Kraft: NFL should expand to Europe

[Tunescribe]

Kill Roger Goodell. :singing::bricks::rocker::violent: And tell Bob Kraft to step away from the bottle.

 

[mgteich]

London would likely draw more fans for the 8 games than Buffalo or Jacksonville. I actually think that a team in Toronto and/or London would improve the overall profitability of the NFL. I do NOT think that a division in Europe or Canda would be a good idea. There are enough issues supporting 32 teams. We don't need to increase the total.

London and San Fran are similar length journeys from Boston. I understand that for teams on the west coast its a tough journey.

I don't think it could work having a team in Europe, you would need to move the franchise from city to city for their homes games as I couldn't see one city being able to pull in a crowd for 8 games a year. It would work if they were moving around alright, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Hamburg and Amsterdam would all fill a stadium for one visit per year. There would be a problem then for the team in having an actual base somewhere.
They tried the NFL Europe and it lasted a couple of years but its gone now. The interest was not there in each city to sustain those teams.

It amazes me how soccer never made it in the USA, three of the four major sports put a lot of emphasis on hands/arms. Then you have hockey which is totally different. There is no true feet skill sport.

 

[Wolfpack]

London would likely draw more fans for the 8 games than Buffalo or Jacksonville. I actually think that a team in Toronto and/or London would improve the overall profitability of the NFL. I do NOT think that a division in Europe or Canda would be a good idea. There are enough issues supporting 32 teams. We don't need to increase the total.

I think a team in Toronto would be a good idea, but nobody can go there since it would invade Buffalo's market - unless it were the Bills themselves who made the move, which is certainly in the realm of possibility.

London would be a disaster for whatever team it was that went over there. And we really have no idea what sort of long term support England would provide for an NFL franchise.

 

[moosekill]

It would be ridiculously unfair for any team that had to play in Europe and come to the U.S. for about a half dozen road trips. It just isn't feasible.

It wouldn't be ridiculously unfair, although it would be a bit tougher. They would probably end up coming over here for 2 games at a time, staying wherever for the the extra week. Then they would head home and have a couple games at home before heading out again. Tougher, meh a bit, but they are big boys they can handle a little adversity.

It makes sense to go to Mexico first, but a single European team makes perfect sense. If one team can do well for a couple years, in London say, I would then expand to a second team, probably in Germany, followed by two more teams after a bit, at which point critical mass probably hits and they would have their own division. This would take a while of course, but who cares, it would be pretty cool.

 

[Wolfpack]

It wouldn't be ridiculously unfair, although it would be a bit tougher. They would probably end up coming over here for 2 games at a time, staying wherever for the the extra week. Then they would head home and have a couple games at home before heading out again. Tougher, meh a bit, but they are big boys they can handle a little adversity.

Such a schedule would destroy a team over the course of a long, grueling season. It's no coincidence that every team who has played in London these past 3 years got a full bye week to recover. Imagine having to do that 4 or 5 times during the season, only without a bye week each time.

You would need a couple days just to recover from a trip to Boston - imagine how tough a road game in Seattle or San Diego would be.

Players would be miserable, torn between uprooting their entire families to another continent versus being separated from them for months and months at a time. Good luck attracting any free agents.

A football team in London would be a joke.

 

[moosekill]

Such a schedule would destroy a team over the course of a long, grueling season. It's no coincidence that every team who has played in London these past 3 years got a full bye week to recover. Imagine having to do that 4 or 5 times during the season, only without a bye week each time.

You would need a couple days just to recover from a trip to Boston - imagine how tough a road game in Seattle or San Diego would be.

Players would be miserable, torn between uprooting their entire families to another continent versus being separated from them for months and months at a time. Good luck attracting any free agents.

A football team in London would be a joke.

Lol poor babies, you do know people travel to Europe from the US every day, right?

 

[Wolfpack]

Lol poor babies, you do know people travel to Europe from the US every day, right?

Yes, I do. And how many of those that travel to Europe every day are world class athletes making the trip to participate in physical exertion against other world class athletes at a level so high most of us can't even dream of what it is like?

This is the National Football League, not some medical conference. The fact that you're comparing it to people who "travel to Europe from the US every day" shows you really don't have a clue.

