NFL teams in Salt Lake and Mexico City

Reverend Conehead

Well-Known Member
Messages
9,919
Reaction score
11,788
If the NFL were to expand, it seems that Salt Lake and Mexico City might be good choices. Salt Lake City has a population of 1.24 million people, and is located in the western part of the country, though not coastal. In short, it would be way easier for teams to get to Salt Lake than to Honolulu, which could be a good location, except that it's so far away from most teams. Salt Lake has the population, plus the people who live there are big football fans.

Mexico City has a whopping 21.9 million population, so it's certainly got enough people to support a team, IF enough people there are interested. It's in a foreign country after all. The league would need to deal with the regulations of another country, and all NFL players would have to be required to have a passport in case they need to play the Mexico City team in Mexico. On the other hand, Mexico City is a North American city, and is closer for many teams than some US cities. To me it seems a way better choice than the other foreign team they've considered, which is London, England. Imagine making a west coast team like the 49ers or the Chargers fly all the way to London for an away game. However, those teams flying to Mexico City would be no big deal.

Of course, there are downsides to expansion. Each division would no longer have the same number of teams. Plus, expansion teams are usually allowed to the front of the line for drafting. It really sux if your team finally gets a rare first overall pick, only to have a couple expansion teams cut in front. So it's not necessarily a given that the league should expand. However, if it did, Salt Lake and Mexico City seems like good choices.
 

EST_1986

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,188
Reaction score
14,647
I agree if the NFL wants to expand a team to an international market, go to Mexico or Canada.
 

Avery

The Dog that Saved Charleston
Messages
19,465
Reaction score
20,518
I don't think the league has any appetite to expand right now. If they did, my guess is San Diego or San Antonio would be more likely destinations.
 

DFWJC

Well-Known Member
Messages
59,330
Reaction score
48,172
I'm very familiar with Mexico City.
It is WAY too dangerous there.

Players, on average, will be very reluctant to play there.

Also, I would assume if we get a team outside the US or maybe Canada, it would be in London.
 

Reverend Conehead

Well-Known Member
Messages
9,919
Reaction score
11,788
I'm very familiar with Mexico City.
It is WAY too dangerous there.

Players, on average, will be very reluctant to play there.

Also, I would assume if we get a team outside the US or maybe Canada, it would be in London.

London is just too far unless they come out with another Concorde.
 

csirl

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,693
Reaction score
3,988
London is just too far unless they come out with another Concorde.

If the NFL expands to Europe, it will be 2 x teams. Works better from a logistics perspective. Visiting teams will spend 2 weeks in Europe and play both teams. The European teams will also have 2+ games on each road trip to the US.

Word on the ground is that the NFL has been completely over awed by the response in Germany to the Munich game. As most Europeans already knew, football is >>>>>>>>>> more popular in Germany than the UK (and London games are always way over subscribed).
 

Reverend Conehead

Well-Known Member
Messages
9,919
Reaction score
11,788
If the NFL expands to Europe, it will be 2 x teams. Works better from a logistics perspective. Visiting teams will spend 2 weeks in Europe and play both teams. The European teams will also have 2+ games on each road trip to the US.

Word on the ground is that the NFL has been completely over awed by the response in Germany to the Munich game. As most Europeans already knew, football is >>>>>>>>>> more popular in Germany than the UK (and London games are always way over subscribed).

I can tell you because I lived in Germany, and German is my second language, I watched some German NFL announcers one time on Youtube, and they were excellent! They knew the game as well as any American announcer, and they covered the game with enthusiasm. I was impressed. When I lived in Germany, the game wasn't very popular, but that was back in the 80s. Things may have changed since then. I was wishing that Youtube clip had English subtitles so that my fellow Americans could see how good the German announcers were, but, alas, it didn't.
 

DFWJC

Well-Known Member
Messages
59,330
Reaction score
48,172
If the NFL expands to Europe, it will be 2 x teams. Works better from a logistics perspective. Visiting teams will spend 2 weeks in Europe and play both teams. The European teams will also have 2+ games on each road trip to the US.

Word on the ground is that the NFL has been completely over awed by the response in Germany to the Munich game. As most Europeans already knew, football is >>>>>>>>>> more popular in Germany than the UK (and London games are always way over subscribed).
This makes sense.
 

DCwarrior

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,262
Reaction score
1,372
International expansion is a horrible idea. The Europe games get lost in the time difference. It’s like a exhibition game.
 

Flamma

Well-Known Member
Messages
21,800
Reaction score
18,666
The NFL could invest in some supersonic jets. At least that would eliminate the long flight times.
 

lukin2006

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,965
Reaction score
19,287
I agree if the NFL wants to expand a team to an international market, go to Mexico or Canada.
Go to Mexico. The problem with sports in Canada is free agents don’t want to play up here anymore…at least not the type of free agents that are difference makers…
 

EST_1986

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,188
Reaction score
14,647
Go to Mexico. The problem with sports in Canada is free agents don’t want to play up here anymore…at least not the type of free agents that are difference makers…
Not sure I’d want to live in Mexico either honestly. Guess they could live in Texas or a southern State.
 

atlantacowboy

Well-Known Member
Messages
18,076
Reaction score
24,789
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
If the NFL were to expand, it seems that Salt Lake and Mexico City might be good choices. Salt Lake City has a population of 1.24 million people, and is located in the western part of the country, though not coastal. In short, it would be way easier for teams to get to Salt Lake than to Honolulu, which could be a good location, except that it's so far away from most teams. Salt Lake has the population, plus the people who live there are big football fans.

Mexico City has a whopping 21.9 million population, so it's certainly got enough people to support a team, IF enough people there are interested. It's in a foreign country after all. The league would need to deal with the regulations of another country, and all NFL players would have to be required to have a passport in case they need to play the Mexico City team in Mexico. On the other hand, Mexico City is a North American city, and is closer for many teams than some US cities. To me it seems a way better choice than the other foreign team they've considered, which is London, England. Imagine making a west coast team like the 49ers or the Chargers fly all the way to London for an away game. However, those teams flying to Mexico City would be no big deal.

Of course, there are downsides to expansion. Each division would no longer have the same number of teams. Plus, expansion teams are usually allowed to the front of the line for drafting. It really sux if your team finally gets a rare first overall pick, only to have a couple expansion teams cut in front. So it's not necessarily a given that the league should expand. However, if it did, Salt Lake and Mexico City seems like good choices.

Never in either city. They don't "need" a team in Mexico. Asking someone born and raised in this country to go live in Mexico would be incredibly unfair of the NFL. ...... and lets not even get into how they keep the cartels out.
 
Top