Pats May Play In Edmonton Next Year

[PatriotsNorth]

The more I read this, the more I feel for my fellow Pats fans in Western Canada.

Here in T.O we're already spoiled by being guaranteed a "home" game in Buffalo (only 1.5 hour drive) every year.

The one good thing about this thread...all us Canadian Pats fans are coming out of the woodwork!

 

[Delicate Genius]

Edmonton sucks though Calgary is a much nicer city too bad our stadium only seats about 30,000

BUT YEAHH!!!!!

Oh you little bastard.

Honest question, does McMahon Stadium use outhouses?

 

[Canadian Patriot]

Ahah! Shutup I know our Stadium blows but no they got actual washrooms ahaha. Stamps All over your Eskies any day!

 

[Bannoman]

let me get this straight.

Pats go 3-0 with dominating performances, including a complete dismantling of last year's West Coast darlings; Pats look unstoppable; Pats are SuperBowl favorites coming into the season and almost a lock in Vegas after week 3; Brady and Moss on target to shatter current single-season passing/receiving records.

Call me paranoid, but can anyone else imagine a converstion at NFL HQ somewhere along the lines of:

"These freaking Pats are really killing league parity"

"I agree, we should have planned the whole spygate thing to happen at the end of the season. Then we could have let the media run the whole "tainted" angle when it would have really helped".

"Yeah that was bad planning on our part. Damn, one more SB win and the whole dynasty talk will start again".

"I know. But I think if we try anything else this year it would really arouse some suspicion. Let's just start thinking for next year."

"Yeah but what? Another off season "rule change" would start to look a little odd, even to the stupidest fan."

"I don't know, I wish there was a way to at least throw off their rhythm next season. You know mess with their schedule or something."

"Hey, that's good: like the year after their second SB win when we gave them a bye game....in WEEK FOUR!!" (laughter) "I still crack up when I think how brilliant that was."

"So we agree. Something in their schedule to throw them off rhythm. Okay, let me think about it, Rog, and I'll get back to ya."




The above is offered only partially with humor.

 

[Delicate Genius]

Stamps All over your Eskies any day!

Crossover ftw!

 

[Imperator]

No chance Toronto gets a team before LA.

LA's had two teams in the past, The Raiders and the Rams. Three if you count the AFL. IIRC, they always had TV and radio blackouts, because few people bothered tuning in.

Right now though, they're trying to get the NFL to come back. be interesting to see how well that goes.

 

[Ishdul]

I think Gregg Easterbrook partly brought this up, but I'm foreseeing some big problems with the increasing international schedule. The point brought up was that the Dolphins and Giants are going to play in England and they could've/should've designated the Giants as the home team for that game to make up for the Saints home game at Giants Stadium debacle. Anyways, the Dolphins are going to be the home team for that game and I have a feeling that we're going to be involved in a bunch of this stuff in the near future if we're having a bunch of international games, considering the Pats would continually be one of the best candidates for those games (since you'd assumedly want a money matchup, not Jacksonville vs. Arizona).

I just hope they're fair about this and we don't have annual "home" games in China and South Africa and wherever else.

 

[primetime]

An Edmonton trip isn't as bad as an England trip, though. It's a shorter flight than San Diego, say, and about equal to a trip to Denver. I'm not sure why they're trying to "bring the NFL" to Canada, though... football's already very popular in Canada, undoubtedly the second most popular sport after hockey, and the NFL is probably just as popular as the CFL.

With the loonie equal to the US dollar at this point, the league should look to moving failing franchises to Canada. Only the Bills really serve a major Canadian market, that being Toronto. The Jaguars could be moved to Edmonton or Calgary to serve the western market, while the Bills could play a number of home games in Toronto (or even move there, though the Bills fans deserve better). I'd rather see those than another 10-year franchise in LA or a Vegas team.

 

[nhpatsfan]

Huh. Interesting read.
So is it definite that a game will be in Canada next year? Or is that part speculation, too?

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I didn't feel like reading through all five pages, so forgiviness please if this has already been posted, but I remember them talking about the whole China game and I seem to recall it would only take away an away game from each team. Like in that year we'd have our normal 8 home games then 7 away games and this game, that way no team loses a home game.

