Gridiron going worldwide

[Scottishbengal]

As the close-season bores along I've been surfing around, wasting time, as ya do and came across a couple of articles which seem to bring up this debate every so often. So here's the latest spin and some food for thought/discussion ....while we waste away the next couple o' months until the season kicks-off.

We've had NFL Europe, we've had a game in Mexico and we have regular season NFL games in London .....which could lead to a franchise being sited in Englands capital city in the next 10 years as per Sky Sports http://www1.skysports.com/american-football/news/12118/7846803/Kraft-calls-for-UK-team

and the BBC are also reporting that Dublin, Ireland is also a venue being consider for an NFL regular season game http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/american_football/default.stm

I would have thought there will be a big push to go global and so exploit as yet untapped tv markets. Germany has always been a big audience for American Football hosting 5 out of the 6 NFLE teams when the League closed: - Berlin Thunder, Rhine Fire, Frankfurt Galaxy, Cologne Centurians, and Hamburg Devils.

Developing countries such as India have proved to have the finances and determination to upturn traditional sporting values and get "product" to the masses - certainly highlighted by the Indian Premier League (cricket) which has been an unbelievable success. China too can throw their hat into the ring if they so wanted as Japan have done over the years with soccer and baseball.

What about Australia - a country with a rich sporting heritage and a big fanbase in the major cities.

Latin America??? Mexico hasalready been tested but what about Rio De Janiero or even Buenos Aries.

Canada ....I know they have their own version of Football but would the NFL be willing to invest in Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto and compete with the CFL to spread the NFL across North America???

Hawaii - the perpetual home to the Pro Bowl ...could they have a legit shot at having a regular franchise based there??

[BengalszoneBilly]

It's a grand dream. I just don't see it happening in my lifetime.

[kevnz]

I could see it happening, but I don't know if the NFL has the balls to actually do it. Or the willingness to lose money on the start.

A Franchise in the UK isn't that big of a commute for east coast teams, I would think that Germany would indeed be a good target too, they always seemed to be able to put people in stands for NFL Europe games. As for Canada? They totally should shift the Bills up there. If they expanded much past one or two teams they'd have to do some serious managing of the schedule. But it's manageable. I mean if there can be a pro rugby league that competes in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, I think the NFL could figure out how to do it.

Expansion teams would be tough. You want to build a fanbase up beyond the people that already like football, and you have to educate the market as well. Would be hard to move winning teams in the US to a foreign country, the fan backlash would be nasty. The NFL would be better off creating regional leagues and then have NFL teams tour those regions playing offseason games, but that will never happen for countless reasons.

As for the other markets mentioned, I think the NFL has to make a push to educate the fans more about the game. They need to play real games there, even if it means half empty stadiums and pissed off American fan bases.

As much as the NFL should want to grow beyond the US I don't think they have the vision or the backbone needed to pull it off. (Well, at least the 32 American owners of the current teams)

[Passepartout]

There are a lot more fans in the NFL worldwide then we can ever imagine. More than we can ever think. That is why Kraft is thinking this do you suppose?

[Scottishbengal]

There are a lot more fans in the NFL worldwide then we can ever imagine. More than we can ever think.

I haven't been able to locate the stats but I wonder how many countries get the Superbowl shown live and what the worldwide viewing figure is for the SB.

[ArmyBengal]

While I think they certainly have areas of the world that love American football and might even support such a thing, the thought of incorporating it with the existing league is a bit overstretched. All the travel costs for teams, jetlagged players, if you want to watch live games being played overseas they would start at odd hours, and so on and so on.

I just think there are to many things working against ever seeing teams overseas being an actual part of the NFL.

That's not saying I wouldn't want to see it, only saying I don't see it happening.

[Sea Ray]

They have the perfect number of teams at 32. I don't think they should mess with that nor should they open the can of worms that comes from having teams in other countries. Put a team in LA before we start talking about London

[Scottishbengal]

Put a team in LA before we start talking about London

It seems they're already talking about a London frnchise

[ArmyBengal]

Not trying to be funny or anything, but I really hope they NEVER place a team overseas.

Play games there periodically ?? No issue. Permanently ?? No thanks.

[Walrus]

Not trying to be funny or anything, but I really hope they NEVER place a team overseas.

Play games there periodically ?? No issue. Permanently ?? No thanks.

Yeah ... I *like* the idea of reaching out and making the NFL something bigger and more accessible worldwide. But it just seems impractical or maybe impossible. It's hard enough for east coast and west coast teams to travel across 3 time zones and play each other ...

[Passepartout]

Yeah as NFL is an American sport. First and foremost of all. As someone on this board says, think about LA before London.

[kevnz]

Yeah as NFL is an American sport. First and foremost of all. As someone on this board says, think about LA before London.

Why, LA doesn't want a franchise. It's about the same travel time between the east coast and London as it is to LA. Why not. Global expansion? Not really, but major expansion.

Jet lag? If NZ/Australia/South Africa can have a combined rugby conference I think NFL players are tough enough to handle it too.

[ArmyBengal]

Why, LA doesn't want a franchise. It's about the same travel time between the east coast and London as it is to LA. Why not. Global expansion? Not really, but major expansion.

Jet lag? If NZ/Australia/South Africa can have a combined rugby conference I think NFL players are tough enough to handle it too.

Oh, I disagree very much about LA not wanting a football team. They pretty much have everything in place with stadium plans and there are team owners i'm sure would love to get into that market. I just see things differently this time around with a new stadium being built. That would surely bring multiple Super Bowls there and be viewed as a huge plus for the city.

Being a person that has flown more time than I ever care to recall, that flight from JFK to LA takes about 3 hours.

That flight from JFK to name your airport in London is more than double that time.

Again, i'm not saying don't ever play games there, but I can't see a team there getting any more support than they would in LA. I could be wrong and have no issue admitting that, but we aren't talking about soccer.