UK based NFL franchise

[Dolphin-UK]

There's a rumour going around in the UK (admittedly within the fan community of the club involved) that there will be an announcement next week relating to the move of an NFL to the UK.

The thing which is fuelling the rumours is that the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur are undergoing a stadium redevelopment and there are rumoured to be some strange elements in the redesign which will come out in the revised planning application on Wednesday such as NFL size locker rooms and some other stuff.

This is very much rumours but I thought it was interesting enough to throw it over here, personally I suspect it's more to do with setting up the stadium to cater for the teams which come over on International Series games so they can use it as a practice facility and that the fans are getting a bit ahead of themselves.

[raptorsfan29]

One thing I would want to know about this is, How exactly would the division alignment would work out for a UK based team?

[MikeO]

There's a rumour going around in the UK (admittedly within the fan community of the club involved) that there will be an announcement next week relating to the move of an NFL to the UK.

The thing which is fuelling the rumours is that the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur are undergoing a stadium redevelopment and there are rumoured to be some strange elements in the redesign which will come out in the revised planning application on Wednesday such as NFL size locker rooms and some other stuff.

This is very much rumours but I thought it was interesting enough to throw it over here, personally I suspect it's more to do with setting up the stadium to cater for the teams which come over on International Series games so they can use it as a practice facility and that the fans are getting a bit ahead of themselves.

I see an NFL team in the UK by the end of the decade early part of next decade,not sure if it happens in a year or two. So if a stadium is being renovated and they are making preparations with locker-room size and such and making it "NFL Compatible" now it makes perfect sense.

Not a matter of IF the NFL puts a team in the UK, just a matter of WHEN! Logistic wise its a few years off and they still have to work out some details but if the stadium is beginning the process of making it self NFL Ready that is smart on there part.

[MikeO]

One thing I would want to know about this is, How exactly would the division alignment would work out for a UK based team?

Honestly wouldn't matter what division they are in. I always believed if you put 1 team in Europe it makes more sense to put 2 teams there. Therefore you could work the scheduling to have a team traveling over the pond to spend a couple weeks and play 2 road games back to back. Makes travel easier when you fly over to get 2 games out of the deal instead of 1

[EDGECRUSHER]

Since the team we send over would no doubt be shitty, it makes sense that they play on the same pitch as Tottenham.

[BuccaneerBrad]

I really don't see this happening.  If you're going to fly a team from the west coast across the pond, that's a huge time difference to adjust to.  It's a five hour difference between London and the east coast.  Eight for the west coast.  That's a long flight with serious jet lag for the team in London and the teams that have to go over there to play them. 

I can see a team in Toronto or Vancouver but not in Europe or the Far East.

[Dolphin-UK]

Since the team we send over would no doubt be shitty, it makes sense that they play on the same pitch as Tottenham.

That is just harsh and untrue 

[MikeO]

I really don't see this happening.  If you're going to fly a team from the west coast across the pond, that's a huge time difference to adjust to.  It's a five hour difference between London and the east coast.  Eight for the west coast.  That's a long flight with serious jet lag for the team in London and the teams that have to go over there to play them. 

I can see a team in Toronto or Vancouver but not in Europe or the Far East.

It's called "home field advantage"....not fair for the west coast teams to come east and play at 1pm. Not fair for the teams in Florida to play games in the snow. The "time difference" reasoning isn't a good excuse to prevent a team from going there

[Phishfan]

Stupid idea

[Spider-Dan]

MikeO, a 3-hour time difference (after a 5-hour flight) is not remotely the same thing as an 8-hour time difference (after a 10-hour flight).  Playing in the heat, in the snow, or in a loud stadium are things that are considered worthwhile tests of football skill (ability to play in adverse weather).  If being able to play on limited/no sleep was one of these skills, we wouldn't go a week between games.

There are also a host of other issues in fielding a team based in London, not least of which are residential visas, player taxes, labor laws, etc.  This is not a simple or easy undertaking.

[ArtieChokePhin]

It's called "home field advantage"....not fair for the west coast teams to come east and play at 1pm. Not fair for the teams in Florida to play games in the snow. The "time difference" reasoning isn't a good excuse to prevent a team from going there

Have you ever done a Transatlantic or Transpacific flight before?   Take a vacation in London or Tokyo, then get back to me

[MikeO]

MikeO, a 3-hour time difference (after a 5-hour flight) is not remotely the same thing as an 8-hour time difference (after a 10-hour flight).  Playing in the heat, in the snow, or in a loud stadium are things that are considered worthwhile tests of football skill (ability to play in adverse weather).  If being able to play on limited/no sleep was one of these skills, we wouldn't go a week between games.

There are also a host of other issues in fielding a team based in London, not least of which are residential visas, player taxes, labor laws, etc.  This is not a simple or easy undertaking.

That's why it isn't going to happen in a year or two and its going to take till the end of this decade or longer to work out all of the details. But it will happen in time.  They are putting a team there. It's all but been determined now its about figuring out how to make it work. They are gradually putting more games over there each year. They are now gonna gradually remove the BYE week the week after for teams that do play over there to see how they react and hold up. It's a slow process but they are working towards the end goal which is putting a team (or two) in the UK

[DZA]

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN

[MikeO]

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN

I would bet a large sum of money that it does. It has been in the works for a long time now. They don't keep holding more and more games overseas each year for the fun of it. There is a long-term plan they are working on. Shahid Kahn is just tied into one of the worst leases with the a city any sports owner has ever been handcuffed with. Once that lease is up he's gone (unless the state of florida opens the checkbook for him to stay which he can ask Mr. Ross will not happen)

[Pappy13]

I'm with MikeO here, it's not a question of if it's a question of when. I don't think that the NFL will be putting 2 teams from 1 division over there though. That would be crazy.