Open Side Menu Go to the Top
Register
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll)
View Poll Results: Would you want a non-US NFL team?
Yes - Mexico City
11 11.34%
Yes - London
13 13.40%
Yes - other location
25 25.77%
No
48 49.48%

10-27-2009 , 02:02 AM
A european team would only work if they played a small number of home games.

The travel would just be too much of a nightmare.

Mexico/Canada wouldn't be quite as bad.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 02:08 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MicroBob
I think the travel lag to Europe is exaggerated. You play one game a week. This isn't the MLB or NBA. Leave a few hours earlier than you would for a trip from NY to SD and just deal with it.

It's not that far removed from a college hockey league I worked in that has a team in Fairbanks, Alaska. That's right...the CENTRAL Collegiate Hockey Association has Michigan, Michigan St, Ohio St, Notre Dame, Miami (Ohio), Western Michigan and....Alaska-Fairbanks.

Alaska-Anchorage is in the WCHA with Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Denver (among others).

Yeah, it's a pain. But student athletes can handle it AND they're freaking flying coach a lot of the time AND typically have one or two connections to get out there too.

It's a 6-7 hour flight from NY to London nonstop I believe. There are college football teams all over the freaking place who regularly make bus rides of that length and longer like every other week.

I think if a team like Central Michigan can survive sitting 2 per small seat for 7-10 hours on a regular bus for a road game at Northern Ill or Miami (Ohio) or something than the NFL'ers should be able to do okay on their nice jets with first-class style seating over to London.

The league geographically isn't much different than it was in the 1960's yet the travel accommodations are a lot nicer and I assume faster. We're not talking 20 hours of travel here. We're talking probably 7 hours from NY or 11 hours from Seattle on jets that are probably nicer than a lot of our homes.

Still isn't going to happen because the players union will whine of course.
I seem to remember some kind of stats done last year that showed teams played remarkably worse the week after travelling overseas for games. Obviously the sample size was small, but it was still pretty interesting. Keep in mind that it not just effects them the week of the game, but also the week coming back as well. It's essentially playing two games at a disadvantage.

Remember that west coast teams also have a very bad record playing noon east coast games as well.

I have no idea whether it actually impacts much, but the precedent is out there in some capacity.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 03:12 AM
Lol what NFL player would want to spend any time in Mexico City?

Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 03:15 AM
yea wtf? Mexico City would be a nightmare
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 03:17 AM
Logistically having a team in London wouldn't be that difficult. Obviously the players wouldn't enjoy it, but it could be done. The team could be actually based in NY, and play their 8 road games in a row. Then they could spend two months in London playing their 8 home games. For visiting teams, it would be a huge pain, but they are already sending teams to London now and it works.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 03:19 AM
better than buffalo
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 03:30 AM
I dunno. Personally I'll take snow over getting kidnapped.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 09:56 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZBTHorton
I'm absolutely in favor Toronto, or some other team that is a reasonable flight for all of the teams, but Europe is too far.

The team in Europe would likely have an enormous home field advantage, and be at a much bigger disadvantage due to travel times.

I'm sure it would be worth a ****load of money to the NFL though.
Absolutely this. On the UK broadcast they said that a London franchise was under consideration, along with a second Wembley game annually.

Now, surely Canada needs a team, and would be better than a European team. But if a European team, then why the hell should it go to London? THe Monarchs (NFL Europe for those who paid no attention) had to fold long before the league was wound up, at which time the German teams, and the Dutch and Scottish were still rolling along trying their best, and in the case of the Germans, still getting great crowds.

It seems that the NFL are mistaking where they wish an overseas franchise could go (presumably based on language alone), with where it would be best for it to go.

As a 'European', if any team joins the league from outside of the USA, it has to be Canada, but better that it is what it is, American Football, and it stays in America.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 10:12 AM
One important thing to keep in mind: there will be entities in Canada who would be none-to-welcoming to an NFL team moving to Toronto, to the point of being downright hostile. In the 1970s the WFL planned on putting a franchise in Toronto, and they wound up being kicked out by the threat of emergency legislation (the Canadian Football Act) that would have prevented Toronto from fielding a team.

Dunno how much things have changed in 35 years. I do know that the CFA's greatest opposition came from the mayors of the largest Canadian cities, and that Canada did host some WLAF franchises.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 10:22 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZBTHorton
LA for sure.

I have absolutely no idea how a team in SA would do.
You really didn't hear about SA embracing the Saints during the 2005 season, the way Oklahoma City embraced the Hornets. It's probably a viable market, but not a prime market.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 10:26 AM
lol Mexico City. It would be great until players families started getting kidnapped and the whole team inevitably became a drug front.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 10:41 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BadBoyBenny
That's the thing about Toronto, as soon as they get a team Buffalo can no longer support one. I think the 50/50 thing is more likely than them getting a team and forcing Ralph Wilson to move.

