Poll Would you support an NFL team in London?

To what degree would you support an NFL team based in London?


  • Total voters
    30

soccerman17

Race Winner
NFL's annual London game is tomorrow. With this the talks of an NFL franchise in London have once again swirled. Most recently New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has stated that London is ready for an NFL team, presumably in an attempt to create his team's archrivals, the London Redcoats (pardon my bad humor). Anyways, while I don't think the players are in support of a London team as the time zone differences and long flights would be brutal, I was wondering what the fans think. I would like to know what all of you Brits, especially Londoners, would think.
 
I played American Football many years ago when I was stationed near a USAF base in the UK.

While I didn't mind playing it (although the pace was a bit slow), I don't really like watching it.
 
I'd try my best to ignore it. Just like I do cricket.

Of course, if I were NFL, I would have at least a couple in appropriately huge stadia in Western Europe to bring a level of interest. How about, if looking at the West of Europe's monster stadiums
  1. Wembley - London Redcoats (like it!)
  2. Millenium Stadium - Cardiff Daffodils
  3. Stade de France - Paris Baguettes
  4. Allianz Arena - Munich Beersteins
  5. Camp Nou - Barcelona Catalans (FC Barcelona would probably run that, admittedly)
  6. Croke Park - Dublin Leprechauns (There are a lot of Irish connections in the US!)
 
They played one regular season match at Wembly a while back, as I recall that that fairly well attended, can't see that being a repeat occurrence tho.

Rugby is far superior :p

 
I think part of the problem may be that most committed NFL fans in London or in the UK, few as they are, already have loyalties of their own and aren't likely to switch (certainly not to the Jaguars). That's my position at least.

Even if that proved not to be an issue (and they could definitely fill a 70,000 seater stadium with US tourists in London any day of the year), the travelling surely makes it an insane proposition?
 
I love to watch American football but haven't done recently. If I were to name teams then I would avoid the shit ones that TBY has suggested. Cardiff Daffodils, I ask you!
 
They played one regular season match at Wembly a while back, as I recall that that fairly well attended, can't see that being a repeat occurrence tho.

Rugby is far superior :p

Well, they have played every year since 2007 and sold out every year. They are committed to an annual event until 2016 at least.

I went to the 49ers v Dolphins in 1985 and Bears v Cowboys in 86 so I'm not a casual fan though. I played junior and won the 92 national championship and then coached / chaired Leeds Unis team when they won College Bowl X in 1996.

If there was a team here, I might do 1 game per season if there was 8 to choose at a reasonable price, but like football, the idea of spending hundreds of pounds to be there is a bit distorted.

I would be happy to switch allegiances though and support a London team. I picked the Cowboys when I was young and stupid and have suffered badly since the late 90s...
 
My mate is at Wember-lee and says it's pretty full with a while to go before kick-off (is that what they do?)

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Tonights game is why I am struggling to support my team. 23-0 down, 24-23 up, 29-24 down, throwing away a great chance to win, seeming to have won it against the odds only for a few millimetres to stop us... Finally, they blow another chance to register the victory. :givemestrength:
 
(certainly not to the Jaguars)

I'm afraid this could be a disaster for both parties. The Jags have been in a steady decline since their initial success as an expansion franchise from 1996-2000. They're one of two or three teams in the league that are forced to cover seats in their stadium in order to lessen the capacity, which allows their games to be shown on local TV. (Dont get me started on the antiquated NFL blackout rules).

They're in the midst of a most dreadful 1-6 season right now, having squandered several games away late in the proceedings. The fanbase that was very excited coming into the season has sadly realized they are years away from being competitive again. Their quarterback has several question marks still. Their franchise running back is injured, after holding out of the preseason in hopes of signing a long term big money extension, and now his future with the team is in peril.

In short, it's a sad state of affairs for the Jacksonville Jaguars right now, and I think it's bad for the NFL product for them to be the headlining team they're sending to London for the next few years.
 
Nah would still have to support the team I've followed since the early 80's in the Buffalo Bills. Did get to see them in the 90's @ Wembley play the Philidelphia Eagles. Like the idea of a London Franchise, but the logistics need to be worked on, etc.
 
Tonights game is why I am struggling to support my team. 23-0 down, 24-23 up, 29-24 down, throwing away a great chance to win, seeming to have won it against the odds only for a few millimetres to stop us... Finally, they blow another chance to register the victory. :givemestrength:
That can't be bloody right I've seen this 'merican football game that uses hands on telly and the trailing team always without fail win on the final play, with less than a second to go.

I reckon your not watching 'merican football at all...

Edit

American football where the quarter back gets sacked more often than the chairman of the BBC...
 
I remember it was big in the early 90's when they did a world league football and the London Monarchs was the talk of the town

They won in 1991 but were terrible the folllowing season due to accusations it was not given a fair share of NFL players

but it died down afterwards and they changed their name to English Monarchs

Instead of playing at Wembley there were playing at White Hart Lane in the 2000's
 
At least the Chiefs will be picking first in this years draft Galahad. However, they might have been a year late on that. This years crop of quarterback talent isn't nearly as impressive as the one last year.
 
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