Pro Bowl changes Rules

[Spider-Dan]

How is an overseas Super Bowl a "cash cow"?  Please explain.

The domestic Super Bowls are already extremely lucrative; people swarm from around the nation, even to places like Jacksonville or Indy.  And you have the added expense of abandoning your domestic infrastructure to go overseas for the biggest event of your league.

Furthermore, unless you want to have a London SB that kicks off at midnight local time, whatever you are gaining in UK eyeballs, you are losing in U.S. West Coast eyeballs.  People are not going to have casual SB parties for a 10 AM kickoff.

[MikeO]

How is an overseas Super Bowl a "cash cow"?  Please explain.

The domestic Super Bowls are already extremely lucrative; people swarm from around the nation, even to places like Jacksonville or Indy.  And you have the added expense of abandoning your domestic infrastructure to go overseas for the biggest event of your league.

Furthermore, unless you want to have a London SB that kicks off at midnight local time, whatever you are gaining in UK eyeballs, you are losing in U.S. West Coast eyeballs.  People are not going to have casual SB parties for a 10 AM kickoff.

It's a cash cow because its a market that hasn't been tapped yet for a super bowl. The 2 week build up in London for the game will bring in NFL fans from all of Europe. People who don't get much if any NFL action and they now get the biggest game of the year for 1 year. They will eat up and buy up everything and anything NFL. Plus since its the 1st Super Bowl there the price the league can charge for everything (let alone tickets) would be up there. It's an absolute cash cow.

And the kickoff would of course be earlier than the 6pm eastern US time. For a one-time deal I think that would be ok and not a deal breaker or a big issue at all. What are people gonna forget what time the Super Bowl starts in the United States?! Are they not gonna have a Super Bowl party at 2pm or 3pm or whatever? Please.

[Landshark]

Spider, I agree with Mike on this.   If they play the game at 9 pm in London, that would be a 4 pm start on the East Coast and 1 pm on the West Coast.  That sounds doable to me.

[Spider-Dan]

It's a cash cow because its a market that hasn't been tapped yet for a super bowl. The 2 week build up in London for the game will bring in NFL fans from all of Europe. People who don't get much if any NFL action and they now get the biggest game of the year for 1 year. They will eat up and buy up everything and anything NFL.

I'm pretty sure that there are millions more NFL fans in the U.S. than in all of Europe combined.  And U.S. fans already eat up and buy up everything and anything NFL, so there is nothing to be gained there.

Plus since its the 1st Super Bowl there the price the league can charge for everything (let alone tickets) would be up there.

They can do exactly the same thing in America any time they want!  And they will have millions more here clamoring to throw their money at them.

And the kickoff would of course be earlier than the 6pm eastern US time. For a one-time deal I think that would be ok and not a deal breaker or a big issue at all. What are people gonna forget what time the Super Bowl starts in the United States?! Are they not gonna have a Super Bowl party at 2pm or 3pm or whatever? Please.

West Coast SB parties are already at "2pm or 3pm," since kickoff here is 3:30pm.

Suppose they start the game at 9pm GMT, which is the same as a normal 4pm EST/1pm PST kickoff.  Fine.  How many people are going to show up to the stadium to watch a game of American football that ends at 1-1:30am (on a Monday) local time?  They've never sold out the UK game as is.

[Sunstroke]

It isn't going to happen, but I certainly can't begrudge anyone their God-given right to run around screaming "the sky is falling!"

[MikeO]

Suppose they start the game at 9pm GMT, which is the same as a normal 4pm EST/1pm PST kickoff.  Fine.  How many people are going to show up to the stadium to watch a game of American football that ends at 1-1:30am (on a Monday) local time?  They've never sold out the UK game as is.

