[ganggreengirl]

London to stage first NFL game outside N.A.
'There is no better place to begin this initiative,' says commish Goodell
The Associated Press
Updated: 9:06 a.m. ET Jan 16, 2007
LONDON - London was chosen Tuesday to stage the first NFL regular-season game outside North America.

The NFL received interest from several German cities, but settled on London for the first game.

“There is no better place to begin this initiative than London,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “It is one of the great cities of the world with an established and growing fan base for our game.”

The venue and teams for next season’s game will be announced later.

NFL owners voted in October to play up to two games outside the United States every season for the next five years. The international series will kick off with the game later this year in London.


Britain, Germany, Canada and Mexico have been identified as the top markets for NFL games outside the United States. China and Japan were ruled out of the running.

While the London venue hasn’t been announced, the favorite option is the new Wembley Stadium, which is due to open this spring after years of delays.

“There are many NFL fans in London — both American and non-American — and this will be a spectacular sporting occasion,” Mayor Ken Livingstone said. “After it success in winning the 2012 Olympics and Parlalympic Games, we want to bring Londoners the greatest of non-Olympic sports.”

Details are expected to be announced by Goodell before the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Miami.

The NFL staged its first regular-season game outside the United States in 2005 when 103,467 fans watched the Arizona Cardinals play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City.

London hosted several NFL “American Bowl” preseason games in the 1990s. The city also had a franchise, the London Monarchs, in the World Football League — now called NFL Europe — but the team folded.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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what do you think of this?? i have mixed feelings. yeah it could bring alot more fans into the game but it isn't exactly a hop skip and jump away.

[BlairThomas#1]

I don't think anyone wants their team to go for a number of reasons. Not only will season tix holders lose a home game, but the travel during the season does make a difference.

On the revenue side, I am sure that the owners have been assured they would be made whole for the loss of stadium/concession revenue or else they wouldn't have agreed to the overseas game.

Overall, it is good for the game. It is alwasy fascinating to me that such a HUGE sport to Americans is virtually unknown to the rest of the world. Is there any similar corollary? (Even cricket, which is huge is played in India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and England.)

[ganggreengirl]

Originally Posted by BlairThomas#1

I don't think anyone wants their team to go for a number of reasons. Not only will season tix holders lose a home game, but the travel during the season does make a difference.

On the revenue side, I am sure that the owners have been assured they would be made whole for the loss of stadium/concession revenue or else they wouldn't have agreed to the overseas game.

Overall, it is good for the game. It is alwasy fascinating to me that such a HUGE sport to Americans is virtually unknown to the rest of the world. Is there any similar corollary? (Even cricket, which is huge is played in India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and England.)

yeah i forgot about that. season holders would lose a game. hopefully they make the pats go. lol

one way to fix the travel problems is to have them play before a bye week.

[vinsjets]

Originally Posted by ganggreengirl

yeah i forgot about that. season holders would lose a game. hopefully they make the pats go. lol

one way to fix the travel problems is to have them play before a bye week.

yea i cant see any team doing this without having the bye the week after...it just wouldnt make sense for the club.

[OJDidIt]

Originally Posted by vinsjets

yea i cant see any team doing this without having the bye the week after...it just wouldnt make sense for the club.

London Liberals will hate such a manly sport like football. Losers.

[gustoonarmy]

Originally Posted by OJDidIt

London Liberals will hate such a manly sport like football. Losers.

MIIOOOW!!!! Claws back in tiger.
I happen to think as a fan of the Jets, (not football) that I would not want my team to make such a long unnecessary trip if the shoe were on the other foot , even though it would mean I could see a regular season game.

[vinsjets]

i think its a dumb idea.... I dont see 1 game bringing more fans to the game....NFL is already worldwide, its not like people in Germany have never heard of the NFL.
alot of good points on this subject in the first thread
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[ganggreengirl]

Originally Posted by vinsjets

i think its a dumb idea.... I dont see 1 game bringing more fans to the game....NFL is already worldwide, its not like people in Germany have never heard of the NFL.
alot of good points on this subject in the first thread
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oops sorry didn't see the other thread.

[xjets2002x]

This is going to be terrible for the two teams that play there. It's not as if this is baseball, where you could take one series out of 81 home games and it wouldn't be all that terrible. As we saw this year, the parity in the NFL is absurd, and this is only going to negatively impact someone.

-X-

[Sandman]

I dont understand all the opposition to this. As a UK football fan im really pleased that a regular season game is going to come to my city. We have been treated to the crud games you have in pre-season in the 80's but having a full game staged here is going to be amazing.

for one thing why does a team have to lose a home game? you just make it so that its an away game for boths sides and that solves the problem of any team losing a match.

Also its not like its a huge trip. 6 hours from the east coats into London, i mean thats only a couple of hours longer than the Jets travelling to the West Coast so time really cannot be a reason for this surely?

I will be buying tickets as soon as they come on sale, its most likely to be the Doplhins and Giants which in itself is a problem as i hate both sides so ill have to roots for the lesser of two evils and root for the Giants.

Personally i cannot wait and i think you guys in the US should love the face that the NFL is trying to make american football a worldwide game.

And as for that statement about London liberals you have to be joking. Rugby as a sport is far more vicious than american football and that is followed by all kinds of classes.

[BIG COUNTRY]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I dont understand all the opposition to this. As a UK football fan im really pleased that a regular season game is going to come to my city. We have been treated to the crud games you have in pre-season in the 80's but having a full game staged here is going to be amazing.

for one thing why does a team have to lose a home game? you just make it so that its an away game for boths sides and that solves the problem of any team losing a match.