 

[Deus Irae]

Until something is able to overcome the travel barrier, the idea of a European team is idiotic.

Then again, since it's all about money and not about the sport itself, it's no surprise that both Goodell and Kraft are pimping it as if it's their hooker on a street corner.

 

[Pats171]

NFL wants to expand to Europe...

Napoleon wants to expand to Russia....

Roman Empire wants to expand to Africa....

 

[captain stone]

Until something is able to overcome the travel barrier, the idea of a European team is idiotic.

Then again, since it's all about money and not about the sport itself, it's no surprise that both Goodell and Kraft are pimping it as if it's their hooker on a street corner.

I completely agree.

Kraft should be ashamed of himself for aligning with the traitorous, duplicitous piece of pond scum that is Omissioner Bad-dell, just as he should've been for attempting to trademark the 19-0 Perfect Season before it even effin happened.

Remove the $$ from your eyeballs, Krafty, and think of the integrity of the Game.

 

[Tunescribe]

I see only one solution to this idiotic idea of international pro football: Other countries need to develop their own players and leagues, just like Japan and Cuba have done with baseball, and Europe has done with basketball. It'll take decades probably, but that's the only way it might approach making any sense. Short term, I think Roger Goodell needs to slip on a banana peeling in front of an oncoming bus in Times Square.

 

[moosekill]

Yes, I do. And how many of those that travel to Europe every day are world class athletes making the trip to participate in physical exertion against other world class athletes at a level so high most of us can't even dream of what it is like?

This is the National Football League, not some medical conference. The fact that you're comparing it to people who "travel to Europe from the US every day" shows you really don't have a clue.

The fact that you make traveling to and from Europe 7 or 8 times a season seem like some insurmountable journey shows you have no clue. What is it, an extra two hours in a plane? Basketball players travel to the west coast then play the next day, as do hockey and baseball players, do they not count as world class athletes? Those poor football pwayers might not wike the big wong pwain ride home.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Those poor football pwayers might not wike the big wong pwain ride home.

This is true. Getting on the wong flight can never be good.

 

[Patjew]

The fact that you make traveling to and from Europe 7 or 8 times a season seem like some insurmountable journey shows you have no clue. What is it, an extra two hours in a plane? Basketball players travel to the west coast then play the next day, as do hockey and baseball players, do they not count as world class athletes? Those poor football pwayers might not wike the big wong pwain ride home.

Speaking as someone who flies from one country to another almost every week, you are the one that seems to have no clue. How often do you travel overseas for work? Let me tell you, it can be exhausting. It's not just the extra time in the air. It's all of the customs issues, cultural issues, and especially the jet lag. 5 or 6 hours time difference is alot worse than 2 or 3 hours. And what about a trip from the UK to Dallas or Denver or LA. That's a 9 or 10 hour flight. Is that "nothing" to you?

Edit: yes, it is physically possible. But you're nuts if you think it would put the European-based team at a tremendous disadvantage.

 

[Tunescribe]

The fact that you make traveling to and from Europe 7 or 8 times a season seem like some insurmountable journey shows you have no clue. What is it, an extra two hours in a plane? Basketball players travel to the west coast then play the next day, as do hockey and baseball players, do they not count as world class athletes? Those poor football pwayers might not wike the big wong pwain ride home.

Football is MUCH more physically demanding a sport; those extra hours would take their toll. Plus, there's the injury factor to consider: shuttling injured players on long flights might not only be logistically difficult, it could be downright dangerous.

 

[Pats726]

I see only one solution to this idiotic idea of international pro football: Other countries need to develop their own players and leagues, just like Japan and Cuba have done with baseball, and Europe has done with basketball. It'll take decades probably, but that's the only way it might approach making any sense. Short term, I think Roger Goodell needs to slip on a banana peeling in front of an oncoming bus in Times Square.

This whole "franchise in London" deal totally makes no sense. I can see playing a few games, BUT a franchise? Logistically it makes ZERO sense and teh expense of carting teams back and forth from there is silly..makes ZERO sense... agree develop own leagues or something OR have a European/Pacific travel league as one scribe noted last year...with NFL players who did not make it or who are older and out of the league..THAT makes much more sense than this BS.
And yes, Roger falling on a peel would make my day as well..he's a real idiot who should be concentrating on the CBA not wishing to expand.

