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NFL plans permanent United Kingdom based franchise 'in six years'


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Stew-pit ...

 

 

The UK will have its own American football franchise within six years, according to NFL spokesman Mark Waller.

London's Wembley Stadium has hosted regular season NFL games since 2007, with Jacksonville Jaguars playing one home game a season there since 2013.

But this is the first time the sport's governing body has committed to a franchise permanently based in Britain.

"The fan base is big enough and passionate enough that it can support a franchise," said Waller.

More to follow.

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/american-football/35360989

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With all that's made of teams having to make road trips that involve the three-hour shift from the Eastern Time Zone to the Western Time Zone and vice versa, how is it going to be fair that half of this team's games are going to be 6-9 hours off from the daily routine they are used to?  It just seems that they're going to be at a big disadvantage.

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It also doesn't stand a chance. We all support a NFL team. British support is generally something that never goes away. So because 80000 people turn up to see some NFL, containing at least two teams that people support plus all the US supporters who've come over, to make a new NFL Franchise work here you're actually asking for 60000 new fans who want to support an NFL franchise but don't currently do so. i.e no fucking chance at all.

They could be the "London VBs" and I still wouldn't give two fucks. I support the Bengals and the only time I stop doing so is if I either give up on NFL altogether or I die.

That's before we've got into time-zone differences, taxation differences, the near impossibility of getting FAs over for a visit, the even more unlikely chance of getting draft picks over for an interview, and the cost of flying the coaches from the UK to the US to watch college games/draft/etc etc. Also away games ... ugh.

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It also doesn't stand a chance. We all support a NFL team. British support is generally something that never goes away. So because 80000 people turn up to see some NFL, containing at least two teams that people support plus all the US supporters who've come over, to make a new NFL Franchise work here you're actually asking for 60000 new fans who want to support an NFL franchise but don't currently do so. i.e no fucking chance at all.

They could be the "London VBs" and I still wouldn't give two fucks. I support the Bengals and the only time I stop doing so is if I either give up on NFL altogether or I die.

That's before we've got into time-zone differences, taxation differences, the near impossibility of getting FAs over for a visit, the even more unlikely chance of getting draft picks over for an interview, and the cost of flying the coaches  from the UK to the US to watch college games/draft/etc etc. Also away games ... ugh.

Yes it does.   It's a new TV/media market.   1 team for the entire UK?    Cha-ching.   You will get an investment group willing to pay big $$$ for new franchise or a current ownership group willing to pay the relocation fees like the LA deals.      The players will get behind it because it increase their pool of money in the salary cap. 

NFL doesn't depend on average Joe fan or Johnny fish and chips showing up at the stadium anymore.   

 

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But TV in the UK doesn't work like the US. We have x channels, sure, but they cover the whole country. Sky already have the NFL rights, and are also the only broadcaster with the cash necessary to consider showing it at all, so it won't make any difference to team income from broadcast/media possibilities. Yes it might be for the whole UK, but London might as well be on Mars for all the difference that will make. If people actually showing up didn't make a difference, then why are so many teams desperate to get away from small markets?

Let's put it this way. Sideline tickets for the Bengals at Wembley are $212 with the cheapest seat in the back-corner nosebleeds running to $70. With gas at $8 a gallon, a congestion charge (basically it costs $18 to even enter the centre of London) the odds on anyone even going to the games is minimal. And this is for a sport that is, in UK popularity terms, somewhere below how you view MLS.

They're welcome to try, but it is going to be as successful as the XFL.

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The XFL?  The relocation fees for LA are $550 Million for a franchise.    There wasn't that type of investment in the entire life of the XFL and it only lasted 2 years(?)  A new franchise would net nearly a Billion, I'm guessing.

Don't the Premier Leauge and NFL share common owners already?   I'm sure they understand the market quite well and any investment will outlast the XFL and probably USFL or NFL Europe.

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The NFL should cap the franchise # at 32 ... so that if a team wants to move to London it has to relocate from the current crop. Right now there are 8 divisions of 4 teams a piece. A 33rd or 34th team would throw everything out of whack.

As for London, I could see Jacksonville having a part time home there for the first or second 4 home games in a row, where the players basically live in London for a month to play 4 home games in a row. They would then play the other 4 home games in Jacksonville.  

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It's going to be the bills or jags. Bills needs new stadium, I doubt they get funding and it would have to be a east coast team. Also they would probably play 9:30am est...would be cool to have NFL from 9:30am 8 weeks a year. Also it would be smart to do 2homw games then 2 away games and they stay in usa for away games.

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With all that's made of teams having to make road trips that involve the three-hour shift from the Eastern Time Zone to the Western Time Zone and vice versa, how is it going to be fair that half of this team's games are going to be 6-9 hours off from the daily routine they are used to?  It just seems that they're going to be at a big disadvantage.

That's a fair point, but on the other hand more money.  Nobody at NFL HQ gives half a shit about a competitive disadvantage.

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It also doesn't stand a chance. We all support a NFL team. British support is generally something that never goes away. So because 80000 people turn up to see some NFL, containing at least two teams that people support plus all the US supporters who've come over, to make a new NFL Franchise work here you're actually asking for 60000 new fans who want to support an NFL franchise but don't currently do so. i.e no fucking chance at all.

They could be the "London VBs" and I still wouldn't give two fucks. I support the Bengals and the only time I stop doing so is if I either give up on NFL altogether or I die.

That's before we've got into time-zone differences, taxation differences, the near impossibility of getting FAs over for a visit, the even more unlikely chance of getting draft picks over for an interview, and the cost of flying the coaches from the UK to the US to watch college games/draft/etc etc. Also away games ... ugh.

I was going to post on this subject but you've done it for me. Agree with every word...

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I have no idea of what the money outlook would be but I lean towards suspecting that a Canadian team is a better option for financial and fairness reasons. 

 

IDK, the Bills-in-Toronto experiment didn't work out so well. Maybe it's just the Bills.  Unfortunately for the NFL they can't have #teamslikethepatriots in every city.  Maybe they can just name every team the Stealers & be swimming in cash?  Right now they need the small market teams to play the Washington Generals role for their Harlem Globetrotter cash cows.  Plus they provide a convenient whipping boy whenever the NFL needs to appear to be taking action on an issue that might impact their bottom line.

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