the bottom line, and more games in more places equals more revenue. I guess that's why he's trying his best to make the NFL into flag football.
Your wrong. DC teams represent Northern Virginia, not the whole state.
Yea, I'd agree with that. However, I know plenty of people in Hampton Roads area that are diehard Skins fans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JJG
You may hate it, but teams represent MORE than just the city they're playing in.
The Cowboys direct fan base includes Oklahoma, Arkansas, some of New Mexico and most of Texas. Not just Dallas or DFW.
That observation actually seems to generally agree with my statement haha. By "city" I meant metro area or however you want to define the broader area where that city has some type of pull. My point was that for most pro teams, the "cultural epicenter" the team represents is the city, not the state.
Quote:
Originally Posted by laser99
Pro teams represent more than just their city. Take Atlanta for instance. Atlanta is Georgia's team, not just Atlanta's team. That's why the stadium they play in is called the "Georgia Dome" lol. It's not called the Atlanta Dome. Atlanta Falcons represent all of GA, we stand together. Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia therefore that's all of Georgia's team.
In an area like Georgia where there is a lack of other heavyweight cities or competing local regions nearby, it is easy to conflate city and state, Atlanta with Georgia. However, ask someone from South Jersey how they feel about the NJ Devils, or someone from LA how they feel about the Golden State Warriors, and both will easily say these teams don't represent the whole state. So maybe for Atlanta or for example Minneapolis what you said is true (I did say there were exceptions in my original post), but not everywhere. Also, I have friends from surrounding southern states that are huge Falcons fans as well.
While I really want to see the NFL in Birmingham. Realistically I cant see it happening business wise because you got two existing franchises 2hrs (Atlanta) and 4 hrs (Nashville) away.
Another issue would be that college football is big in Birmingham, while I do hate the college football town label, the TV ratings brings alot of truth to that statement. Birmingham is #1 or in the top 5 markets when it comes to college football viewership. Add to that you have alot of Bama and Auburn season ticket holders here. So how many of those folks and other would be season tickets for an NFL team?
Finally, where would a NFL team play in Birmingham? Legion Field? maybe for a season or two. A new stadium? where would the money come from?
That observation actually seems to generally agree with my statement haha. By "city" I meant metro area or however you want to define the broader area where that city has some type of pull. My point was that for most pro teams, the "cultural epicenter" the team represents is the city, not the state.
....
I mentioned 4 states for the Cowboys. I don't see how that even remotely just means "city" or metro area...
While I really want to see the NFL in Birmingham. Realistically I cant see it happening business wise because you got two existing franchises 2hrs (Atlanta) and 4 hrs (Nashville) away.
Another issue would be that college football is big in Birmingham, while I do hate the college football town label, the TV ratings brings alot of truth to that statement. Birmingham is #1 or in the top 5 markets when it comes to college football viewership. Add to that you have alot of Bama and Auburn season ticket holders here. So how many of those folks and other would be season tickets for an NFL team?
Finally, where would a NFL team play in Birmingham? Legion Field? maybe for a season or two. A new stadium? where would the money come from?
Birmingham is tricky. While college football does dominate, Birmingham still have a lot of potential. It could probably work if they market the franchise as "Alabama's NFL team" as oppose to just being "Birmingham's NFL team". It's such a "football crazed" area. I could definitely see some great Deep South rivalries with teams like the Saints and Falcons. Those rivalries could probably have an SEC feel to it. Another major problem with Birmingham is that there are other cities that are higher in the pecking order when it comes expansion teams like Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Portland.
Birmingham is tricky. While college football does dominate, Birmingham still have a lot of potential. It could probably work if they market the franchise as "Alabama's NFL team" as oppose to just being "Birmingham's NFL team". It's such a "football crazed" area. I could definitely see some great Deep South rivalries with teams like the Saints and Falcons. Those rivalries could probably have an SEC feel to it. Another major problem with Birmingham is that there are other cities that are higher in the pecking order when it comes expansion teams like Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Portland.
Charlotte was like that before they got an expansion team, no? Football crazed town between larger metros (ie Atlanta/Washington).....
Birmingham is tricky. While college football does dominate, Birmingham still have a lot of potential. It could probably work if they market the franchise as "Alabama's NFL team" as oppose to just being "Birmingham's NFL team". It's such a "football crazed" area. I could definitely see some great Deep South rivalries with teams like the Saints and Falcons. Those rivalries could probably have an SEC feel to it. Another major problem with Birmingham is that there are other cities that are higher in the pecking order when it comes expansion teams like Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Portland.
Birmingham is a football crazed area no doubt. To market a Birmingham franchise as "Alabama's NFL team would be tough. Mobile is closer to New Orleans and Huntsville is kinda a Titans stronghold I think. There are 1.6 million people in the Birmingham TV market,(which is ranked 41st) throw in the Montgomery area, parts of Mississippi and maybe even the Memphis area (which might be a bit of a stretch, but worth a shot) you would have a decent marketing base of about 2-2.5 million plus. Birmingham's best shot of getting an NFL team was back in the 1970's and 1980's when the city had successful football franchises in leagues that eventually folded. As you said in your post Birmingham is not high on the list for future possible expansion, has a better shot for a franchise looking for relocation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CouponJack
Charlotte was like that before they got an expansion team, no? Football crazed town between larger metros (ie Atlanta/Washington).....
But Charlotte has South Carolina between them and Atlanta, GA and Virginia between them and Washington D.C. Thats not the case for Birmingham.
I think Roger Goodell needs a couple serious concussions to knock some sense INTO him. I wish he'd get off the stupid London kick. Putting a team on the other side of the pond is almost as gimmicky as the Pro Bowl. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.
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