I am of course being a bit biased here, but since I live in Europe I would welcome the league expanding here. However I don't see how this can realistically happen and be successful in large part due to the fact that the NFL loves having games start late. Monday night, Sunday night, Thursday night, and playoff games (not to mention the Super Bowl) all start pretty late in the day on the east coast in the US. That means that in Europe that fans have to wait until midnight and later just to be able to see these games start. Now this is already incredibly inconvenient for the die hard fans here who have been watching all their lives, but there is no way in hell that this helps attract the new fans which would be necessary for any expansion team. The league would have to completely change it's scheduling mentality so that ALL games, not just those where a European team is involved, start at an hour which is accessible to fans here. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your outlook) the league will never give up having so many games in the US starting in the late afternoon/primetime.
Yeah, but the Rams as a team will probably make a lot more money playing in London than playing in their own stadium.
Hey I'm a Liverpool fan!!! Well my family is from there so that's my reasoning. I understand what your saying though. Can't fault those teams for being highly succesfull.
I don't understand why they refuse to give you guys a quality game, instead it's exactly what your saying. The other thing that bugs me is why the Pats get out of another road game. Not that flying to London is easier on the body then flying to St Louis but as others have stated this will essentially be a home game for them as they have more fans then the pathetic Rams. Still trying to figure out why the Giants/Saints game after Katrina was moved to the Meadowlands? San Diego has fires they move the game to Phoenix. 49ers have an Earthquake they move the game to Palo Alto, New Orleans has a hurricane, let's not move the game to Baton Rouge or Birmingham...let/'s move it to New York which just so happens to be the home stadium of your opponent.
The more i think about this (and I am only really bothered as I was so excited by the propect of seeign the Jets and now I am cheesed off about them not coming) the more i think what a terrible idea it is. if the English Premier League was wanting to promote itself and soccer in the States it would send over Man Utd v Chelsea as a game one year and Man City v Arsenal the next - it would send over the best and highest profile teams to play. this is the equivalent of saying "right lets send over Wigan Athletic for 3 years running" i can understand the top teams not really wanting to go if it costs them a home game, but it seems a really odd way to try to promote your product
That's just it, when I see these clubs come over for summer tours it's always Real Madrid, AC Milan, Man U... I'm sure it wuoldn't be nearly as succesful if Swindon Town or Hartlepool played each other. Why do they send the Rams over for 3 years? Absolutely awful.
I'm just hoping and praying that the NFL are not sending the Super Bowl Champions to Wembley this year! Come on Ravens please save us from this!
No I am saying they have won a SB in my lifetime, they have a new coach a high pick. Things turn in the NFL real quick. Especially in the NFC west. We are a complete laughingstock right now.
The Patriots got booed last time in London according to Patriots fans. I think NFL fans in general go to watch that game so obviously most would oppose the Patriots.
But, as a Swindon fan, I'd rather watch us play Hartlepool! I'm so gutted about the game, but it'll save me a few quid and a trip to London. Bloody cheating Patriots again. How do I hate thee, Let me count the ways...
I did not know this - makes it a bit more understandable why they chose the Rams, especially if after this year they were to shift games to the Emirates stadium as opposed to Wembley
