I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

(08-13-2024 02:26 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

A full time team in Europe makes no sense. What I wish they would do is use the 17th game so that every team participates in 1 international game per year. That would give the league 16 giant events globally:

London (maybe multiple times)
Germany
China
Australia
Japan
Mexico
Canada
Brazil

(08-13-2024 02:26 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

I don't hate the idea but it would need to be fleshed out a bit more than adding individual teams or even a whole division out there. Like, would a European-based team ever host a playoff game? Can you imagine the Los Angeles Rams playing in London for the Wild Card game then Seattle for the Divisional game then Munich for the Conference Championship and finishing off in the Bay Area for the Super Bowl?

(08-13-2024 02:26 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

Goodell and owners likely want to bail on the ten year contract with DAZN for NFL GamePass and would prefer to hook up with Amazon or Netflix for the same package because globally, folks have Prime or Netflix. And placing a team in Europe with being on either Prime or Netflix means more revenue for owners.

Goodell sees how Adam Silver essentially got his international revenue explode by signing with Amazon. His job is to increase revenue and teams in the US or even Toronto won't be as impactful to the balance sheet.

Of the cities listed, NONE have a proper NFL stadium, so one needs to be built. Even San Antonio, STL, and Orlando.

(08-16-2024 08:01 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  

(08-13-2024 02:26 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

Goodell and owners likely want to bail on the ten year contract with DAZN for NFL GamePass and would prefer to hook up with Amazon or Netflix for the same package because globally, folks have Prime or Netflix. And placing a team in Europe with being on either Prime or Netflix means more revenue for owners.

Goodell sees how Adam Silver essentially got his international revenue explode by signing with Amazon. His job is to increase revenue and teams in the US or even Toronto won't be as impactful to the balance sheet.

Of the cities listed, NONE have a proper NFL stadium, so one needs to be built. Even San Antonio, STL, and Orlando.

The biggest issue with having full time teams in Europe is the logistics. No doubt the NFL owners are tempted by what they could make by accessing that market, but there is no model for a multi-continental sports league....especially not continents separated by an ocean.

If you had a couple of teams in London then the travel wouldn't be horrible if you had to go back and forth to the East Coast every 2 to 3 weeks, but it's just not realistic they can limit it to that. I think the NFLPA alone would have a serious issue with it.

Unless someone invents the Star Trek transporter system soon then it's just not doable. They will make money though by sending teams over there to play games every year.

You're 100% right about the access Amazon gives them. I think ideally, if the NFL could have one game basically every week somewhere in Western Europe then that might really drive some revenue and be the best they could hope for. At that point, you're arranging for every single NFL team to play one game in Europe at some point during the season. I guess technically we're going to have 18 regular season games soon, but 16 games in Europe over the course of a season sounds like tapping the market pretty effectively.

(08-18-2024 06:06 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(08-16-2024 08:01 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  

(08-13-2024 02:26 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

Goodell and owners likely want to bail on the ten year contract with DAZN for NFL GamePass and would prefer to hook up with Amazon or Netflix for the same package because globally, folks have Prime or Netflix. And placing a team in Europe with being on either Prime or Netflix means more revenue for owners.

Goodell sees how Adam Silver essentially got his international revenue explode by signing with Amazon. His job is to increase revenue and teams in the US or even Toronto won't be as impactful to the balance sheet.

Of the cities listed, NONE have a proper NFL stadium, so one needs to be built. Even San Antonio, STL, and Orlando.

The biggest issue with having full time teams in Europe is the logistics. No doubt the NFL owners are tempted by what they could make by accessing that market, but there is no model for a multi-continental sports league....especially not continents separated by an ocean.

If you had a couple of teams in London then the travel wouldn't be horrible if you had to go back and forth to the East Coast every 2 to 3 weeks, but it's just not realistic they can limit it to that. I think the NFLPA alone would have a serious issue with it.

Unless someone invents the Star Trek transporter system soon then it's just not doable. They will make money though by sending teams over there to play games every year.

You're 100% right about the access Amazon gives them. I think ideally, if the NFL could have one game basically every week somewhere in Western Europe then that might really drive some revenue and be the best they could hope for. At that point, you're arranging for every single NFL team to play one game in Europe at some point during the season. I guess technically we're going to have 18 regular season games soon, but 16 games in Europe over the course of a season sounds like tapping the market pretty effectively.

With 32 teams and 17 games:
- 8 home
- 8 away
- 1 international

I could see 8 European cities, 3 Latin American cities, 3 Asian cities, and 2 cities in Australia.

(08-15-2024 01:14 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(08-13-2024 02:26 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I don’t understand Goodell’s hard-on for Europe. The time difference makes a non-starter, PLUS America (and arguably Canada) seem like the only countries that watch gridiron football.

I don't hate the idea but it would need to be fleshed out a bit more than adding individual teams or even a whole division out there. Like, would a European-based team ever host a playoff game? Can you imagine the Los Angeles Rams playing in London for the Wild Card game then Seattle for the Divisional game then Munich for the Conference Championship and finishing off in the Bay Area for the Super Bowl?

I have a couple of ideas to deal with these issues

1) NFL could re-align into east and west conferences, so that no teams in mountain and Pacific time zones would ever have to play a playoff game in Europe. (but they might have to play in Mexico).

2). Have 2 weeks between divisional round games and conference finals

3). Schedule all conference championship games at pre-determined neutral sites.

4). Get rid of conferences and conference championship games, just have 4 geographic divisions. For Playoffs everybody has an equal chance they may have to play in London in first 2 rounds. Then play semi-finals and super bowl at neutral sites.