Woods
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 12,460
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to Wembley to watch it . . . .
1. It's a very nice stadium (and it should be after numerous delays and running well over budget), but the monitor screens inside the stadium are way too small.
2. I don't think the game was quite the success the NFL hoped for. Part of the reason was lack of offense (i.e., scoring) and that the Dolphins stink. And believe me, everyone in the stands, or at the hotdog/beer counters, on the train, etc. knew Miami was winless going into this game. I realize that the NFL had already decided on Miami-Giants match-up some time ago, but what was on the field was a BAD product . . . . and whether you were American or British or European, you knew it.
3. Thank God for the Miami cheerleaders. And I don't mean this in a slimy or dirty way, but they were one of the highlights of the entire game. I really mean it. They worked the crowd and really tried to get the fans excited. I found a lot of respect for their cheerleaders (in a non-sexual way
) In any case, the Miami cheerleaders put out a better product than their team.
4. The halftime show was a joke. My high school used to put on better shows. Most of the crowd thought the marching band was a prelude to the "real" halftime show (including me), but once again, we were underwhelmed.
5. Finally, and maybe most importantly, watching an NFL game outside of the US is very different than in the US. There isn't really any "true allegence" with two teams playing outside the US. You don't get the rude and crazy fans who are cursing players, the really passionate masses that you expect in Green Bay, etc. Simply said, they are mostly US players representing US cities. Not European cities. I think this makes it more difficult to get as passionate as you would get if you were in Dallas rooting for the Cowboys, for example. Even if you're not from Dallas, or from Texas, at least you are an American. And the players are American.
It's sort of like if Man U was playing Chelsea in Chicago. Sure, the stadium may be packed. But the EXPERIENCE of actually viewing the game in London with fans who sing the anthems, etc cannot be replicated in Chicago. The experience is just different.
This is not to say that the NFL shouldn't play games outside the US, but IMO, they have to really deliever a top level product. That means, two competitive teams, plus the entire half time experience that only the US knows how to put together, etc. And they probably need to reduce the TV commercial time somehow. Most top sports in England, like soccer and rugby, flow faster. (Not sure how the NFL can do this, but it's something to think about.) In other words, many people went to watch the game for the "total entertainment experience". Not necessarily to watch the Dolphins vs. Giants.
1. It's a very nice stadium (and it should be after numerous delays and running well over budget), but the monitor screens inside the stadium are way too small.
2. I don't think the game was quite the success the NFL hoped for. Part of the reason was lack of offense (i.e., scoring) and that the Dolphins stink. And believe me, everyone in the stands, or at the hotdog/beer counters, on the train, etc. knew Miami was winless going into this game. I realize that the NFL had already decided on Miami-Giants match-up some time ago, but what was on the field was a BAD product . . . . and whether you were American or British or European, you knew it.
3. Thank God for the Miami cheerleaders. And I don't mean this in a slimy or dirty way, but they were one of the highlights of the entire game. I really mean it. They worked the crowd and really tried to get the fans excited. I found a lot of respect for their cheerleaders (in a non-sexual way
) In any case, the Miami cheerleaders put out a better product than their team.4. The halftime show was a joke. My high school used to put on better shows. Most of the crowd thought the marching band was a prelude to the "real" halftime show (including me), but once again, we were underwhelmed.
5. Finally, and maybe most importantly, watching an NFL game outside of the US is very different than in the US. There isn't really any "true allegence" with two teams playing outside the US. You don't get the rude and crazy fans who are cursing players, the really passionate masses that you expect in Green Bay, etc. Simply said, they are mostly US players representing US cities. Not European cities. I think this makes it more difficult to get as passionate as you would get if you were in Dallas rooting for the Cowboys, for example. Even if you're not from Dallas, or from Texas, at least you are an American. And the players are American.
It's sort of like if Man U was playing Chelsea in Chicago. Sure, the stadium may be packed. But the EXPERIENCE of actually viewing the game in London with fans who sing the anthems, etc cannot be replicated in Chicago. The experience is just different.
This is not to say that the NFL shouldn't play games outside the US, but IMO, they have to really deliever a top level product. That means, two competitive teams, plus the entire half time experience that only the US knows how to put together, etc. And they probably need to reduce the TV commercial time somehow. Most top sports in England, like soccer and rugby, flow faster. (Not sure how the NFL can do this, but it's something to think about.) In other words, many people went to watch the game for the "total entertainment experience". Not necessarily to watch the Dolphins vs. Giants.
