Chargers Being Discussed as a Team to move to London

[reflexblue]

Oh they absolutely can. They just wouldn’t let that team move to LA and now they’re headed to Vegas.

The rams left in the eighties do to lack of fan support then the raiders took they're place and eventually moved back to oakland due to lack of fan support. In both cases it was said that the LA fans are just not into football. I think thats probably still the case.

 

[Kontradiction]

fair enough

I suspect that the owners, as business folk, are always looking to maximize profits in the short run, the middle run, and the long run. Expanding the fan base seems a reasonable avenue to pursue.

So did putting two teams in Los Angeles, apparently. That worked out so well that they’re already talking about moving one of them to London.

 

[mgteich]

Are you suggesting that the UK is the size of Los Angeles?

The teams might be in London and Manchester. There are other options for the second city.

So did putting two teams in Los Angeles, apparently. That worked out so well that they’re already talking about moving one of them to London.

 

[italian pat patriot]

They should return to San Diego or at worst consider Saint Louis

Not more...
NFL MUST STAY IN USA

 

[Kontradiction]

Are you suggesting that the UK is the size of Los Angeles?

The teams might be in London and Manchester. There are other options for the second city.

Yes. That was what I was suggesting. That the entire UK is the size of LA.

 

[Tunescribe]

Did San Diego really care that much about that team? Didn’t want to see them leave but, not like they had a die hard fanbase.

It was diehard enough to support the team there for 55 years despite a lousy stadium and really poor ownership. If the owners -- especially Spanos -- had invested properly in the franchise a la Bob Kraft, the Chargers would be a solid San Diego institution.

 

[Tunescribe]

Chargers to London
Jets to Tottenham
Jaguars to Paris
Bengals to Dublin

Contract the Jets. Move the Chargers to Jersey.

Sending the Jete to another country would be considered an act of war.

 

[mgteich]

Yes. That was what I was suggesting. That the entire UK is the size of LA.

sigh

The UK is about the size of NY state and more than half as big as the state of CA.

 

[pheenix11]

These greedy owners keep shoving Europe down our throats and they don’t seem to get it that no one wants it. The fans and the players all hate it.

I get the feeling some of these owners won’t rest until they’ve destroyed the league.

 

[mgteich]

Fans want what fans want.

On the other hand, owners and players want the league to make more and more money. The owners will make decisions about London and about the number of preseason games with the full participation of the union.
==========

These greedy owners keep shoving Europe down our throats and they don’t seem to get it that no one wants it. The fans and the players all hate it.

I get the feeling some of these owners won’t rest until they’ve destroyed the league.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

They should return to San Diego or at worst consider Saint Louis

Not more...
NFL MUST STAY IN USA

Nationalist sentiments might steer our divisive political system but it doesn't affect the judgments of those in the business of making money. London is a massive economy that can afford a team far more than a city like St. Louis that is -- unless something changes -- slowly dying on economic grounds.

It is sad that professional football cannot thrive in a city like San Diego or St. Louis. But with how much it costs to operate a team and costs only increasing with time, the league needs to expand to international venues.

As to the whining of players -- shut up. You get paid to play football. I don't care if the league wants a game on the moon. As long as it is safe to play, you play.

I really wish the first international team was in Mexico City since they love football far more than London and a realignment could put them with either/both the Texans and Cowboys. But London is a greater revenue source without the political hornet's nest that comes with catering to a Latino nation that also struggles with cartel violence.

Moving to London might alienate many fans. Maybe it will also allow for some new rivalries. I'd personally love the matchup between the Patriots fighting what amounts to the Red Coats. That prospect is certainly more exciting that the sad reality of sitting through the Jets butt fumbling twice a year against us. Yawn to that even if they are easy victories.

 

[Caretaker]

Moving NFL teams abroad sets a dangerous precedent though. If Chargers can relocate to London, then why can't we have Buccaneers in Beijing or Bengals move to Shenzhen? Or maybe UAE sheiks will come forward with 80 billion dollar bids...

I may be exaggerating but any relocation outside of North America is an L

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

If the Chargers ever left SoCal, the league should do what they did with the Browns in 1995: Reserve the name for a future San Diego franchise and force Spanos to rename his team. The name change may allow Spanos' team to start fresh elsewhere and I'm sure San Diego would welcome a Chargers 2.0 team that doesn't have Spanos involved in any way.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Triumph]

The rams left in the eighties do to lack of fan support then the raiders took they're place and eventually moved back to oakland due to lack of fan support. In both cases it was said that the LA fans are just not into football. I think thats probably still the case.

The cash cow for the NFL is selling the corporate luxury suites. Probably PSLs too.

LA is also another prime location for Super Bowls.

 

[Triumph]

1 I wonder if the NFLs plans to go international like soccer played a role in Brady retiring? The season is long and hard enough already without expansion.

2 The NFL has had plans to go global for some time. The 2008 recession derailed movement in that direction. I fear that the NFL may go the way of the NHL with too many teams and dilute the product.

3. London can absolutely support an NFL franchise. Interest in the game is there. Fans are coming out for the games. Did anyone else see the crowd outside the London stadium last Sunday? Once you have a NFL foundation in London, the next logical move is to place a team in a rival city. Germany? France? Who do the British hate?

4. The Mafia would be proud of the NFLs heavy handed tactics. Taxpayers are held up at gunpoint with a choice - risk losing the team or approve a new NFL stadium in the millions. In some cases then pay for PSLs in the thousands to see the team play in the stadium that they just bought. Then they have the luxury if buying tickets.

5. The NFL giveth football and the NFL taketh away. Play hardball with them and you lose. The NFL will pull the shrubs out of the ground at the current team location and move them to the shiny new stadium. You will be left with nothing. They dont care how far back the team history goes. SD might come around to the NFLs way of thinking after a few years without NFL football. Cleveland and Houston did. St Louis did to an extent after losing the Cardinals.

 

[Patjew]

I love Mexico City but there is no way a team can/should be there. Even London makes much more sense, although GMT really effs things up.

 

[tasmlab]

List of metropolitan statistical areas - Wikipedia

The largest US metro population to NOT currently have an NFL franchise is.... San Diego.

The list is interesting in itself. Roughly the top 20 population centers all have a team and then gaps start to appear in between the top areas with places like Pittsburgh and Jacksonville being a bit smaller. I doubt Green Bay is even in consideration.

FWIW, by this measure London is huge. It would be the second or third largest area in the US by population (I googled about 8MM in the city, 14MM in the region.)

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Sending the Jete to another country would be considered an act of war.

Send the JETE to Liverpool. That way they can have a Mersey rule.

 

[Tunescribe]

Send the JETE to Liverpool. That way they can have a Mersey rule.

 

[Kontradiction]

Send the JETE to Liverpool. That way they can have a Mersey rule.