London Jags?

[SteelCityColt]

Just thought I'd share an article from across the pond:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/29391069

The league are certainly pushing it, and the attendance numbers do look healthy. But there's a difference between 3 "exhibition" games and following a team for a full 16 game season, especially at the ticket prices they charge.

What they also don't seem to factor in is that their target audience, existing NFL fans already follow teams, and I don't think enough would switch allegiance to an expansion team.

[Nadine]

hard to recover from jet lag.

It's hard enough playing a night game in California I think.

[amfootball]

Just thought I'd share an article from across the pond:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/29391069

The league are certainly pushing it, and the attendance numbers do look healthy. But there's a difference between 3 "exhibition" games and following a team for a full 16 game season, especially at the ticket prices they charge.

What they also don't seem to factor in is that their target audience, existing NFL fans already follow teams, and I don't think enough would switch allegiance to an expansion team.

I loathe this. Absolutely loathe it. This is yet another reason why I think Roger needs to go along with his proposal for 18 game season. You can't have a team or teams in Europe. You can't. The travel, the difference in talent level. Bad, bad idea.

[Dr. Guildo]

I think Goodell is the only one who still thinks this would be a good idea & I think most players would be against it. Possibly a full on revolt if they try it. I mean can you imagine the London Jags as a member of the AFC South? Although it would make for some fun comments like first London Bridge & now the London Jags are going down.

[SteelCityColt]

I really don't agree with moving just one franchise here, either you go full hog and try NFL Europe again or you leave it all Stateside. When you go to a game in London it's a little odd as the Neutrals normally massively outweigh fans of the two teams and it's the weird carnival atmosphere with fans of every team wondering around in their jerseys having a good time. Put it this way we started a game of spot a jersey from every team and it was won before we even got to the stadium!

 

I just think their overlooking the fact that many UK fans wouldn't give up their existing NFL team for a London ball club. It would just give us an "away" game to easily see our team at. Don't get me wrong I'd love it in some ways for the Jags to move here and get to see the Colts once a year (at least) but I wouldn't want to be going week in week out to watch a team in London. 

 

You know too that if it's the Jags moving across they'll change the name of the franchise... shall we start a competition for the best name? 

 

The London Royals? London Beefeaters? 

[PrincetonTiger]

I might be wrong but I do not see players wanting to play overseas regularly for several reasons

[MTC]

Even if the Jaguars were to move to London, I would assume they would change the team name as well. 

[ÅÐØNϧ 1]

Just thought I'd share an article from across the pond:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/29391069

The league are certainly pushing it, and the attendance numbers do look healthy. But there's a difference between 3 "exhibition" games and following a team for a full 16 game season, especially at the ticket prices they charge.

What they also don't seem to factor in is that their target audience, existing NFL fans already follow teams, and I don't think enough would switch allegiance to an expansion team.

 

 

The L. A  Jaguars sounds better no way should London get a team before L.A  ..

[King Colt]

Postitively smashing idea! Next, jolly good one will be to outlaw those nonsesnse pre-game barbeques and beer drinking in the parking lots and start serving tea and crumpets at all games. What say ye chaps?

[SubZero]

I loathe this. Absolutely loathe it. This is yet another reason why I think Roger needs to go along with his proposal for 18 game season. You can't have a team or teams in Europe. You can't. The travel, the difference in talent level. Bad, bad idea.

I do also! Doing one game is okay in London but trying to make a team there is just downright insane. Goodell is a cancer to the NFL and if something doesn't happen soon it will go downhill like Baseball did.

[jvan1973]

I loathe this. Absolutely loathe it. This is yet another reason why I think Roger needs to go along with his proposal for 18 game season. You can't have a team or teams in Europe. You can't. The travel, the difference in talent level. Bad, bad idea.

It has absolutely nothing to do with goodell. The owners want more money. Any commissioner will be pushing for this and 18 games

[SkyBane]

I really don't agree with moving just one franchise here, either you go full hog and try NFL Europe again or you leave it all Stateside. When you go to a game in London it's a little odd as the Neutrals normally massively outweigh fans of the two teams and it's the weird carnival atmosphere with fans of every team wondering around in their jerseys having a good time. Put it this way we started a game of spot a jersey from every team and it was won before we even got to the stadium!

 

I just think their overlooking the fact that many UK fans wouldn't give up their existing NFL team for a London ball club. It would just give us an "away" game to easily see our team at. Don't get me wrong I'd love it in some ways for the Jags to move here and get to see the Colts once a year (at least) but I wouldn't want to be going week in week out to watch a team in London. 

 

You know too that if it's the Jags moving across they'll change the name of the franchise... shall we start a competition for the best name? 

 

The London Royals? London Beefeaters? 

People mention bringing back NFL Europe, while forgetting what it was. NFL Europe was never a serious competitive league, it was farm teams for NFL teams to put practice squad guys they were on the fence about signing so they could see how they developed playing actual games. This resulted in any player that showed any actual talent, instantly being snatched up by a big brother NFL team, and kept the actual talent level more on par with that of a college football league, without the intrigue of having 102938190820938 teams to try and sort through and pick the best 25 or so. Ultimately, NFL Europe failed because it was never taken seriously as being marketed at Europeans. It was just an intrigue event they could sell tickets to while giving NFL teams another avenue to scout talent in a more controlled and competitive environment.