-They have NEVER sold out the UK game.....might want to check your facts!!! They sold out BOTH games this year http://www.nfluk.com/opinions/articles/nfl-commissioner-confirms-both-london-games-are-sold-out

I'm pretty sure that there are millions more NFL fans in the U.S. than in all of Europe combined.  And U.S. fans already eat up and buy up everything and anything NFL, so there is nothing to be gained there.
They can do exactly the same thing in America any time they want!  And they will have millions more here clamoring to throw their money at them.

If there is "NOTHING TO BE GAINED" why does the league keep going there every year? Why do they keep adding games there every year? Why does the NFL have an "International Committee" set up? Why do you have teams like the Rams and Jags who have explored moving there full time? You are totally lost on the "business aspect" of the NFL and where the money is. Why do you have multiple owners who are clamoring to get a team in London full time (Irsay, York, Kraft just to name 3 off the top of my head who are very vocal about it). You have owners who feel the US market is tapped out and there is not much more money to be gained here in the states who are looking overseas for the next big boom and influx of money. I suggest you read up on this topic you might learn a couple things.

[MikeO]

Spider, I agree with Mike on this.   If they play the game at 9 pm in London, that would be a 4 pm start on the East Coast and 1 pm on the West Coast.  That sounds doable to me.

Yep, for a 1 time thing it is doable! Wouldn't be every year but for a 1-time thing it wouldn't be a big deal to start the game a couple hours earlier. Just like doing the game outside in the cold with possible snow is a 1-time thing they are rolling the dice on. I mean if there is a blizzard this year you will see a super bowl played in a stadium with a bunch of empty seats and certain people won't sit outside in those conditions. It's a roll of the dice and a 1-time thing to see how it goes. The NFL has shown they are willing to take a risk!

[MikeO]

It isn't going to happen, but I certainly can't begrudge anyone their God-given right to run around screaming "the sky is falling!"

Yep, just like a Super Bowl outside in the cold "isn't going to happen" or regular season games in London, Berlin would never happen. Yep, keep your head in the sand and ignoring the obvious!

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Huge difference between the two.

1) NYC hosts an NFL team.  In fact two.  It is the largest football market on the planet.  It just built a new NFL stadium.  And the reward for building a new stadium is a superbowl even if the location is less than desirable.  I would rather visit NYC than Detriot or Indy but those cities got a SB when they built a new stadium too. London has not built a new NFL stadium. 

2) The change of start time would not be popular with the TV network that covers the SB, which would lower bid price by the network costing the NFL money.

3) A team going to London starts planning for the trip a year in advance, making sure all of the players apply for a passport as part of training camp.  This means all 32 teams are going to have to require all of their players get passports. 

4) The fans that attend the superbowl are Americans with a significant portion coming from the two respective cities.  There is ample domestic air flights to handle this.  There are NOT enough international flights to accommodate this.   This would drive up significantly the cost of attending a game to the point of deflating ticket prices.  While the games in London have sold out, soccer fans aren't going to spend $1,200 to see the novelty of seeing an American football game like they will if the tickets are around $100. 

5) This would piss off most Americans, to the point it would gain political favor for politicians to hold congressional hearings and threaten take favorable anti-trust exemptions and tax advantages.   Yes, some fans are pissed about the cold weather games but the folks in NYC are thrilled with the tourism revenue.  Americans aren't going to be happy with this much money being shipped overseas. 

[MikeO]

Huge difference between the two.

1) NYC hosts an NFL team.  In fact two.  It is the largest football market on the planet.  It just built a new NFL stadium.  And the reward for building a new stadium is a superbowl even if the location is less than desirable.  I would rather visit NYC than Detriot or Indy but those cities got a SB when they built a new stadium too. London has not built a new NFL stadium. 

2) The change of start time would not be popular with the TV network that covers the SB, which would lower bid price by the network costing the NFL money.

3) A team going to London starts planning for the trip a year in advance, making sure all of the players apply for a passport as part of training camp.  This means all 32 teams are going to have to require all of their players get passports. 