And as a Canadian I'd just like to say thanks to all of you who vehmently oppose anything good coming to Canada. A little sour over our dollar kicking the crap out of yours are we?

P.S. to all my Canadian Brothers and sisters THE ALOUETTES RULE!

 

[Pats726]

I didn't feel like reading through all five pages, so forgiviness please if this has already been posted, but I remember them talking about the whole China game and I seem to recall it would only take away an away game from each team. Like in that year we'd have our normal 8 home games then 7 away games and this game, that way no team loses a home game.

The China deal was preseason..and was cancelled because teh NFL thought they didn't have the resources to have a London game in season and a China pre. Also, they wanted to wait until the stadium was done for teh Olympics. There has been talk of adding a game for 17..and having that one game as interbational...so it would be 8 home 8 away and 1 INT..I am sure te NFL will do it fairly..OR try to..but with 4 west coast trips next year..Seat, SF, Oak, SD...a lot of traveling could really hurt.

 

[cstjohn17]

One more thing I thought of... Pat Bowlen (<--spelling), the owner of the Broncos, is originally from Edmonton. Just like me, we are virtually the same except he owns a pro sports team and I watch pro sports on tv.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I think this is one of the only times we will be in agreement on something but if that were to happen i think there would be a giant uproar from the football community.

Since when did we become the world football league?

Knowing how much season tickets cost, I can understand your sentiments.

However, the NFL is doing its best to promote American Football in other countries. You may see this as futile or perhaps a big waste of time because you don't care if it catches on abroad.

I can appreciate what they are trying to do even if I think it won't work.

Reasons it won't work:

1) Football is too dangerous without proper equipment which is very expensive.

2) Football requires too many players (11 on each side of the ball plus specialty players like kickers, punters, etc)

3) Many countries view soccer as the REAL football sport and may be hard to attract as fans of American football.

I think it is still worth a shot despite these issues. I'm not sure why they are targeting Canada since they have a football league though. It sucks to lose a home game, but somebody has to if we want to generate some enthusiasm in other countries.

 

[taltos]

I would much prefer that the NFL give LA another shot and possibly San Antonio before expanding to the international scene. After the US, it would seem that Toronto and Vancouver would be the most reasonable choices in my mind. The advantages of these two cities are common language and being large cities with easy air access. I would be very much opposed to placing a franchise in Mexico City with the political unrest, different language, and terrible air pollution.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Once again, as I have said here before. It's not about the average Joe in Kraft's new NFL. It's about money, marketing the league, and the high spending luxury box owners and club season ticket holders. This screws the average joe. You think you will get a refund for that game? It will just roll over for next seasons bill. The team will make interest on your money.

Why not play all the games on the west coast next season? Make LA the home stadium. At least they will have an outside shot of winning some games. Those road trips will hurt this team next year. 7-9

 

[MTaylorJ1]

The NFL is funny. If this rumor is true then it will have had 2 international "home" games in which the home team has further to travel.

Funny that Goodell ranted about competitive advantage, yet is robbing teams of 1/8 of their home schedule. You may be able to justify it if its an NFC-AFC game, but it shouldn't be an AFC matchup where head to head record can decide playoff spots, etc.

 

[CopenhagenPatsfan]

Once again, as I have said here before. It's not about the average Joe in Kraft's new NFL. It's about money, marketing the league, and the high spending luxury box owners and club season ticket holders. This screws the average joe. You think you will get a refund for that game? It will just roll over for next seasons bill. The team will make interest on your money.

Why not play all the games on the west coast next season? Make LA the home stadium. At least they will have an outside shot of winning some games. Those road trips will hurt this team next year. 7-9

Wow, you taking a shot at Kraft, what a surprise, you have never done that before.......play broken record........

 

[Pujo]

Those road trips will hurt this team next year. 7-9

Talk about a knee-jerk reaction! Lots of things can happen between now and next season so I wouldn't say 7-9 is out of the question, but the travel certainly won't be the reason.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

P.S. to all my Canadian Brothers and sisters THE ALOUETTES RULE!

Get a grip. Calvillo is washed up and from where I see the standings, your Alouettes (uh - Concordes) will be looking up at my Blue Bombers this year. A let down for my boys in Blue and Gold last week in TO but we will bounce back.

 

[Handel]

Why in Edmonton?

The province where football is growing the most is Québec....