Will the Glazers sell and own in London?

[conrad77]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10263226/Goodell-eyes-multiple-London-games-...-and-a-team

So with all this talk about the plan to get a team in London and with the issues the Glazers are having with the Bucs, along with them owning Man-U, I have to wonder if they are posturing to sell the team and be the owners of the London franchise.  It seems inevitable that LA and London will get teams very soon so maybe this is the reason for all the money saving strategies the Glazers have been making.  It makes the team look more profitable to potential buyers and lets them stash cash away for the new investment.  They would seem to be a logical ownership possible right?  Then they could just be based in London and focus on that market.  Just a thought.

[FartMan]

maybe they will just move the team to London

[conrad77]

maybe they will just move the team to London

I'm no expert, but that seems unlikely.  We have a newer stadium and a fairly consistent fan base.  We are only a year removed for having a very long waiting list for season tickets.  One good season and that will come back.  I imagine the NFL would push for the likes of the Rams or Jags, who's fan bases are unimpressive.  Personally, I think Goodell wants to see an expansion team or two more than moving teams.  That's my read on it.

[Incognito]

Doesn't the "N" in "NFL" stand for "national"? If they were to have a team in London, wouldn't they have to change the NFL to the IFL?

[conrad77]

Doesn't the "N" in "NFL" stand for "national"? If they were to have a team in London, wouldn't they have to change the NFL to the IFL?

Yeah, I think it's a bad idea from the start but I think they will just call it an international expansion team of the NFL.  Every redneck in the country would go nuts if they made it the IFL.

[Caveat Emperor]

The logistics of having 30-some teams in the United States and 1 team in London simply don't work. Rumor has it that the EPL did a similar study about the feasibility of having one team in New York City and reached the same conclusion about 3-4 years ago.

[Booker Reese]

I know the NFL is looking at this, but I can't believe that at the end of the day it will happen.

And I definitely don't think the Bucs will go overseas.

[cyberdude557]

How the hell would a franchise in London work? The jet lag would be killer.

Teams have enough trouble playing from one coast to another.

[bucs1]

How the hell would a franchise in London work? The jet lag would be killer.

Teams have enough trouble playing from one coast to another.

I'm thinking the same thing. I really hope the NFL starts to back away from this idea. I know that they want to expand their product internationally, but I don't think a franchise in London would be practical. Maybe Toronto or somewhere else in Canada, but not London.

[MBF]

Goodell is friggin obsessed with London. I say we send his arse over there and get a real commish.

[Caveat Emperor]

Are there actually 60,000-80,000 people who would pay to see 10 weeks of the NFL over there? My understanding, based on talking with some friends who live across the pond, is that the NFL is more of a novelty act over there than anything else.

[BerubesBucs]

they just need to leave london alone entirely.

I feel like it's ALL a bad idea... from season games being played over there, to super bowl games, to having a team there.

NO, NO, and NO again... it screws all the loyal fans over here.

and perhaps the stupidest idea ive heard of all, is having the Super Bowl over there... Why are you going to hold a league in one country, and then, for it's biggest game, and the country's biggest sports spectacle, MOVE it to another country... just stupid.

[conrad77]

they just need to leave london alone entirely.

I feel like it's ALL a bad idea... from season games being played over there, to super bowl games, to having a team there.

NO, NO, and NO again... it screws all the loyal fans over here.

and perhaps the stupidest idea ive heard of all, is having the Super Bowl over there... Why are you going to hold a league in one country, and then, for it's biggest game, and the country's biggest sports spectacle, MOVE it to another country... just stupid.

Well, I agree for the most part.  Two positives I can see coming from it though, 1.) we could possibly get rid of the Glazers and get an owner willing to spend and keep his or her kids out of the football related decisions, and 2.) My wife might actually be OK with me spending the money on SB tickets if she gets a European vacation out of it...lol.  Still a very unintelligent idea all around.  If they do go for it, I doubt it lasts.  Hopefully the Glazers don't keep us in the tank waiting for it.

[Caveat Emperor]

they just need to leave london alone entirely.

I feel like it's ALL a bad idea... from season games being played over there, to super bowl games, to having a team there.

NO, NO, and NO again... it screws all the loyal fans over here.

and perhaps the stupidest idea ive heard of all, is having the Super Bowl over there... Why are you going to hold a league in one country, and then, for it's biggest game, and the country's biggest sports spectacle, MOVE it to another country... just stupid.

How does having an expansion team in London screw people in America?

[Nicodemus]

From a British point of view, having a team in London currently is dumb. It's way beyond dumb. Firstly, if an NFL team were to come here then there would have to be a purpose built stadium for them, or the owners will not see an ounce of profit from ticket sales or concessions. London has plenty of satdiums that could handle NFL games but are all owned by different sports/government bodies. Wembley is the national stadium, it hosts everything from Rugby league, to soccer, to motor sports evets, concerts etc. I can't see an NFL owner making much money from that stadium since it is built for multi purpose events for throughout the year. London is not fit target for an expansion team or a team moving currently. Locations in North America would be far better than over here, Canada, Mexico, LA, Las Vegas even Hawaii spring to mind as better locations.

The idea of a team over here full time is more based on publicity than anything else, will it happen in the future, maybe, but not for 20+years at least. The UK does have a large amount of NFL fans, it also has a lot of US Army/Air Force and a goodly amount of US Ex pats who live over here. So a fan base is present, the only problem is would a team in London necessarily obtain thier support. Most likely not as most already support a team. Myself for example, I am a Bucs fan, and even if a team in London did happen my chances of supporting them properly would be 0. I will bleed pewter and red, and would proudly be happy to wear Bucs gear to any of the London home games. this I think would be true of about 70% of the current UK NFL fan base. We have all chosen teams and follow those teams.

Will the Superbowl be hosted over here, well yes, that sounds more appropriate but unlikely to happen for a while. The Superbowl is hosted on a neutral site (unless the home team is good enough to be the first to be at home for the SB), I know some of you would complain that it would be taking away vital income to an American city and my argument to you then would be, go look up which cities have hosted the SB. You'll find about half of all the SB have been hosted in the same 5 or 6 cities. So they aren't exactly sharing the wealth around the cities. If I was a Fan of one of the northern teams I would probably make complaints about not having the SB in the North more. Football is a game that is supposed to be played in all weathers, yet the SB seems to mainly end up being played in the Southern cities where it is warmer.

I agree with you all that a team in London is a daft idea currently, yet you also have to look at it from the flip side. The NFL is like any major sport, it needs to tap new revenue markets to keep it going. If it doesn't it will get swallowed, soccer is the most widely played sport in the world and is making in roads into the American market. If the NFL doesn't spread it's own wings and start to think globally, not only will the NFL suffer but the sport in general will as less people follow it and play it.