OT: Bears vs Bucs in London

[Dufflebagz]

Tampa again?

I hope Tampa doesn't lose another home game, gotta feel bad for the STH if so.

 

[jmt57]

Yes, it will be another "home" game for Tampa Bay

ProFootballWeekly.com - NFL confirms Bears-Bucs in London

The Bucs will be the "home" team, and the club announced that any season ticket account that has been paid in full will be refunded for the amount of that game. Reports indicate, however, that the Bears-Bucs game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa if the labor situation is not resolved by Aug. 1.

This would be Tampa Bay's second game in London since 2009.

"We are honored to be selected to participate in the NFL International Series for a second time," Buccaneers co-chairman Bryan Glazer said in a statement. "We are looking forward to promoting Tampa Bay's emerging young team on the world stage. We have the longest running fan club of any NFL team in the UK and look forward to seeing so many familiar faces from the Bucs UK fan club at the game.

Rather odd that the NFL would send them again; I thought part of the original plan was to introduce as many different teams as possible. Is there some sort of connection with the Glazers owning both the Bucs and Manchester United?

Maybe ticket sales are still soft enough for the Bucs - if I'm not mistaken they had no sellouts last year, resulting in every home game being blacked out - that they felt financially that taking this game was a smart business move. I don't know if it's ever been disclosed how teams are compensated for playing in London - specifically as the home team - but my guess is that the NFL is giving some sort of additional financial incentive to teams to play in London.

 

[sbpatfan]

Doesn't the Bucs' owner have a soccer team in England too?

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I can't imagine many Bucs fans are happy.

Then again, I can't imagine there are many Bucs fans.

 

[jmt57]

Doesn't the Bucs' owner have a soccer team in England too?

Yes; Manchester United. If I'm not mistaken they're the most valuable sports franchise in the world.

 

[Dufflebagz]

Is there some sort of connection with the Glazers owning both the Bucs and Manchester United?

Very possible, It seems like a good way to get some English fans, even worldwide fans since Man U is the quite possibly the most famous club in the world....not fair to the Bucs fans that would like to go to the game though.

 

[Calciumee]

Is there some sort of connection with the Glazers owning both the Bucs and Manchester United?

But Randy Lerner, who owns the Browns, also owns Aston Villa, so I would have thought that they might come over!

 

[resdubwhite]

Interesting that its two nfc teams aswell. Its been one NFC one AFC since its inception. Although there were strong rumours that Ronney wanted to bring the Steelers to Dublin but only as the away team. To have a game in Croke park would be awesome.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Yup blackouts galore last season as the Bucs, contending for a playoff spot could not sell out. Smart business move but the tepid interest in some markets should be a message to owners.

 

[resdubwhite]

Yup blackouts galore last season as the Bucs, contending for a playoff spot could not sell out. Smart business move but the tepid interest in some markets should be a message to owners.

I've been to two of the weekends in London and they have been genuinely great great fun.

 

[Tasco]

I've been to two of the weekends in London and they have been genuinely great great fun.

great fun? definitely yes!
great games? the game last year sucked really bad, the Broncos were just awful!

That's why I was hoping they would bring over a more interesting game this year. I'll be going to London for sure again, let's hope we see a decent game too this time.

 

[bakes781]

London Looters?

 

[italian pat patriot]

I thought there would have been a rotation of teams...so when i heard about TB i was surprised

 

[Big Bucks]

They are testing the water, 8 games in a season with the same team in them all the time!

 

[gomezcat]

My two cents: I'm originally from Manchester and a United fan and I DETEST the Glazers for the debt they have loaded on to United. I am far from unique in that- there's a whole movement devoted to driving them out of the club, with no success so far. If they are trying to make the Bucs more popular, they are going about it in a funny way.

I won't bother with the fixture; I hate the Bears because I became a Pats fan in the season after that SB and I hate the Bucs now. Having said that, I can expect to hear a lot about this. The team for whom I do stats has a President and Guard who are Bears fans (there are others) and the announcer is a Bucs fan. :bricks:

 

[gomezcat]

They are testing the water, 8 games in a season with the same team in them all the time!

I read a book by Pat Kirwan recently and he is insistent that this will definitely happen. One trend I have noticed is the increasing awareness people have for (American) Football. It reminds me of the late 80s and 90s, which they messed up by giving the exclusive rights to Sky.

I do wonder how far we are from an NFL division in Europe- 10 or 20 years?