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London U.K. Wins For 1st NFL Game
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| TranceGrooves |
LONDON -- London was chosen Tuesday to stage the first NFL regular-season game outside North America.
The NFL received interest from several German cities, but settled on London for the first game.
"There is no better place to begin this initiative than London," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. "It is one of the great cities of the world with an established and growing fan base for our game."
The venue and teams for next season's game will be announced later.
NFL owners voted in October to play up to two games outside the United States every season for the next five years. The international series will kick off with the game later this year in London.
Britain, Germany, Canada and Mexico have been identified as the top markets for NFL games outside the United States. China and Japan were ruled out of the running.
While the London venue hasn't been announced, the favorite option is the new Wembley Stadium, which is due to open this spring after years of delays.
"There are many NFL fans in London -- both American and non-American -- and this will be a spectacular sporting occasion," Mayor Ken Livingstone said. "After [the] success in winning the 2012 Olympics and Parlalympic Games, we want to bring Londoners the greatest of non-Olympic sports."
Details are expected to be announced by Goodell before the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Miami.
The NFL staged its first regular-season game outside the United States in 2005 when 103,467 fans watched the Arizona Cardinals play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City.
London hosted several NFL "American Bowl" preseason games in the 1990s. The city also had a franchise, the London Monarchs, in the World Football League -- now called NFL Europe -- but the team folded.
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Well as a NFL fan i think this is some real exciting news. Take the game upto a higher level and attract more fans and possibly more teams. I am all for it and i think this will bring alot of good to an already exteremyl well run League.
NFL Europe attracts alot of crowd in Germany and Holland from what i have seen on TV and have heard from other Euopean fans. Taking NFL regular season games to those or other countries is gonna also increase the level of talent and prsessure American players have i think and vice versa.
cheers to NFL :D |
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| Jeff Button |
| quote: | Originally posted by TranceGrooves
cheers to NFL :D |
in' eh.
Best sports league in the entire world, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. |
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| Wurm |
I worked for the now-defunct London Monarchs of the WLAF (now NFLE) over ten years ago.
Just as soccer will not be big here, football will not be big there.
(Since I am writing this in North America, they are soccer and football.) |
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| rabbitjoker |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jeff Button
Best sports league in the entire world, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. |
Yap. |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by TranceGrooves
"There are many NFL fans in London" -Ken Livingston |
HAHAH NO THERE ISN'T! hilarious
Billiards and darts ranks higher, that's a guaranteee. Ken Livingston is such a moron, I love it. |
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| Jeff Button |
| quote: | Originally posted by jon jon
HAHAH NO THERE ISN'T! hilarious
Billiards and darts ranks higher, that's a guaranteee |
I'm willing to bet the game gets sold out. |
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| EvilTree |
Interesting to note what NFL Europe averages for attendance
Also another difference is that at least in North America, kids play footy (aka soccer). I doubt many kids in Europe play Yank football |
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| TranceGrooves |
| quote: | Originally posted by Wurm
I worked for the now-defunct London Monarchs of the WLAF (now NFLE) over ten years ago.
Just as soccer will not be big here, football will not be big there.
(Since I am writing this in North America, they are soccer and football.) |
Comparing soccer to football isn't fair i think lolz
It just not gonna happen. I am sure NFl knows this. However keeping that in mind there are fans of the sport everywhere. Sure it wont be as huge as Soccer or Rugby but it will attract alot of new attention and will give people a lot of more choice. Personally i dont see London being the greatest market in the long run but other European countries and Canad, ABSOLUTLY!! |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jeff Button
I'm willing to bet the game gets sold out. |
I have no idea, but don't be so high and mighty about your NFL in England, trust me it's laughed at over there.
(laughed at over here in my bedroom too lol) |
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| TranceGrooves |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jeff Button
I'm willing to bet the game gets sold out. |
Yup. If the media there gives it same hype as media here then i am sure it wil. And knowing the Americans i am sure it is gonna receive huge attention there. |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by EvilTree
I doubt many kids in Europe play Yank football |
| quote: | Originally posted by jon jon
Billiards and darts ranks higher, that's a guaranteee. |
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| Jeff Button |
| quote: | Originally posted by jon jon
I have no idea, but don't be so high and mighty about your NFL in England, trust me it's laughed at over there.
(laughed at over here in my bedroom too lol) |
We're talking about one regular season game, which I'm sure won't be laughed at. If we were talking a franchise, then sure - that would likely be a flop.
That's like making the assumption that Canadians only give a about curling and hockey - when we know that couldn't be further from the truth. |
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