 

Fast forward to today, and current NFL commissioner Roger Goodel wants to make an actual effort in expanding the borders of his sport. Canada is a no go as they already have their own football league that already suffers at the hands of the NFL scooping talent. Central and South America and far too entrenched as soccer country, and interest building programs have been slow. Even in L.A., it's extremely hard to build interest as most people there are invested in NCAA football and treat it professionally (specifically, U.S.C.). This leaves London as the biggest city that's showed a marketable amount of interest in the sport.

 

If we're making a serious effort to reestablish American Football in a European country, the very first thing we have to throw out is the NFL Europe approach. We can't tease Londoners real football with the international series, only to saddle them with a lesser product. Why not rebuild the NFL Europe idea as a full competitive league rather than a farm league for NFL teams? Because talent is already stretched thin and it would take years, if ever, for European players to start cropping up to fill the talent void left by adding that many more teams to the mix, devaluing the competitive level of the sport as a whole. Also when would they play? The fall at the same time as regular NFL? You would be cutting in to your own audience you've been trying to build for the last several years doing that, and also be competing directly with the Premiere League audience, which is asking for embarrassment.

 

Basically, it would have to be during the summer, and you would be competing with the popular cricket leagues, and you would still have to run the logistical nightmare of getting more than just London interested in the idea to create viable fanbases in enough places to make a viable league. 

 

So the NFL Europe idea being the huge logistical nightmare it is, basically means it's out.

 

Well just add an expansion team to London then!

 

You would actually need to add 4 expansion teams to keep the league even. Adding one team would make 33 teams, an uneven number that creates lopsided scheduling. Adding 2 makes it 34, which means 17 teams per conference. 17 being a prime number creates the same problems as an odd total number does. which means you would have to go all the way up to 36 to keep things even. This would likely result in the two conferences being realigned in to 3 divisions of 6 teams from 4 divisions of 4, which would destory the current scheduling paradigm. Also adding that many expansion teams, you begin to run in to the problems of creating a whole other league.

 

So you want to expand your borders, but expansion is incredibly difficult at this point in time. How do you capitalize on rising interest in a region that has no team? The easiest (and really only) viable solution remaining is to move a team that is under performing in it's current location that is going to be in hard negotiations with their home city soon (see Raiders, Rams, Chargers, and Jaguars), and give them bargaining power and a quick out if the deal isn't good enough by setting them up in a fresh location. Many would think L.A., but as previously established, L.A. doesn't really give a % about the NFL, and you've got a couple teams that could go there anyways without much hassle (the Raiders and Chargers specifically). That leaves St. Louis and Jacksonville the potential out to pack up and head to London should their respective cities not be able to pony up.

 

Put simply, there's a lot on the business end that makes simply moving a team to London the most feasible option in expanding the sports borders and increasing international appeal. From a practicality sense, it seems hard to wrap your head around, but the reality is it's actually the most feasible way to approach things, which is why the idea is the one that's been kicked around and cautiously approached.

 

Also if it were the Jags that moved, they would get put in the East and the Dolphins in the South. Londoners would get to see the Jets and Pats once a year more than likely. Sorry SteelCityColt.

 

Namewise, I'll go with the London Jacks.

 

Bonus points: The Glazers are an interesting ownership to say the least, and their ties make them a high priority choice to make Tampa the team that moves to London should it happen. In this scenario, the London Privateers. Check and mate.

[Jules]

Man, America must really want to torture all those English folks......

[Jules]

Just thought I'd share an article from across the pond:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/29391069

The league are certainly pushing it, and the attendance numbers do look healthy. But there's a difference between 3 "exhibition" games and following a team for a full 16 game season, especially at the ticket prices they charge.

What they also don't seem to factor in is that their target audience, existing NFL fans already follow teams, and I don't think enough would switch allegiance to an expansion team.

 

Your avatar is amazing.

 

MEOW!

[SteelCityColt]

Your avatar is amazing.

 

MEOW!

Why thank you, not my kitty I'm afraid!

[shakedownstreet]

they're gonna need bigger tarps!

[amfootball]

It has absolutely nothing to do with goodell. The owners want more money. Any commissioner will be pushing for this and 18 games

Goodell is killing the NFL. This is about expansion and it WILL hurt the product as will an 18 game schedule.

[jvan1973]

Goodell is killing the NFL. This is about expansion and it WILL hurt the product as will an 18 game schedule.

Goodell works for the owners. The owners want more revenue. Again, this issue has nothing to do with Goodell. anyone in his position would be trying to make it happen, because that's what the owners want

[B~Town]

London Raiders I would say are more likely . Would be the biggest home field advantage possible opposing teams would have jet lag but all away games would be very hard on them not a fan of it . And talk about Thursday  night games on a short week o my .  

[amfootball]

Goodell works for the owners. The owners want more revenue. Again, this issue has nothing to do with Goodell. anyone in his position would be trying to make it happen, because that's what the owners want

He is not just a figure head. They are paying him to make these decisions in an effort to expand and make money but again, it will hurt the product IMO just like an 18 season would. Do you think these are good ideas for the game?

