Bills would be the new team on the AFC West Chiefs probably will be on the AFC North Ravens probably will be on the AFC East
"Meanwhile, if Toronto really tries hard, we could someday be as 'North American world class' as Kansas City, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Cleveland." Great quote coming from a Canadian site hahaha
The Ravens and Cheifs moving is highly doubtful. They provide big rivalry games in the division that draw good TV numbers from outsiders. The Ravens and steelers are a short 3 hour drive apart and it makes for good times all around. Thats not happening. I would look for a threee way move involving less established teams with less league wide power. It would be more like the LA Bills to the NFC west, The Rams to the AFC South, and The Jags to the AFC east to get them an instate rival game against the Dolphins so they can sell out once a year. They would be weak ownership groups gettign moved to benefit all involved.
Most likely that would be the scenario if the Bills went to LA. New AFC East Baltimore New England New York Pittsburgh North Cleveland Cincinnati Indianapolis Kansas City South Tennessee Jacksonville Miami Houston West San Diego Oakland LA Denver
Who knows if it will matter, but I agree with Harpua on this - if they're moving to the west coast there's no reason why the Bills couldn't move to the NFC as well. I can't imagine the NFL destroying the strong rivalries among the Jets and Patriots and the Dolphins by doing this. Also, even though the strength of teams changes over time, given the current strength of the Ravens, Jets, Patriots and Steelers, I can't imagine they would want to guarantee that one of them could never make the playoffs.
So it's all right to boot an original AFL team to the NFC but it's not alright to shift a team to a division where it should be geographically? Dolphins-Pats wasn't much of a rivalry if there was one. The new AFC East would be just like the NFC East with the 4 super teams. Besides with the 18 games they'll probably come up with a 16 team playoff soon anyway so all 4 could be in the playoffs.
What? Just because I want Miami to be in a different division. What's wrong with geographic accuracy? Already tossing the Bills so why not toss Miami and add two teams with a rivalry already.
They obviously don't give a shit about geographic accuracy, or when they realigned to 4 divisions they'd have made the changes then. It's about money. These current divisions are as good as can be with the current alignment.
I agree with that for sure. People would really need to look into the power of the ownership groups that these moves would affect. Thats why I chose the teams I did. Jacksonville has no power, they are hanging on by a thread. Obviously the new Bills owner ship would have very little in this instance. As for the Rams, They would be the most entrenched of the bunch, but the Pluses of reduced travel cost and closer division rivals would be huge in thier eyes in favor of a shift.
The NFC West is a cluster fuck. A team in Seattle, one in Cali, one in Arizona, and one in the heart of the Mid west. It would be ripe for realignment. Reducing 1000's of miles of travel costs a year would look good to the owners. If they get a team in LA the Rams gettign out of the division would be a great move for all involved.
So it's alright to boot an original AFL team to the NFC for travel purposes but it's not OK to shift teams around in the conference for travel purposes? Owners have only 1 vote out of 32, if 31 owners want it, it will happen even if Jones or Kraft or whomever opposes it.
What makes you think ANY owner wants it? These guys know if they play in a weaker division, they have a better shot at the playoffs, and thus more money. They didn't become billionaires by being stupid.
I'd say the Rams are in the West still because of rivalry purposes. The 70's and 80's fostered a great Rams/49ers rivalry. Cardinals/Rams is probly marketable being the Cards bailed on St. Louis.
There is a nice rivalry that exists between Pitt and Baltimore, I am not sure that the NFL will want to break them up.
It order to eliminate the chances of another 7-9 or in all likely hood 8-10 division winner in the future, the NFL could realign both leagues to just and East and West conference with the winners getting a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Not sure if the NFL would be willing to dilute the rivalries that are created by the smaller divisions, but it may be something they at least entertain doing.
