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Does Robert Kraft really want an NFL franchise in the UK?
By: John Morgan

Robert Kraft recently said that he would like to see the NFL expand to the UK within the next ten years. Personally I think it's a bad idea on multiple levels - but I'm not so sure that he believes his own words....

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WhiZa

The NFL knows they are peaked and slowing down domestically. With the way the economy is recently the best way to make money is to go overseas. If the NFL wants to keep going at the same pace they need to tap into that market. They already had NFL Europe and the occasional game over there. It is the next logical step. It doesn't make much sense personally, but it's a business and if they can make money they should do it.

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Nehalem

The problems I see are:

1.) Logistical. London is a far away from the US making for travel concerns.

2.) 32 teams works out great for scheduling. If it were an expansion team how would that work.

Carpentier

I just don't think London would support a NFL team. If it were incredible successful maybe but the moment it stopped winning people would abandon it.

Brady_to_Moss

UK has the premier league...i think football would tank over there

RayClay

Would West coast teams go via the North Pole due to the curvature of the earth?

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brdmaverick

As someone already pointed out, the balance and symmetry of the league is great as is (2 conferences, 4 divisions, 4 teams each).

It was awkward when the NFL had 31 teams, 1 team had a bye each week.

Also, it was weird when the AFC Cental had 6 teams.


Also, imagine the year the London team has to play the AFC and NFC West teams.

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unoriginal

Somehow, Hawaii manages to field a college football team and play games against continental teams on a yearly basis. Something to keep in mind when considering the logistical feasibility of a professional team in London.

Wolfpack

I have no idea whether or not London would support the team, but they would be abysmal on the field. When every single road trip is over 3,000 miles, and most would be at least 4,000 miles, they would never be able to compete. There's a reason each team gets a bye week following the London game. Imagine doing it without a bye week against a well rested opponent.

A common suggestion to solve that problem is long road trips (i.e. being on the road for a couple weeks without going back home) , but believe me when I say the athletes HATE that. Most teams go all year without doing that.

No free agent would ever want to go to London. They'd have to relocate their entire lives. And before anyone says athletes will go wherever the money is, what you need to realize is that a London team would have to significantly overpay so, in our salary cap world, they would falter.

So I'm thinking that after a decade where their best record was 4-12, Londoners would soon get bored.

lurker1965

He has to say a variation of that. He's in London.

Does anyone really expect him to say, "I can't think of a worse venue than in front of a bunch of friggin' limeys."

Besides, we got a good fanbase there. If it is, say, the London Jaguars and the Edinburgh expansion team being the "visitor" would be like adding two extra home games, minus the travel.

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