Games outside the US?

[Patjew]

anyway i hope that from 2008 there will be 1 regular season game playied in Europe

sorry my US friends but...pls understand us (NFL fans in Europe...)

pls give us ONE game-year...

I support you!

How about the Pats in Israel in 2007.

 

[PatsDeb]

I hate the idea. It smacks of "expansion" which has killed the NBA and the NHL (too many teams, too many games, no rivalrys left). The NFL should quit while it's ahead.

 

[Patjew]

I hate the idea. It smacks of "expansion" which has killed the NBA and the NHL (too many teams, too many games, no rivalrys left). The NFL should quit while it's ahead.

We're not talking about expansion. We're talking about 1 game abroad every decade and a half per team to expand the fan base of the best sport in the world.

And the NFL has expanded and has survived just fine.

(I'm not trying to come across like as much of a prick as the above probably sounds.)

 

[PatsDeb]

We're not talking about expansion. We're talking about 1 game abroad every decade and a half per team to expand the fan base of the best sport in the world.

And the NFL has expanded and has survived just fine.

(I'm not trying to come across like as much of a prick as the above probably sounds.)

I don't think anything bad of you. If I lived far away I would probably feel differently. The problem is you are, in a way, talking about expansion. That is because a lot of players and fans will hate this idea, so the solution will be to add more games and/or add more teams, hence dilution of a great product, and the resulting drop in local fan base that will follow it (it doesn't happen in a few years; it takes time).

 

[Mike the Brit]

Expanding the fanbase

We're not talking about expansion. We're talking about 1 game abroad every decade and a half per team to expand the fan base of the best sport in the world.

And the NFL has expanded and has survived just fine.

(I'm not trying to come across like as much of a prick as the above probably sounds.)

Yes, expanding the fanbase is an excellent idea -- and there's no doubt that it's both possible and desirable. But is this the way to do it?

Here in the UK, the fanbase for (American) football has actually shrunk in the last ten or fifteen years. And it isn't hard to see why.

The games that are shown are shown live. That is, on Sundays there is a one o'clock and a four o'clock game shown at 6 pm and 9 pm, our time, on satellite. They are shown on the fourth of the pay satellite's sports channels, so that should give you an idea of how much of a priority that is. The television presentation is lousy and, of course, the games have the thousands of commercial breaks that are part of U.S. live tv presentation. That's a price that NFL fans in the U.S. are happy to pay, for the most part, but you can imagine that spending hours watching a game with half of it on commercial isn't going to attract the casual sports fan outside the U.S.

Then the Sunday and Monday night games are shown, starting 1 a.m., on free to air. Though the presentation is excellent, in my view, the timing is such that it's no use for anyone who isn't a student or unemployed (I video them, as do most people I know who bother to watch).

If the NFL is serious about expanding its international fanbase then they should make more games more accessible to casual sports fans in attractive packages on TV. Having a game played outside the U.S. will not substitute for that.

If the NFL were already doing everything they could to expand internationally, you could argue the case for playing outside the U.S. As it is, it just shows that the marketing people (like so many marketing people I have had the "pleasure" of dealing with) haven't the faintest idea of what they're doing.

 

[Murphys95]

We're not talking about expansion. We're talking about 1 game abroad every decade and a half per team to expand the fan base of the best sport in the world.

I think I know where you're coming from. But keep in mind the NFL is already looking to schedule two regular season games outside of the US in 2008. Expansion is the NFL's middle name - that means by 2012 they may want 4 or 6 games outside of the US, and that changes the whole idea of "once every 32 years". Then remember that Japan has already been one of those venues. Just a thought.

In addition, the implications of timing and travel can be huge. I would propose that any team which travels overseas should automatically be granted a bye week the following week (to compensate for jetlag, exhaustion, etc.)

Frankly I just don't like the idea - it waters down the league, takes a home game away from the fans, and has a greater fatigue factor on the players.

 

[gomezcat]

Yes, expanding the fanbase is an excellent idea -- and there's no doubt that it's both possible and desirable. But is this the way to do it?

Here in the UK, the fanbase for (American) football has actually shrunk in the last ten or fifteen years. And it isn't hard to see why.

The games that are shown are shown live. That is, on Sundays there is a one o'clock and a four o'clock game shown at 6 pm and 9 pm, our time, on satellite. They are shown on the fourth of the pay satellite's sports channels, so that should give you an idea of how much of a priority that is. The television presentation is lousy and, of course, the games have the thousands of commercial breaks that are part of U.S. live tv presentation. That's a price that NFL fans in the U.S. are happy to pay, for the most part, but you can imagine that spending hours watching a game with half of it on commercial isn't going to attract the casual sports fan outside the U.S.

Then the Sunday and Monday night games are shown, starting 1 a.m., on free to air. Though the presentation is excellent, in my view, the timing is such that it's no use for anyone who isn't a student or unemployed (I video them, as do most people I know who bother to watch).

If the NFL is serious about expanding its international fanbase then they should make more games more accessible to casual sports fans in attractive packages on TV. Having a game played outside the U.S. will not substitute for that.

If the NFL were already doing everything they could to expand internationally, you could argue the case for playing outside the U.S. As it is, it just shows that the marketing people (like so many marketing people I have had the "pleasure" of dealing with) haven't the faintest idea of what they're doing.

I find myself agreeing with all of that.

