OT: Oh No! NFL Commits to Franchise in London by 2022

[Gronk]

Don't understand why they don't just start up a subsidiary league based in England rather than stick one team in the nfl. You don't need to make it wildly successful overnight. Start with a few team and let it grow naturally.

Tried that. Fail.

 

[patchick]

Yeah, the NFL will have the Pats play Sunday night in Oakland and then a Thursday night in London.
Lovely.

Seriously, it's bad enough adjusting to the time difference from Eastern time. For Pacific games/teams this is a nightmare.

And stray thoughts....
If a London team drafts a kid with a criminal record, does England have to let him set up housekeeping?
Will the league pick up the tab for accountants to handle the players' and coaches' international earnings?
Etc. etc.

 

[Galeb]

Don't understand why they don't just start up a subsidiary league based in England rather than stick one team in the nfl. You don't need to make it wildly successful overnight. Start with a few team and let it grow naturally.

They tried having an NFL Europe. They lost money.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Players best demand in the next CBA that the 8 teams that play there have their bye week after that game.

 

[Big-T]

Why?

Do they expect us Brits to change teams or something? Talk about dumb.

In terms of crowd noise alone, every home game would sound like a road one. Especially against NE/SF/DAL/WAS /OAK who have large UK fan bases.

 

[Tunescribe]

I look forward to the London team playing the Mexico City team, maybe on a Thursday night game.

Nah, it'll be canceled because of (A) weather-related travel delays, (B) intervention by terrorists, (C) wildcat labor strike by foreign stadium personnel, (D) lack of available players due to attrition from over-expansion and Goodell's 18-game regular-season schedule ... or some combination thereof.

Screw London, screw Goodell, screw the owners. Hopefully by then I'll be able to time travel back to the '60s to watch REAL NFL football.

 

[Mike the Brit]

From the folks who brought you the Wells Report, a new low in stupidity.

 

[juny]

good luck to that team in attracting free agents. do i want to move my family overseas or play in my home country for about the same money?

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Australia is next. Nothing like a 24 hour plane ride to get the team ready.

first player they'd sign is A. Foster

 

[Tunescribe]

I will say NFL is getting big in UK, I have a friend there who loves it and always wants to talk football when we do talk.

Your friend is among the paltry 4 percent of Londoners who like NFL football. FOUR PERCENT! That means 96 percent doesn't care. That's only 3 percent greater than Paris and Madrid.

 

[Froob]

Is Trump really going to let the NFL take these jobs out of America?

"Does it make sense that we have so many Americans unemployed and we're going to put a team in London? Does it make sense that student interest is at an all-time high and Geno Smith is an NFL quarterback?"-Bernie Sanders

"I think the NFL moving to London is a sign that you know if we be good people that we can succeed as a society. ************ himself would tell you that."-Ben Carson

"uh...do the people want the team in the London? ...Okay yeah I am AGAINST THAT!"-Hilary Clinton

"I don't know....maybe we should just let them do what they want I guess."-Jeb Bush

"CHEATEEEEEEEEERSSS!!!**"-Jets fan

 

[everlong]

I have to imagine from a travel perspective they'll have to break the season into quarters where the London team will play 4 home, 4 away, 4 home and 4 away. It will really suck for the teams in that division having to go over every year. Putting that team in the east of either conference probably makes the most sense. The NFC east isn't getting split up. Maybe the Bills make the move and it's a no-brainer but as others have said most likely the Jags. That would likely mean the Dolphins get shifted to the AFCS to even out the divisions.

 

[Wildo7]

I continue to be shocked that billionaires who have amassed their fortunes in part because of their sterling business acumen can continue to be so stupid from a business standpoint. But that's fine. They can feel free to oversaturate the populace as they see fit. When this falls on it's face, I'll be the first to laugh.

Lol at the bolded

 

[XLIX]

A 6 year plan is hardly set in stone, but part of me hopes they do it because I'll enjoy watching it fail abysmally.

It's worth noting, however, there's a good chance any such team is placed in the AFC East.

 

[blackglass3]

Eh, that's a long time. Didn't they commit to a team in LA by 2002? Look how much longer that took.

 

[Wildo7]

Also, the idea that this can't both be a smart business decision and ****ty for the fans is wrong. These are the same fans that gleefully watch 4 hours of commercials with 8 minutes of gameplay sprinkled in.

 

[Gronk]

I have to imagine from a travel perspective they'll have to break the season into quarters where the London team will play 4 home, 4 away, 4 home and 4 away. It will really suck for the teams in that division having to go over every year. Putting that team in the east of either conference probably makes the most sense. The NFC east isn't getting split up. Maybe the Bills make the move and it's a no-brainer but as others have said most likely the Jags. That would likely mean the Dolphins get shifted to the AFCS to even out the divisions.

I was thinking the same thing scheduling-wise but doesn't that suck for the London team too? Sure some of them are young guys who wouldn't mind the jet-set lifestyle but even so being away from home and keeping peak performance for a month at a time doesn't sound that desirable, particularly if there are 31 other options for you. Doubly so for guys with families. Obvi draftees would have to go but it doesn't seem like an attractive FA locale logistically.

I hope they are good and get a home wild card game on a Sunday, then have to travel to LA to play the Chargers on divisional Saturday.

 

[NashuaPats]

A 6 year plan is hardly set in stone, but part of me hopes they do it because I'll enjoy watching it fail abysmally.

It's worth noting, however, there's a good chance any such team is placed in the AFC East.

I hope not. I suggest sticking them in the NFC West.

 

[nabwong]

By 2002, it will be time for the Rams to move again. At least this will get Jeff (7-9) Fisher out of the country.

 

[tasmlab]

At least the "world champion" title will be a little more "world".

I wonder if it's mostly about having games on 9 AM on Sunday. Maybe more about TV rights and schedule than anything else.