This is very true as many people drive across the border to see games. If Toronto got a team it would be a sellout every game. Plus weather not a concern with a domed stadium
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 11:42 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quicksilvre
You really didn't hear about SA embracing the Saints during the 2005 season, the way Oklahoma City embraced the Hornets. It's probably a viable market, but not a prime market.
Here's the problem with San Antonio. Normally, such as in the case of the Spurs, you are going to get a reasonable amount of people coming in from Austin to watch the games. But with football, Austin already has the Longhorns which they will love more than any pro team in anything ever and as such I imagine the residual Austinite attendance is greatly diminished.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 11:51 AM
Naw, the NFL shouldn't put one team in Europe, what they should do is put a whole league over there and try to develop it. It would probably take ten years, but then we could probably have pretty competitive teams. At which point we could have joint playoffs and an actual real World Cup. I see no reason why this couldn't work. Euro's all speak English and they like sports.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 12:08 PM
NFL-Europe failed financially but yeah maybe if they redid it and it wasn't a developmental league but instead some lower tier league a la CFL (except with NFL rules) there may be a chance to revitalize it if the ambitions aren't too huge. I think 20-30k people sold out stadiums (i.e. play in smaller stadiums) are about what one should aim for.

The problem with NFL-Europe was that there wasn't exactly huge identification with teams due to rotating players. I'm sure there's enough second grade player talent around that would rather play in Europe than get a regular job after college.
Some coordination with the soccer leagues would be required starting with what would be the main day of play. I think it would be best to start the season during one of the soccer breaks either summer or winter. Winter kinda sucks weather wise but otoh there isn't a huge tournament (world cup, euros) every two years to collide with either.

Last edited by clowntable; 10-27-2009 at 12:13 PM.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 12:18 PM
I was joking man
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 12:53 PM
Toronto

Quote:
With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America. Toronto is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and is part of a densely populated region in Southern Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe, which is home to 8.1 million residents and has approximately 25% of Canada's population.

Toronto is Canada's largest media market, and the fourth largest media centre in North America (behind New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago), with four conventional dailies and two free commuter papers in a greater metropolitan area of about 5.5 million inhabitants.Toronto contains the headquarters of the major English-language Canadian television networks, including the English-language branch of the national public broadcaster Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the largest private broadcaster CTV, and the flagship stations of Citytv and Global. Canada's premier sports television networks are also based in Toronto, including The Sports Network (TSN), Rogers Sportsnet and The Score.
Also, I know hockey =/ football in Canada but the Leafs have been terrible for years and still sell out every game playing 41 home games per year.

Quote:
they sold out every game at Maple Leaf Gardens from 1946 until the building closed in 1999. The Leafs have also sold out every game at the Air Canada Centre since October 2002. With an average of US$1.9 million per game, the Leafs had the highest average ticket revenue per game in the 2007–08 season

Leafs fans are also known for being loyal despite being treated poorly — in a 2008 survey by ESPN The Magazine on rewarding fans, the Leafs were ranked 121st out of the 122 professional teams in the Big Four leagues. Teams were graded by stadium experience, ownership, player quality, ticket affordability, championships won and "bang for the buck"; in particular, the Leafs came last in ticket affordability.
With the amount of media in the city plus the population I can't see them not selling out games and I think it would become one of the biggest NFL franchises relatively quickly if they managed even a little bit of success.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 01:30 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quicksilvre
You really didn't hear about SA embracing the Saints during the 2005 season, the way Oklahoma City embraced the Hornets. It's probably a viable market, but not a prime market.
Yeah, I remember that. The Cowboys also like having training camps down there because they have lots of football fans.

I guess I just question whether it's big enough to really have the market the NFL would want. SA has tons of fans, but not a whole lot of higher income people. So you'd have to import the higher income fans from Austin. Well, Austin already has people going to football games 5 weekends a year, and many of them have been doing it all of their lives.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 01:31 PM
Rams back to LA

Bills to TOR

Jags to HAVANA, VIVA IMO
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 02:18 PM
Dont think theres any doubt a London team would be put in the AFC East

New England vs Old England etc
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 02:21 PM
I can't see this happening, and wouldn't want it to.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 03:54 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quicksilvre
One important thing to keep in mind: there will be entities in Canada who would be none-to-welcoming to an NFL team moving to Toronto, to the point of being downright hostile. In the 1970s the WFL planned on putting a franchise in Toronto, and they wound up being kicked out by the threat of emergency legislation (the Canadian Football Act) that would have prevented Toronto from fielding a team.

Dunno how much things have changed in 35 years. I do know that the CFA's greatest opposition came from the mayors of the largest Canadian cities, and that Canada did host some WLAF franchises.
Lol as I started reading this post my first thought was "why?". I honestly forgot there was football in Canada.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 04:05 PM
Wtf put a team back in LA before you start expanding overseas.

Also, London >>>>>>>>>>> Mexico City. Who the **** wants to live and play in Mexico?

There's a 5 hour diff between London and the East Coast. That's not significantly worse than East to West coast.

Obviously you would have to fiddle with the sched a bit and it would be really tough for west coast teams to go there. They could do a 2-3 week road trip followed by a bye and come out here, but that's a bit harsh.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 06:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoldenBears

There's a 5 hour diff between London and the East Coast. That's not significantly worse than East to West coast.

Obviously you would have to fiddle with the sched a bit and it would be really tough for west coast teams to go there. They could do a 2-3 week road trip followed by a bye and come out here, but that's a bit harsh.
West coast teams tend to suck when they go east. So every home game for a European team would be a huge advantage against an east coast team. It would be hell for a west coast team heading over there.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote
10-27-2009 , 07:22 PM
How would they deal with the taxes? Nobody would ever ever play in london.
Non-US NFL team - opinions (includes a poll) Quote

      
m