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But what other countries would let Pacman Jones in?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by outofplace, May 11, 2007.

  1. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    I looked around and didn't see a thread on this yet. The NFL is looking into adding a 17th regular-season game for each team (to replace a preseason one) and playing them outside the U.S. Going to 17 games allows each team to keep its eight home games.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10174851

    Do they really need this shit?
     
  2. beefncheddar

    beefncheddar Guest

    So, in other words, at some point a playoff berth or a division title could be determined in a game played in front of a bunch of folks who don't give a shit about either team.

    Now THAT would be brilliant, NFL.
     
  3. alleyallen

    alleyallen Guest

    Has NFL Europe really played in front of packed houses? I ask in all seriousness because I've never really watched one of those games. I know the Mexico City games drew a lot, but how much demand is there in other locales?
     
  4. zagoshe

    zagoshe Well-Known Member

    Apparently Roger Goodell has had lunch with David Stern in recent weeks.

    One can only wonder how long it will be before we have a bunch of over-rated Eurotrash destroying this league, too...
     
  5. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Excellent question. I understand the concept of spreading the interest in the game as a means to making more money. I just think they should continue to restrict it to preseason games.
     
  6. Pastor

    Pastor Active Member


    If done correctly, this would be rather exciting and very good for the sport. If done poorly, you will just piss off the fan base.

    If I was in charge, which would never happen, I would setup one weekend in the middle of the season. On this weekend, every single team would play outside of the country. Nobody has a bye week. Everybody plays outside the country at the same time.

    This would eliminate the concept of an unfair advantage that would be generated with a team playing overseas late in a season as opposed to another playing early in the season.

    The game needs to expand internationally. There isn't much more that it can do domestically.
     
  7. Sxysprtswrtr

    Sxysprtswrtr Active Member

    Preseason games? When people are already complaining that four games is two games too many?! Yeah, because that would foster a bigger audience, not only are we going to play our third-string QB this Saturday, but guess what, we're gonna be flying to sunny Madrid. Whooo!
     
  8. beefncheddar

    beefncheddar Guest



    Why, exactly? And I'm being serious.

    The NFL already has a license to print just about as much money as it could possibly want. International expansion would do nothing more than give it a license to print more money. At some point, doesn't the risk and the trouble outweigh the reward?
     
  9. Pastor

    Pastor Active Member



    I think the risk is all in how it is performed. If done right, the risk is minimal. If done wrong, they will certainly alienate fans.

    To directly answer the question, at some point, and it seems rather close, the domestic market is tapped out. They are able to print money based on running a tight ship and proper marketing in the US. Football is by and large a North American only sport.

    When you look at the international scene, there is the dominance of soccer, the emergence of basketball and even the presence of hockey. As the world shrinks and information and competition comes in from all points of the planet, you need to be able to compete. As the NFL is strictly American its growth and ability to compete will be stunted.
     
  10. beefncheddar

    beefncheddar Guest

    Let's say for the sake of argument, though, that the NFL were to say "Fark overseas expansion, we're going to concentrate all our efforts on the North American market."

    Is there any reason to think the league wouldn't STILL generate more money that the owners could ever spend?

    Heck, there's a future NFL fan born every minute in the U.S., considering the league's current dominance.
     
  11. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    I wasn't suggesting adding more preseason games. Just putting some of the ones they have overseas. And yes, preseason games suck. That is just how low a priority I think this should be for the NFL.

    And as the use of the bye weeks has proven, the NFL doesn't give a shit about competitive advantages that the schedule might create. They will want to spread the international games throughout the season and that will put some teams at a disadvantage, though how big of one is debateable.
     
  12. alleyallen

    alleyallen Guest

    I agree with the idea that you wouldn't want to do it for a preseason game for exactly the reason sxy mentioned. At the same time, just how much demand is out there in other cities for an NFL game of any kind? Seriously? I know Tokyo might jump at it for the novelty, but do we really expect massive crowds in Brasilia or Stockholm or Moscow?
     
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