I started a thread some way back prior to the official announcement that the fish and Giants were coming to play in London to gauge some feeling about how Jets fans would feel about giving up a home game, the logistics of travelling to Europe, what effect would this have on a teams season etc. Opinion was kind of divided but generally most fans accepted that the game is trully international now and everyone is going to have to play away from the states at some time. Quick update: Although tickets have not been printed yet NFL Europe have conceded that tickets have been sold out probably by about six times over, this done by the prerequest system offered to fans in Europe and includes an allocation of around 10,000 for US based fans hoping to come to the game. Hope this is giving you guys in the states some measure of the popularity of the game here. (Wembley is slated to hold 90,000 fans). Two questions: 1. If the Jets were playing in say London, how many of you US fans would try to come over? 2. I am hopefully going to the game and have chosen to sit with the Giants Fans if my application is succsesful- I couldn't bear to sit with Dolphins fans and would probably be arrested anyway, in this unusaual situation would it be okay to pull for the Giants, they are New Yorkers after all even if I normally hate them as a team and what kind of response will I get from big blue fans if I attend wearing my Jets jersey? Thoughts please guys.
What he said. Though, I think which team I pull for will depend very much on the standings at the time. If a Miami win materially benefits the Jets I'll be backing them. That, though, is unlikely.
I've said it before but will do so again, I think this is a bad idea. I am glad folks like yourself get a chance to view a game in your home area, but in my mind it shows that once again the NFL is all about the money and not about the paying fans or the integrity of the game. It is not fair that the Dolphins and their fans in this case lose one of their home games, and be forced to fly 7 hours to play this game. Home field advantage is huge in the NFL. They are messing with the competitive balance of the game. In addition, I'm sure the owners will be reimbursed for the purses they are losing from that home game but what about all the other local businesses that depend on that income, and the concession stand guys/gals, etc. Money is being pulled from their pockets so the NFL can line their own. Just a bad idea all around....
dolphins dont have enough fans that go to games to have homefield. But really i agree with you 100% its a terrible idea on part of the NFL. Its not really bringing in any more fans into the NFL imo.
I like the idea of the Dolphins having a shortened practice week, extra travel time on a cramped airplane and plenty of Jet lag. I'd like the Jets to be the team playing them when they get home.
BTW, you two Scots. I'm half Scottish. My mother was born in Paisley... maiden name was Moffat. My uncles were all born there too... brave Scots all. One of them was a B-17 bomber pilot in WWII... shot down on his first bombing run over Germany and became a POW until the Russians liberated him. He became a lawyer here in the states. I followed in their footsteps and volunteered for Vietnam. Bottom line.. us Scots don't take any shit from anybody... part of our proud Scottish heritage. Good to see we have Jets fans in Scotland!
I have logge to try and get tickets for this game. It is way over subscribed so its going to be a lottery. When the game was announced initially i was very excited, the chance to see a real NFL game over here seemed immense. I also played down the travel time as its not much further than the Giants/Dolphins having to play on the West coast. But since i have heard that they are kind of testing the water for having possible franchises outside of the states. Not that i ever think that would happen but even the remote possibility seems just plain weird. I hope to get tickets but in the long run im not too fussed. Not that im going to travel annually to see the Jets in NY im less fussed than i was before.
It has already been announced that the week following the game both the blowholes & the shrimps have a BYE week to recover from the jet lag you mentioned
I think its a pretty good idea. You only lose one home game in 16 years. If it doesnt work after a few years they can just scrap the idea. I would/will go to the jets international game where ever it is. I love traveling and this would just be an added incentive. I hope though we lose an away game first
I was surprised to hear that there is so much demand in the UK to attend this game. I always got the impression that "American football" was looked down upon over there. Would the average UK soccer fan know the rules of an NFL game?
What is the point of such a game? It would never work to put a team or teams in Europe because of the time differnence and travel. So what is the NFL trying to accomplish? Again, the season ticket holder gets screwed all for $$$ and TV. If I were a Fish fan, I would be pissed. Don't get me wrong, I love to see both the Dolphins and Giants inconvenienced, but it could be the Jets next year. I just don't understand what the NFL gains in the long run. I guess it is all about selling the sport in Europe for additional TV revenue. So now we have to deal with 4 pm start times, night games in winter, night and late afternoon playoff games, Thursday Sunday and Monday night games, etc. As a season ticket holder in the Northeast, it is clear that the Jets and the NFL are happy to take my measly $300 a game, but they don't really give a damn about me or any other fan with tickets. It's all about the coach potatoes and Budweiser.
I got a cousin there, and she said people are going crazy for tickets, she tried to buy some a few months ago, and she had no luck at all, this is a pretty big thing over in London.
Tickets aren't on sale yet. All that's happened is that people have registered interest on the website (I think it's nfllondon2007.com or something)
227, my Dad was born in Paisley I'll run the maiden name by him next time we talk. You never know, it's a small world. Dad still attends every game with me and made me the Jets fan I am today...
There might be thousands of Moffats in Paisley and the surrounding area, just so's you know. It's a common name.
Thanks, Scotty, I didn't know that. I'd like to try to contact my relatives, but now that might make it difficult. At any rate, we plan on visiting Scotland one of these days.
I've applied for tix and hope to get some. Wherever I will be in the stadium I plan on wearing my GREEN, showing Jet pride and will perhaps piss off a number of people. In a friendly spirit of the game manner of course:lol: I feel the arguements regarding NFL as a money making proposition but am really looking forward to seeing a"full size, full speed game" up close and not NFLE. Mind you I still miss the Claymores and always will. For 227 and Baamf re looking up ancestors/ relatives in Scotland if you have details of names, dates/places of birth you should be able to get some results via this website www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. My wife when she worked as Marketing manager for North America for VisitScotland developed the genealogy tourism strategy so feel free to PM me and she may be able to point you in the right direction. Greg
