The NFL Thread (with added College Football)

[UK Redsox]

 Does it piss off the supporters, it would me if I was a ST holder and they took one of my games to another country 3000 miles away.

Tampa Bay were one of the teams in the 2009 game. A mate of mine is a season ticket holder, so I asked him that very question.

The answer was "No", it doesn't seem to cause much upset, especially in places where teams struggle to sell out games (like Tampa).

However, there's no chance we'll ever see a Packers, Bears, Cowboys or Redskins home game moved to Wembley.

In future I'd expect, Jaguars, Panthers, Texans, Raiders (Al would then claim London as "Raiders territory")

[Dave Cooper please]

Cheers all. I suspect that there's a different culture in American sport, after all someone can buy a team and move it without it making anywhere near the controversy that Wimbledon did.

Wonder when the 39th game is going to rear it's ugly head again?

[UK Redsox]

Cheers all. I suspect that there's a different culture in American sport, after all someone can buy a team and move it without it making anywhere near the controversy that Wimbledon did.

Don't go saying that in Baltimore

[ADVILLAFAN]

Cheers all. I suspect that there's a different culture in American sport, after all someone can buy a team and move it without it making anywhere near the controversy that Wimbledon did.

Don't go saying that in Baltimore

They're not in much of a position to criticise, after nabbing the Cleveland Browns' franchise.

[UK Redsox]

Cheers all. I suspect that there's a different culture in American sport, after all someone can buy a team and move it without it making anywhere near the controversy that Wimbledon did.

Don't go saying that in Baltimore

They're not in much of a position to criticise, after nabbing the Cleveland Browns' franchise.

But at least the Cleveland to Baltimore move was done in an agreed and organised fashion, with the team name / history being left behind and the promise of getting an expansion team.

The Colts left Baltimore in the middle of the night.

[Dave Cooper please]

Cheers all. I suspect that there's a different culture in American sport, after all someone can buy a team and move it without it making anywhere near the controversy that Wimbledon did.

Don't go saying that in Baltimore

They're not in much of a position to criticise, after nabbing the Cleveland Browns' franchise.

But, unless I'm mistaken, those moves only angered the fans of the clubs involved, especially those in the city who lost their team. Wimbledon's little trek up to Milton Keynes was widely condemned by almost everyone and the uproar will probably ensure it doesn't happen again anytime soon.

[cdbearsfan]

I think the only reason Britain has less relocations is because there is nowhere left to go. Everywhere has already got a team/teams.

Everywhere in the top 32 bar Dudley (Villa/Wolves/Olbiyun territory) and Luton (likely to return to the Football League in the next few seasons) has a league club.

God Wiki

There are only 32 NFL teams and 273 cities in the US with a population over 100,000 (and they could move to Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico or even Europe if they wanted to).

God Wiki II

There are always going to be businessmen who think they can make a quick buck by moving a team. Sometimes they will pretend they are considering moving as a bargaining tool to persuade local authorities to help them with the costs of a new stadium.

[VillaZogmariner]

In that case then do you ever think they would look to expand the AFC or NFC?

Also, what are the difference between the two?

[UK Redsox]

In that case then do you ever think they would look to expand the AFC or NFC?

Also, what are the difference between the two?

1) It wouldn't matter which they expand or whether its one/two new teams in each.

2) None. They used to be two different leagues in the 1960's but now the teams play each other and if necessary teams can be switched between conferences.

[VillaZogmariner]

Do the conferences/divisions ever change then? And do you think they would increase the total number of teams to accommodate more cities, even more states!

[UK Redsox]

Do the conferences/divisions ever change then? And do you think they would increase the total number of teams to accommodate more cities, even more states!

As cdvillafan posted earlier, there are plenty of cities that could support an NFL team, most obviously Los Angeles.

Toronto will probably get a team soon but that'll most likely just be the Buffalo Bills hopping over the border.

I can see new expansion teams in LA and maybe San Antonio within five years and in London by the end of the decade.

[cdbearsfan]

The trouble with expansion teams is they are always terrible. If any team ever moves to London, or anywhere that isn't a "natural" NFL area, they will be a relocation team not an expansion one.

Brits, Germans, Mexicans, whatever, would soon lose interest if the team lost every week. Sad but true. It would have to be a relatively succesful relocation team to make it work.

[pmarachi]

One thing you guys also need to realize about the NFL is that if your game DOESN'T sell out, it isn't on TV

So if you own the Jaguars, and you aren't selling out games, your games on not shown on TV.

Also, someone pointed this out, but the reason a team can move is that there are a LOT of places to go.  The country is huge and there ar enot many teams.

In many cases (not the browns and colts but more the Sonics) the team leaving is leaving for a reason.  The amount of people who are upset about it doesn't hold a candle to the amount of people excited about it in the new home.

If people cared about the Montreal Expos moving to Washington DC, they would have gone to games and supported the team.  But in DC, the Expos/Nationals are horrible but have a huge fan base.

[pmarachi]

btw, I say this from a Devils Advocate point of view.

I hate relocation and my favorite sports team, the Hartford Whalers (NHL) moved to North Carolina when I was like 16 and it was horrible.  I haven't watched NHL since.

[pmarachi]

Oh, and one last thing.

There will never be an NFL team in Europe.  They want the fans (like the PL has American fans that watch), but they won't move a team there.

And as for the home fans during the Wembley game...

They hate it.  The teams aren't forced to do it, but I believe they are HEAVILY encouraged.

IT is actually the main topic every year on sports radio in the days coming up to it.

I personally don't care either way.  But the Eagles are one of those teams that won't lose the home game to do it.