Does Robert Kraft really want an NFL franchise in the UK?

[PatsFans.com Article]

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.

 

[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?

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Raymond]

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.

Some very important points to consider. I just don't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[WhiZa]

About the issue about playing in London. Yes the top tier players may take that as a factor when they have multiple teams bidding for them. But we all know that most players will take the paycheck. What about those players who are sitting on their couches for weeks during FA? London would get awfully appealing.

About the issue of the players not wanting to travel 3,000 miles a game to play. Well then don't sign a contract with the team, but for the reasons stated above they will find players that will put it aside.

Even if they have a losing record the first few years. What expansion team doesn't?

 

[Wolfpack]

About the issue about playing in London. Yes the top tier players may take that as a factor when they have multiple teams bidding for them.

To say a top tier player "may" consider that as a factor is ridiculously naive. That would be a HUGE factor to anyone considering where they wanted to go. London would have to overpay significantly to attract free agents so unless you plan on giving them across the board cap relief, they'd be in salary cap hell from day 1.

But we all know that most players will take the paycheck. What about those players who are sitting on their couches for weeks during FA? London would get awfully appealing.

To quote Glenn Ordway "You're making my point." Sure, London would be better than being unemployed. But those free agents who have been "sitting on their couches for weeks during free agency" are obviously not good enough for the 31 other NFL teams to want them. London would be stuck with the dregs.

About the issue of the players not wanting to travel 3,000 miles a game to play. Well then don't sign a contract with the team, but for the reasons stated above they will find players that will put it aside.

Look, I'm not saying that if they put a team in London then no one would should up. Obviously they'd be able to get 45 bodies on a Sunday. But the only players who are going to "put it aside" are those with no other options, i.e. the bottom of the barrell.

Even if they have a losing record the first few years. What expansion team doesn't?

Jacksonville and Carolina both made their respective conference championship games in their 2nd year. Jax lost to New England that year (1996 season) and was very strong for the rest of the decade.

Any team based in London would be a perma-failure on the field.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Any team based in London would be a perma-failure on the field.

Just deserts fr a country that burned our Washington DC in 1812

Wait, could we ask for a re-do?

 

[Avenger]

I don't think London would have a harder time attracting free agents than a place like Cleveland.

 

[Wolfpack]

I don't think London would have a harder time attracting free agents than a place like Cleveland.

You're joking, right? You don't think that, all other factors being equal, a free agent would rather not live overseas away from all his friends and family and have far and away the most grueling regular season schedule in football?

 

[Avenger]

You're joking, right? You don't think that, all other factors being equal, a free agent would rather not live overseas away from all his friends and family and have far and away the most grueling regular season schedule in football?

No I'm not joking, I'm not saying free agents will flock there, but there are teams in the US that have a hard time getting free agents to come also.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't think London would have a harder time attracting free agents than a place like Cleveland.

Don't think so.
Were I a playa there I could drive or hop a short flight to many other cities or home. Flying back to say Alabammer from London is a different story.

I don't think that the typical NFL FA is into hoping a flight and touring the Uffizi when given an extra day off.

 

[Wolfpack]

No I'm not joking, I'm not saying free agents will flock there, but there are teams in the US that have a hard time getting free agents to come also.

Yes that's true but it's a product of a team having abysmal management, poor coaching and a history of unhappy players. The Patriots used to be one such team but then they turned their franchise around and now they're a top destination.

You cannot, however, get a new GM or a new coach in London to change the fact that it's over 3,000 mikes away.

 

[Triumph]

I don't think London would have a harder time attracting free agents than a place like Cleveland.

Expansion teams have expansion drafts. A FA drafted by London would have to go or retire from the NFL. Not all bad players are put up for expansion drafts either. Sometime a team needing cap relief will unload a good player to purge his cap hit from their books.

Im told England is a beautiful country and particularly so if you have money. The goal should be to create rivalries. England vs Ireland in NFL football? I could see people coming out for that one.