 

[TrueBeliever]

Probably everything I want to say has already been said, but I'll say it again anyway .

How could this possibly work? Last year you had that big fracas with the west coast teams complaining about having to fly to the east coast and then having to play when their body clocks are still thinking it's 10 in the morning. So now you want to have one team flying across the Atlantic friggin' ocean every week? Course you could do like the old AFL teams used to do and arrange the schedule so that you play on the road three games in a row and then just stay during that span, but that's bush league to do that on a regular basis. Yes, the Pats stayed in California two weeks last year, but that was because the schedule worked out that way, not because Kraft asked for it to be that way to save $$.

Admittedly, the NFL Europe idea is a quagmire. If you start a new one as a farm league, fans there will lose interest because the quality of play is so mediocre. But if you try to do a "separate but equal" league, say a third conference (call it the IFC or the EFC), you're not going to have enough talent to keep it strong. Not to mention the players might insist on a CBA clause allowing guys to void transactions that would send them to Europe, which would likely tick off the Europe fans.

I can understand the league wanting to diversify and all that, but they're raking in so much cash as it is, do they really need to bring in that much more revenue? Maybe instead of sending games overseas, they should try to find a way keep games from being blacked out here, fer cryin' out loud.

 

[Wolfpack]

The fact that you make traveling to and from Europe 7 or 8 times a season seem like some insurmountable journey shows you have no clue. What is it, an extra two hours in a plane? Basketball players travel to the west coast then play the next day, as do hockey and baseball players, do they not count as world class athletes? Those poor football pwayers might not wike the big wong pwain ride home.

London is not "an extra two hours in a plane", it's more like an extra 7 when you consider all factors. But regardless, you're missing the point.

It is a matter of competitive advantage. In basketball and hockey, every team is travelling and playing games every couple of days, so they're all in the same boat.

But if 1 team was stationed in London, with all the rest in the U.S., then that team in London would be at an extreme competitive disadvantage. Travelling to every single road game would be anywhere from a 10 to 15 hour long ordeal, not to mention a 5 to 8 hour time difference.

It would be a physically exhausting and grueling schedule for the players. The coaches would have significantly less time to prepare for every game. Free agents would avoid London like the plague. It would be a joke.

 

[mgteich]

So, the extra 4 hours (2 hours each way) on a plane once a year for HALF the teams would be devastating. You've got to be kidding! Half these teams would have byes the next week.

This is a pure money and marketing decision. Now, this doesn't mean that it is an easy decision. The question is whether London would draw more than JAX or the other small market teams. There would need be a revision to the European TV deals. Is there anyone who thinks that a London team wouldn't sell more merchandise than JAX and have a larger local TV audience or have fewer TV veiwers? Would average attendance really be less?

Obviously, the issues for making football INTERNATIONAL are just red herrings. After all, Detroit or Buffalo could become Canadian teams will little real effect. The Toronto TV market is certain larger. For Windsor/Detriot, the TV market wold be the same.

===============

In any case, a Canadian team would likely come before a European team.

Football is MUCH more physically demanding a sport; those extra hours would take their toll. Plus, there's the injury factor to consider: shuttling injured players on long flights might not only be logistically difficult, it could be downright dangerous.

 

[Patjew]

The problem is for the team based in London or wherever.

So, the extra 4 hours (2 hours each way) on a plane once a year for HALF the teams would be devastating. You've got to be kidding! Half these teams would have byes the next week.

This is a pure money and marketing decision. Now, this doesn't mean that it is an easy decision. The question is whether London would draw more than JAX or the other small market teams. There would need be a revision to the European TV deals. Is there anyone who thinks that a London team wouldn't sell more merchandise than JAX and have a larger local TV audience or have fewer TV veiwers? Would average attendance really be less?

Obviously, the issues for making football INTERNATIONAL are just red herrings. After all, Detroit or Buffalo could become Canadian teams will little real effect. The Toronto TV market is certain larger. For Windsor/Detriot, the TV market wold be the same.