Twitter: Stephen Jones on the Fan Tweetcap - 10/24/14

[xwalker]

The attendance was just as good as an NFL game in the United States. By growing the sport internationally, not only do you get more fans, but you can get better players, which can in turn grow the sport as well.

Oakland has a storied past, but I wouldn't be surprised if they moved to LA.

St. Louis Rams are another team that might be primed to move overseas or to Vegas.

Buffalo Bills might be primed to move.

I think the first time that moves will start a trend if successful in London.

The new Bills owner also owns the Pro Hockey team the Buffalo Sabres. He's not planning to move the Bills.

 

[xwalker]

The entire world?

Players would need to have played football prior to getting to the NFL. Do they play college level football anywhere other than Canada?

 

[Gaede]

Nobody cares about the Bills in Canada, just because they are close doesn't mean anybody really cares about them. Having your own Toronto team would make people care a lot more.

So yes...big difference.

Where are you from?! Pretty much all the NFL fans in Ontario are guaranteed Bills fans. Sure, they're interest may be waning because of the quality of the team, but the same could be said for the Cowboys the last decade.

 

[jazzcat22]

Leave the NFL as it is....stop the London love affair....

At this point, it's as bad of an idea as merging with the CFL.

 

[BigStar]

This London crap is too stupid esp considering the LA and MW market. Just a ploy to globalize this thing for $. There are NO players in EU that can contribute to NFL style football. Well some could I am sure; could be made into S/TE's tbh but that's another discussion. No NFL team wants to go to London...and back. It would be different as an off season incentive, etc. but getting back to the next game is an obvious distraction for any team.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Yes, logistics is a major issue and one that the owners are trying to convince themselves doesn't exist. The total travel for a London-based team, having to travel to the States to play eight "away" games, would dwarf any of the other teams, giving them a decided disadvantage (which would also hurt in terms of attracting free agents). But never say never. New modes of transportation are being developed that could turn this trip into nothing more than an hour-long flight.

Having a team in London is a guarantee for a permanent cellar dweller IMO. It would be a fate worse than Cleveland.

Let's be truthful. Most of the players on an initial London team would be from North America. Unless you have a real penchant for living in a foreign country you are going to do everything possible to get back to continental US. You are a young player. Your family is in the US and if you choose to start a young family your mental and emotional support is here in the US.

You are only there for a job/paycheck. Not a great recipe on my mind.

 

[Nirvana]

People aren't looking at the big picture, with the tv and merchandising revenue from london, im sure the NFL can make exceptions regarding the salary cap for a british team.

Also to a poster who compared NFL Europe to London having a team, that's as ridiculous as saying the failure of the XFL means football can't work in America...

Another possible work around is to have a stipulation with British government that in order for a team to be established there, the taxes must be no more than what a player would pay in New York or California, etc. These kind of favors are pretty common when states are trying to entice companies to set up in their state.

 

[Derekmtl85]

Where are you from?! Pretty much all the NFL fans in Ontario are guaranteed Bills fans. Sure, they're interest may be waning because of the quality of the team, but the same could be said for the Cowboys the last decade.

I'm from Toronto, nobody i know gives a crap about the Bills, they just love football.

And my point was having a hometown team, gives the fans a lot more to care about/spend money on than just having a random team come play 1-2 games a year. Which is undeniable, it's like saying Cowboys fans would show as much passion/love for Arizona if they played in Texas some times.

 

[sacase]

You have a ton of people there every day, you could fill a stadium with 100k people weekly.

People go there to gamble not see some NFL team they really don't care about. Casinos are king there. There is a reason there are no professional teams in Las Vegas.

 

[Galian Beast]

Um, only if you allowed smoking and Elvis impersonators in the stadium.

I take it that you've never been to Vegas...

 

[Galian Beast]

People go there to gamble not see some NFL team they really don't care about. Casinos are king there. There is a reason there are no professional teams in Las Vegas.

People do a lot of things in Vegas unrelated to gambling. Go check it out sometime.

 

[Galian Beast]

Another possible work around is to have a stipulation with British government that in order for a team to be established there, the taxes must be no more than what a player would pay in New York or California, etc. These kind of favors are pretty common when states are trying to entice companies to set up in their state.

I see that as less likely, but who knows, maybe.

 

[Galian Beast]

Players would need to have played football prior to getting to the NFL. Do they play college level football anywhere other than Canada?

Please read where I said that it would take 30-40 years...

 

[Galian Beast]

The new Bills owner also owns the Pro Hockey team the Buffalo Sabres. He's not planning to move the Bills.

Plans change, next?

 

[Gaede]

I'm from Toronto, nobody i know gives a crap about the Bills, they just love football.

And my point was having a hometown team, gives the fans a lot more to care about/spend money on than just having a random team come play 1-2 games a year. Which is undeniable, it's like saying Cowboys fans would show as much passion/love for Arizona if they played in Texas some times.

Just curious. I'm from KW and everyone is a Bills fan. Younger ppl not so much though; probably just the older generation who had their 'glory' years

I agree about a hometown team.

 

[burmafrd]

Please read where I said that it would take 30-40 years...

its hilarious you trying to claim London is viable. Just brush off all the EVIDENCE that says otherwise.

are you a paid shill of Jerruh's?

 

[Galian Beast]

its hilarious you trying to claim London is viable. Just brush off all the EVIDENCE that says otherwise.

are you a paid shill of Jerruh's?

All the evidence? The successful international series combined with the population... Yes, if you ignore all valid arguments maybe you can make an argument that London isn't viable, but at the end of the day, you'll still be wrong...

Perhaps it's because you're confusing it with the idea that football will somehow takeover as the premier sport there... No one is saying that. But can a city with 8 million people who have packed stadiums in each opportunity support 1 NFL team better than say... the Jacksonville Jaguars who are one of the smallest markets in pro football... Yeah, they can....

 

[xwalker]

Plans change, next?

Sometimes it's OK to just admit that you're wrong.

 

[Galian Beast]

Sometimes it's OK to just admit that you're wrong.

 

[MapleLeaf]

All the evidence? The successful international series combined with the population... Yes, if you ignore all valid arguments maybe you can make an argument that London isn't viable, but at the end of the day, you'll still be wrong...

Perhaps it's because you're confusing it with the idea that football will somehow takeover as the premier sport there... No one is saying that. But can a city with 8 million people who have packed stadiums in each opportunity support 1 NFL team better than say... the Jacksonville Jaguars who are one of the smallest markets in pro football... Yeah, they can....

So in order to support an NFL team and all the competitive balances that are required how do you expect to find 100,000 people who are that invested in the game to pay top dollar? And I mean top dollar because you have competitive balances you have to adjust for. Taxes, schedule, practice days lost on flights, personal travel for players, health risk for extended periods in the air, cost of second homes and currency exchange.

(Currency exchange means if you are paid in pounds you want guarantees to translated value in US dollars since you are a US citizen and claim primary residence in the US. You don't want to get paid in British Sterling only to find your 15th and 16th paycheck in your contract is devalued because the pound is devalued. At least this is what I would demand if I was agent acting on behalf of my US born player who tells me when he retires he will be living in the US.)

All competitive imbalances have to be borne by someone. The owner, the fans or typically the paying customer.

Do you really have an argument to prove that the game of American football truly resides in the psyche of the British citizens as much more than a curiosity?