 

[Patjew]

Yes, expanding the fanbase is an excellent idea -- and there's no doubt that it's both possible and desirable. But is this the way to do it?

Here in the UK, the fanbase for (American) football has actually shrunk in the last ten or fifteen years. And it isn't hard to see why.

The games that are shown are shown live. That is, on Sundays there is a one o'clock and a four o'clock game shown at 6 pm and 9 pm, our time, on satellite. They are shown on the fourth of the pay satellite's sports channels, so that should give you an idea of how much of a priority that is. The television presentation is lousy and, of course, the games have the thousands of commercial breaks that are part of U.S. live tv presentation. That's a price that NFL fans in the U.S. are happy to pay, for the most part, but you can imagine that spending hours watching a game with half of it on commercial isn't going to attract the casual sports fan outside the U.S.

Then the Sunday and Monday night games are shown, starting 1 a.m., on free to air. Though the presentation is excellent, in my view, the timing is such that it's no use for anyone who isn't a student or unemployed (I video them, as do most people I know who bother to watch).

If the NFL is serious about expanding its international fanbase then they should make more games more accessible to casual sports fans in attractive packages on TV. Having a game played outside the U.S. will not substitute for that.

If the NFL were already doing everything they could to expand internationally, you could argue the case for playing outside the U.S. As it is, it just shows that the marketing people (like so many marketing people I have had the "pleasure" of dealing with) haven't the faintest idea of what they're doing.

I can't disagree with any of that, but I also feel that your ideas are not mutually exclusive from the occasional game played overseas. You know, a young kid in Spain sees a game live one time and becomes a lifelong, watching-games-on-mucn-improved-TV, fan.

 

[Patjew]

In addition, the implications of timing and travel can be huge. I would propose that any team which travels overseas should automatically be granted a bye week the following week (to compensate for jetlag, exhaustion, etc.)

I definitely agree with that.

Look, I live less than 20 miles from Gillette, so the Pats playing overseas doesn't help me any. I just like the idea of expanding the fan base of the world's best sport IF done in a logical way, of course.

 

[italian pat patriot]

anyway a regular season game in Europe will be 100% a 'sold out' and in my opinion it does not matter who will be the 2 teams

it will be full anyway with fans coming from all Europe and probably some also from Us

 

[Tyler Faith]

So which do you think is more important, keeping the local fan bases happy or internationalizing the game of football?

Local fan base in some cities consists of about 13 people. Last year's Arizona game in Mexico was perfect for the Cards...they finally had a cheering stadium there with them.

Seriously, I would like to see them do a game or two a year, out of the country in the beginning of the season with teams that finished on the BOTTOM of the popularity list. Low record teams who struggle with attendance get this little perk and push and added fan base bonus for a game. Locals who watch it on TV could also get excited about their HO-HUM team while witnessing 80,000 people cheering for them. Could bring a heart beat back to their city and in towns with a lot of pride, could make fans mad enough to says, "Hey, I gotta go out and support these guys so we don't lose another home game next year!"

 

[italian pat patriot]

Local fan base in some cities consists of about 13 people. Last year's Arizona game in Mexico was perfect for the Cards...they finally had a cheering stadium there with them.

Seriously, I would like to see them do a game or two a year, out of the country in the beginning of the season with teams that finished on the BOTTOM of the popularity list. Low record teams who struggle with attendance get this little perk and push and added fan base bonus for a game. Locals who watch it on TV could also get excited about their HO-HUM team while witnessing 80,000 people cheering for them. Could bring a heart beat back to their city and in towns with a lot of pride, could make fans mad enough to says, "Hey, I gotta go out and support these guys so we don't lose another home game next year!"

i agree with you.
said that, i think that a similar game between ARI and SF playied in regular season also in Europe (Uk or De where there is a 'stronger' base for Nfl fans then other European countries) it could have a been sold out

again...i would love 1 game a season playied in our continent and if the Pats should play a road game here...beautiful !!!

 

[italian pat patriot]

Yes, expanding the fanbase is an excellent idea -- and there's no doubt that it's both possible and desirable. But is this the way to do it?

Here in the UK, the fanbase for (American) football has actually shrunk in the last ten or fifteen years. And it isn't hard to see why.

The games that are shown are shown live. That is, on Sundays there is a one o'clock and a four o'clock game shown at 6 pm and 9 pm, our time, on satellite. They are shown on the fourth of the pay satellite's sports channels, so that should give you an idea of how much of a priority that is. The television presentation is lousy and, of course, the games have the thousands of commercial breaks that are part of U.S. live tv presentation. That's a price that NFL fans in the U.S. are happy to pay, for the most part, but you can imagine that spending hours watching a game with half of it on commercial isn't going to attract the casual sports fan outside the U.S.

Then the Sunday and Monday night games are shown, starting 1 a.m., on free to air. Though the presentation is excellent, in my view, the timing is such that it's no use for anyone who isn't a student or unemployed (I video them, as do most people I know who bother to watch).

If the NFL is serious about expanding its international fanbase then they should make more games more accessible to casual sports fans in attractive packages on TV. Having a game played outside the U.S. will not substitute for that.

If the NFL were already doing everything they could to expand internationally, you could argue the case for playing outside the U.S. As it is, it just shows that the marketing people (like so many marketing people I have had the "pleasure" of dealing with) haven't the faintest idea of what they're doing.

nice post / correct

ps = here in Italy one hour later then in Uk...