Also its not like its a huge trip. 6 hours from the east coats into London, i mean thats only a couple of hours longer than the Jets travelling to the West Coast so time really cannot be a reason for this surely?

I will be buying tickets as soon as they come on sale, its most likely to be the Doplhins and Giants which in itself is a problem as i hate both sides so ill have to roots for the lesser of two evils and root for the Giants. Its not that I have anything against Europe(I usually go there at least once a year to visit family and go on vacations, I love the place).

Personally i cannot wait and i think you guys in the US should love the face that the NFL is trying to make american football a worldwide game.

And as for that statement about London liberals you have to be joking. Rugby as a sport is far more vicious than american football and that is followed by all kinds of classes.

You have to ignore OJDidIt hes a troll. And the opposition is for the fact that the teams lose 1 home game which is important down the stretch. I also dont believe that the game will bring more fans into it. I know there are die-hards like you outside the US but outisde the US most people really dont care about football. The other problem with calling it an away game is that its not really an away game. No true fan opposition, no home field advantage for anyone.

The trip isnt too bad to London but to places like Tokyo it can become a hassle. The teas would need a bye after the game is played. It also doesnt seem to bring in the revenue that a home game would bring in. It just apears to me that the NFL is trying to sell to a market that wont buy it.

[gustoonarmy]

OK heres another take on it , wembley holds.....80-90K??? How many of those will be fans of either side? Lets say 30% which is generous , now lets say that only 50% of those have a good to knowledgable understanding of the game , its not going to have the same feel as a game in the Stats is it?
When football was at its peek over here in the 80s , joe public still didn't have a clue , and you ask someone over here to name a football player , I'll bet you most will still say the Fridge.
I'm opposed to this because;
1.The fans in the US will miss out unless they shell out.
2.It has no place in UK sport.
3.The fans going to it will mostly go to gawp and make fun of it.
4.The extra exertion to the teams and entourage is unfair.
5.Next year it might be the Jets , and as much as I would love to see them , they belong in the US.
6. Tottenham suck he he he he

[Sandman]

you are just sour Gus cos its would never be held in Newcastle ;)

As for your points.

90 Thousand is the new Wembley, and trust me the cost of the tickets will be way more than they charge in the states. The cost of my ticket to the Jets game was $65 and that is only £32. The Cost of the tickets is likely to be around the £50 - £60 for the normal tickets. So im pretty sure they will make a lot of money out of this matchup.

What you say about fans not appreciating the game is true and i think you are totally right. But I also think we will get a lot of Germans come over to watch the game and they have a love for the sport.

It wont happen every year, they have already said this i think. It may happen once every 2 years or so. So its not going to hurt teams. The problems with selling american football around the world is that the freindly matches are not worth a damn! so they cannot tour like the Soccer teams do.

And like i said, i think it will be an away game for both sides so it wont subtract from any teams home schedule.

[gustoonarmy]

Originally Posted by Sandman

you are just sour Gus cos its would never be held in Newcastle ;)

As for your points.

90 Thousand is the new Wembley, and trust me the cost of the tickets will be way more than they charge in the states. The cost of my ticket to the Jets game was $65 and that is only £32. The Cost of the tickets is likely to be around the £50 - £60 for the normal tickets. So im pretty sure they will make a lot of money out of this matchup.

What you say about fans not appreciating the game is true and i think you are totally right. But I also think we will get a lot of Germans come over to watch the game and they have a love for the sport.

It wont happen every year, they have already said this i think. It may happen once every 2 years or so. So its not going to hurt teams. The problems with selling american football around the world is that the freindly matches are not worth a damn! so they cannot tour like the Soccer teams do.

And like i said, i think it will be an away game for both sides so it wont subtract from any teams home schedule.

Germany is the better option as you say they have more of a passion over there than in any other euro country. YOu only have to look at the history of NFLe games gate receipts. There are also alot more US bases over there which helps the interest.
The only way it could possibly work is if both teams are as you say away and then go into a bye week. I still as a Jet fan would not be happy as you would still lose a days recouperation and training.
How would you feel about the Toon playing Spurs in New york?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by gustoonarmy

How would you feel about the Toon playing Spurs in New york?

I would love it!!! i could visit New York, Watch my fave soccer team and then hang around for a Jets game!!

Sounds like my perfect week! plus we have a lot of games over here so missing one is not to bad. With only 16 games in a regular NFL season there are not so many.

A side point to this though would be that when a team in Europe plays European football they are travelling all over. Its one of the things i look forward to! being able to visit a new country and watch some sport at the same time! are americans not interested in this?

I mean i came over for a weekend to see NY and watch the Jets.That kind of weekend away appeals! surely it does to others as well?

[ScotsJet]

I'm gutted it's this year - no way I'll be able to afford it with a wedding and assosciated costs to fund.

[gustoonarmy]

Originally Posted by ScotsJet

I'm gutted it's this year - no way I'll be able to afford it with a wedding and assosciated costs to fund.

we'll set up a scotsjet fund

[ScotsJet]

Originally Posted by gustoonarmy

we'll set up a scotsjet fund

Huzzah \o/

[gustoonarmy]

Originally Posted by ScotsJet

Huzzah \o/

Seriously , this would be a great oppertunity for all us UK TGGers to all meet up tailgate and then fall out
If/when they release ticket details we could book a block of tickets and have a wild day out. I might even be able to sort out some travel inn accom on the cheap

[ScotsJet]

Not sure the Mrs (to be) would be easy to convince - I get to London, she doesn't and no shopping either? (Sounds lovely to me!)

Incidentally, I'll be in Newcastle this weekend, Friday - Sunday helping my brother move out of North Shields, to a flat closer to the city.