[jvan1973]

He is not just a figure head. They are paying him to make these decisions in an effort to expand and make money but again, it will hurt the product IMO just like an 18 season would. Do you think these are good ideas for the game?

He is a figure head. Those decisions will be voted on by the owners. And no i don't like either idea

[NewColtsFan]

For what it's worth....

 

On ESPN this week....   former Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominique, who know works for ESPN, says he thinks a team moving there is NOT going to happen.    Way too many built-in competitive DIS-advantages.

 

BUT....

 

He says what the league is leaning toward is this.....

 

An 8 game schedule of games in London.    Every NFL team will play a game there every two years, and every four years, one of those games will be a home game for each team.     So, each of the 32 NFL teams will lose only one home game every 4 years.  Your other game there will be a road game for your team.

 

He thinks that's the best way for everyone.   Fans in London will get a great 8 game schedule, but no home team.  (he added there would be 2 pre-season games as well...)    And the teams will share the wealth and the pain.    The sacrifice (one home game every four years) is not so much that the owners won't go for it.

 

At least,  that's his view.    And this is the ONLY scenario I, as a fan,  would support.   I would never EVER support any team moving to London.     To me,  it's a complete non-starter.   (as is any 18 game regular season schedule...)

[amfootball]

He is a figure head. Those decisions will be voted on by the owners. And no i don't like either idea

But you agree he will be the fall guy if these ideas fail which they will?

 

But really, I was more interested in discussing the actual ideas as we know the NFL thinks expansion of the league and the number of games played are good ideas but they are not. I think the old adage applies, if isn't broke, don't try to fix it.

[buffalo34]

I just can't see the NFL expanding overseas. Just doesn't make any sense. The Jaguars needing to travel 8 times to the US would be just brutal, and I'm pretty sure no one would appreciate what, jumping across 9 time zones to get to the west coast and vice versa? And wouldn't teams lose practice days from all of that traveling they'd have to do?

[oldunclemark]

I do also! Doing one game is okay in London but trying to make a team there is just downright insane. Goodell is a cancer to the NFL and if something doesn't happen soon it will go downhill like Baseball did.

again.,the simple minded thought that Godell is the NFL..again...he works for the owners not the other way around

Some other owners want the NFL in Europe...more money...more profits

I think the NFL should be (and will be) in London and Mexico City eventually

[oldunclemark]

For what it's worth....

 

On ESPN this week....   former Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominique, who know works for ESPN, says he thinks a team moving there is NOT going to happen.    Way too many built-in competitive DIS-advantages.

 

BUT....

 

He says what the league is leaning toward is this.....

 

An 8 game schedule of games in London.    Every NFL team will play a game there every two years, and every four years, one of those games will be a home game for each team.     So, each of the 32 NFL teams will lose only one home game every 4 years.  Your other game there will be a road game for your team.

 

He thinks that's the best way for everyone.   Fans in London will get a great 8 game schedule, but no home team.  (he added there would be 2 pre-season games as well...)    And the teams will share the wealth and the pain.    The sacrifice (one home game every four years) is not so much that the owners won't go for it.

 

At least,  that's his view.    And this is the ONLY scenario I, as a fan,  would support.   I would never EVER support any team moving to London.     To me,  it's a complete non-starter.   (as is any 18 game regular season schedule...)

The 18-game schedule is almost a given..it will happen and it should...once they cuit the two pre-season games.

And the London thing is a horse out of the barn..

Once they start selling out...they will get a team.

The time and travel thing is overdone...its not 1965

[sfergson727]

Some interesting names for a potential London team.  Personally, if it happens, I think they should either be the London Killer Rabbits, or if that fails, they should be known as..........Tim.

[Buck Showalter]

So if a team goes to London would they play their 8 home games in a row then base themselves out of a US location & play their 8 away games in a row???

[NewColtsFan]

The 18-game schedule is almost a given..it will happen and it should...once they cuit the two pre-season games.

And the London thing is a horse out of the barn..

Once they start selling out...they will get a team.

The time and travel thing is overdone...its not 1965

 

You and I are on opposite sides of the world on this one.

 

By the way,  the players have more of a say on this than you might imagine....

[shakedownstreet]

So if a team goes to London would they play their 8 home games in a row then base themselves out of a US location & play their 8 away games in a row???

 

no they would borrow the particle beamer from the star trek set. the players would just particalize on the field as the game begins

[LordHelpOurColts]

I think Goodell is the only one who still thinks this would be a good idea & I think most players would be against it. Possibly a full on revolt if they try it. I mean can you imagine the London Jags as a member of the AFC South? Although it would make for some fun comments like first London Bridge & now the London Jags are going down.

 

 

@ that picture

[Buck Showalter]

no they would borrow the particle beamer from the star trek set. the players would just particalize on the field as the game begins

Yeah?

[SteelCityColt]

no they would borrow the particle beamer from the star trek set. the players would just particalize on the field as the game begins

I'm afraid that particulate transport is still subject to London's congestion zone charge.