"NFL Charms Wembley" - A Brit's blog - New England Patriots Forums

***tedylb*** · 10-26-2009, 10:48 AM

From Paolo Bandini of the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/200...bay-buccaneers

An online poll run by Fox Sports last week found that 58% of its readers felt London should host nothing more than a pre-season game. In the comments section of the accompanying article some readers protested that there had not been an option to vote for the UK to get even less than that. ESPN.com's senior writer Len Pasquarelli is just one of a number of leading commentators who has declared himself "against" the idea of hosting regular season games in the UK.

The reasons for such hostility are manifold and in great part not dissimilar to those cited by opponents of the Premier League's Game 39 proposals. But, if one common complaint does not stand up, it is the suggestion that the league's ability to sell out these games rests solely on, as Pasquarelli put it, "curiosity" among Britons. There is a core of knowledgeable American football fans in Britain that existed before 2007 and who have continued to ensure that – as a one-off at least – this game sells out.

That core may not be as large as it was during the 1980s, when Channel Four's coverage of the NFL sparked huge interest, but it is also far less transient. It also appears to be growing. According to Alistair Kirkwood, the managing director of NFL UK, Sky has seen the ratings for its NFL coverage grow by 55% compared with the same period last year while Channel Five has seen a 75% increase.

Britain's own amateur American football leagues – while still some way short of their 1980s heyday – are also thriving. The British American Football League's spokesman, Ken Walters, described the sport as "arguably the fastest-growing in Great Britain"‚ saying it had experienced a 30% increase in participation.

"The more games that we do here, the more people will see this is built on sporting credibility, rather than just razzmatazz, and we won't be seen just as a circus coming to town," said Kirkwood today. "I'm convinced we've got a bright future."

Just another NFL Sunday at Wembley? That is exactly what the league was hoping for.

And: when asked how the NFL picks which teams play in London:

The truth is that a large part of it has to do with which teams are willing to give up a home game to come over here. I couldn't tell you the full process they go through, but I was talking to Alistair Kirkwood, the managing director of NFL UK, during half-time and he was telling me that whether or not we get two regular season games over here next year depends in part on whether they can persuade two teams to make that sacrifice.

oldskool138 · 10-26-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedylb

The British American Football League's spokesman, Ken Walters, described the sport as "arguably the fastest-growing in Great Britain"‚ saying it had experienced a 30% increase in participation.

Just like soccer is the fastest growing sport here in the US.

SEA_Pat · 10-26-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedylb

From Paolo Bandini of the Guardian:

Britain's own amateur American football leagues – while still some way short of their 1980s heyday – are also thriving. The British American Football League's spokesman, Ken Walters, described the sport as "arguably the fastest-growing in Great Britain"‚ saying it had experienced a 30% increase in participation.

Lucky they didn't hire Ken Walter. If the reporter had snapped the question at him, he'd have punted it out of bounds for 25 yards...

Jared · 10-26-2009, 11:49 AM

What does the team giving up the home game get in compensation? I imagine they are somehow paid.

As for who might give up a home game? How about Colts @ Jags? Home team has a weak fan base, and you get another premiere team. It'd be easy to compensate a team who is probably not making as much money off of home games as someone like the Cowboys, Giants, Pats, Steelers, etc.

***shmessy*** · 10-26-2009, 12:00 PM

tedylb: I added the link to the article you quoted.

Please be careful about that in the future. More than two short paragraphs used without link attributuion puts Ian's website at legal risk.

Thanks for your understanding.

unoriginal · 10-26-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared

What does the team giving up the home game get in compensation? I imagine they are somehow paid.

As for who might give up a home game? How about Colts @ Jags? Home team has a weak fan base, and you get another premiere team. It'd be easy to compensate a team who is probably not making as much money off of home games as someone like the Cowboys, Giants, Pats, Steelers, etc.

Yep, they get a guaranteed sellout instead of a home blackout. Plus the potential merchandising intake from exposure to a new market.

***shmessy*** · 10-26-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldskool138

Just like soccer is the fastest growing sport here in the US.

I bet more Americans know who Brandon Donovan is than know who won the NHL MVP last year.

(Which was a revelation to me yesterday when someone here posted that it was some guy from the Bruins???).

A.C Vegas · 10-26-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldskool138

Just like soccer is the fastest growing sport here in the US.

i don't know i went to the site after a google search they have like 3 levels of leagues and a lot of team

oldskool138 · 10-26-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmessy

I bet more Americans know who Brandon Donovan is than know who won the NHL MVP last year.

(Which was a revelation to me yesterday when someone here posted that it was some guy from the Bruins???).

Who are the Bruins?

***shmessy*** · 10-26-2009, 12:11 PM

BTW: "The notion of staging a Super Bowl in London has been publicly mooted by league officials."

Now that's the one idea I actually LIKE.

Why not do the Super Bowl overseas?

It's supposed to be in a neutral stadium.

The teams sequester themselves for a week and are told to stay in their hotels.

The participating teams' fans are going to travel and make a holiday out of it anyhow.

Why the hell not? (Plus, it would give the Pats an advantage since Northern Europe would have wintry conditions in February - - which is the one reason why the NFL would never accede to it).