4) The fans that attend the superbowl are Americans with a significant portion coming from the two respective cities.  There is ample domestic air flights to handle this.  There are NOT enough international flights to accommodate this.   This would drive up significantly the cost of attending a game to the point of deflating ticket prices.  While the games in London have sold out, soccer fans aren't going to spend $1,200 to see the novelty of seeing an American football game like they will if the tickets are around $100. 

5) This would piss off most Americans, to the point it would gain political favor for politicians to hold congressional hearings and threaten take favorable anti-trust exemptions and tax advantages.   Yes, some fans are pissed about the cold weather games but the folks in NYC are thrilled with the tourism revenue.  Americans aren't going to be happy with this much money being shipped overseas. 

ha ha, #5 is laughable on every level. #3 shouldn't be an issue I think a billion dollar entity could work out the passport issue also laughable. And the change in start time really is so minor. What is a network NOT going to want to carry a Super Bowl over that? Advertisers aren't going to want to advertise on the Super Bowl because of thsi? I mean come on you can't be serious.

You people can believe what you want. Time will tell and prove me correct on this. It's gonna happen, London already has a Super Bowl committee put together and is working on this, the league owners want it and have gone on the record stating so, ...its a matter of WHEN and not IF!

[Landshark]

ha ha, #5 is laughable on every level. #3 shouldn't be an issue I think a billion dollar entity could work out the passport issue also laughable. And the change in start time really is so minor. What is a network NOT going to want to carry a Super Bowl over that? Advertisers aren't going to want to advertise on the Super Bowl because of thsi? I mean come on you can't be serious.

You people can believe what you want. Time will tell and prove me correct on this. It's gonna happen, London already has a Super Bowl committee put together and is working on this, the league owners want it and have gone on the record stating so, ...its a matter of WHEN and not IF!

#3 is more serious of an issue than you realize.  If players have criminal records, are under prosecution for a crime, or are delinquent on child support payments, they will not be able to get a passport.

[Sunstroke]

Yep, just like a Super Bowl outside in the cold "isn't going to happen" or regular season games in London, Berlin would never happen.

Please find ANY statement I've ever made that there would never be a cold weather Super Bowl, or regular season game in London or Berlin (two cities where I've made my residence in the past). You won't find anything of the sort.

However, I AM saying that there will not be a Super Bowl played outside the United States in my lifetime. Until that happens, please kindly insert cork into your designated cork hole.

The sky is not falling, Chicken Little...that shit is all in your head.

[MikeO]

However, I AM saying that there will not be a Super Bowl played outside the United States in my lifetime. Until that happens, please kindly insert cork into your designated cork hole.

The sky is not falling, Chicken Little...that shit is all in your head.

The "Sky is falling" comment doesn't even make sense! It really doesn't. Who says anything about about a super bowl overseas being good or bad? Because 1 Super Bowl may happen overseas it means the sky is falling. I'm not saying its a bad or good thing, I'm just saying it will happen. So your "sky is falling" statement makes little sense at all in reality

You can say there won't be a super bowl overseas. You are entitled to be wrong and hold that opinion. And you are so gung-ho against it happening YOU ARE THE ONE (if either of us) with the "sky is falling" attitude!! lol

Lighten up and have a civil debate without the constant name calling and bad jokes! 

[MikeO]

#3 is more serious of an issue than you realize.  If players have criminal records, are under prosecution for a crime, or are delinquent on child support payments, they will not be able to get a passport.

Yet every year 2 teams go overseas over 100 players and this hasn't been an issue. This year 4 teams will go overseas, not an issue as those arrangements have already been made.

With the 800lb Gorilla NFL behind these games passports/working visas are not an issue at all.

[Landshark]

Until that happens, please kindly insert cork into your designated cork hole.

The sky is not falling, Chicken Little...that shit is all in your head.

 And you are so gung-ho against it happening YOU ARE THE ONE (if either of us) with the "sky is falling" attitude!! lol

Lighten up and have a civil debate without the constant name calling and bad jokes! 

Looks like we've got some pregame entertainment.  A pissing contest between SunstroEK and Mike O