Goodell suggests annual NFL game in Germany (France, Spain)

[LadyStanley]

Goodell: More NFL games likely for Germany, possibly soon

League commissioner Roger Goodell told a fan forum in Munich on Saturday that the NFL will stage "at least" four games in Germany through 2025.

www.sportsnet.ca

He's at game there this weekend and made the pronouncement.

Click to read more...

 

[GKJ]

It really doesn’t make sense how long this has been taking in Europe. From when they started this, they should be playing games there almost every week, in multiple countries. Clearly the demand exists.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

It really doesn’t make sense how long this has been taking in Europe. From when they started this, they should be playing games there almost every week, in multiple countries. Clearly the demand exists.

They most likely will be heading to Spain next, at the renovated Santiago Bernabeu.

 

[varsaku]

It really doesn’t make sense how long this has been taking in Europe. From when they started this, they should be playing games there almost every week, in multiple countries. Clearly the demand exists.

It is only a matter of time before we get more games in Europe. Newer stadiums are built in mind to host NFL games in Europe.

 

[GKJ]

It is only a matter of time before we get more games in Europe. Newer stadiums are built in mind to host NFL games in Europe.

It really took them too long to get to Germany since NFL Europe was reasonably popular there.

 

[LadyStanley]

NFL playing in Spain or France 'very much on our radar' after London and Munich games - Yahoo Sports

The NFL is looking to expand its global reach.

sports.yahoo.com

France...... Spain.....

 

[StreetHawk]

NFL playing in Spain or France 'very much on our radar' after London and Munich games - Yahoo Sports

The NFL is looking to expand its global reach.

sports.yahoo.com

France...... Spain.....

All of the major cities have a stadium to accommodate. Just whether there is locker room to accommodate nflers.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

The stadiums of the big european clubs have everything the NFL needs so soon we will get seasons with a sunday morning game every week

 

[StreetHawk]

The stadiums of the big european clubs have everything the NFL needs so soon we will get seasons with a sunday morning game every week

Probably makes sense to use the 17th game as an international one moving forward. Instead of giving one conference the extra home game which is how they started. Have 16 of these games so best to not do an international game in Europe in the final 2 weeks of the season. The later in the season maybe use eastern time zone teams to go over. Easier for them to adjust back.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

I think that's the idea and they make the changes every season since it's hard to make it work with travel, time zones, bye weeks, games of thursdays, mondays, thanksgiving, black friday, christmas and more days

 

[GKJ]

Probably makes sense to use the 17th game as an international one moving forward. Instead of giving one conference the extra home game which is how they started. Have 16 of these games so best to not do an international game in Europe in the final 2 weeks of the season. The later in the season maybe use eastern time zone teams to go over. Easier for them to adjust back.

That idea was floated once before. I don’t think they’ll do one game each week there though because you have to account for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and final week of the season, but I do wonder when we get to multiple games per week.

 

[StreetHawk]

That idea was floated once before. I don’t think they’ll do one game each week there though because you have to account for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and final week of the season, but I do wonder when we get to multiple games per week.

They could do 2 a weekend for certain weeks. But yeah, players don’t want to be overseas on us thanksgiving. Xmas and New Years is close to the end of the season at weeks 16/17/18.

But they can make it work if they want to.

 

[tank44]

Probably makes sense to use the 17th game as an international one moving forward. Instead of giving one conference the extra home game which is how they started. Have 16 of these games so best to not do an international game in Europe in the final 2 weeks of the season. The later in the season maybe use eastern time zone teams to go over. Easier for them to adjust back.

Absolutely this! the 17th game should be a neutral site/international game. Include Europe, Mexico as part of regular rotation, perhaps then occational games in Canada, South America, Australia, Asia, or even US neutral sites like San Antonio, Orlando, St Louis, Salt Lake, Birmingham, etc.

 

[GKJ]

Absolutely this! the 17th game should be a neutral site/international game. Include Europe, Mexico as part of regular rotation, perhaps then occational games in Canada, South America, Australia, Asia, or even US neutral sites like San Antonio, Orlando, St Louis, Salt Lake, Birmingham, etc.

The problem is that some stadium deals with public stake, such as the Eagles have, is that they have it written in the deal that all home games must be played at the stadium.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

The NFL should also start playing games in Australia, China, and Japan, with the games starting at 11:30 PM ET Thursday nights (Friday afternoon in the cities in these countries where the games could be played) and airing as the second game of a Thursday Night Football doubleheader on Prime Video.

 

[GKJ]

The NFL should also start playing games in Australia, China, and Japan, with the games starting at 11:30 PM ET Thursday nights (Friday afternoon in the cities in these countries where the games could be played) and airing as the second game of a Thursday Night Football doubleheader on Prime Video.

It’s not a bad idea in theory to play there, but there is no possible way it can happen on a weeknight, and it won’t be 11:30 at night even if they could. The only real time is to do it is sometime is starting around 11pm eastern on Saturday night

The problem with playing games further away than Europe is the travel. We heard about it when they brought in the London games, but trips to Asia you’re talking 15-hour flights and Australia are 18-19 hours. The logistics aren’t practical and aren’t necessarily saved by scheduling the bye week upon return.

 

[Bucky_Hoyt]

It’s not a bad idea in theory to play there, but there is no possible way it can happen on a weeknight, and it won’t be 11:30 at night even if they could. The only real time is to do it is sometime is starting around 11pm eastern on Saturday night

The problem with playing games further away than Europe is the travel. We heard about it when they brought in the London games, but trips to Asia you’re talking 15-hour flights and Australia are 18-19 hours. The logistics aren’t practical and aren’t necessarily saved by scheduling the bye week upon return.

For APAC games it could technically be feasible if both teams traveled there the weekend after a Thursday night game. They could play their APAC game the following week on Saturday or Sunday late morning/midday. That would be evening the day before in North America. After the game, both have a bye week to return home and recover.

Yes, they could play on the Monday in APAC but I reckon there's a higher chance of sell-out on a weeked and lots of eyeballs on the game across the US on a Weekend evening, especially if there are two marquee teams.

If the Aussie game is held after clocks change in the fall then it could also be a slightly later start in Australia with the 16-hour time difference between Sydney and New York.

Japan and Korea don't observe DST so it's a 13-14 hour time difference with the East Coast depending on how late in the season the game happens. After clocks go back in North America is probably better.

China also does not observe DST and is 12-13 hour time difference. Again, more hours on the clock is probably better.

 

[GKJ]

For APAC games it could technically be feasible if both teams traveled there the weekend after a Thursday night game. They could play their APAC game the following week on Saturday or Sunday late morning/midday. That would be evening the day before in North America. After the game, both have a bye week to return home and recover.

Yes, they could play on the Monday in APAC but I reckon there's a higher chance of sell-out on a weeked and lots of eyeballs on the game across the US on a Weekend evening, especially if there are two marquee teams.

If the Aussie game is held after clocks change in the fall then it could also be a slightly later start in Australia with the 16-hour time difference between Sydney and New York.

Japan and Korea don't observe DST so it's a 13-14 hour time difference with the East Coast depending on how late in the season the game happens. After clocks go back in North America is probably better.

China also does not observe DST and is 12-13 hour time difference. Again, more hours on the clock is probably better.

Maybe? Gonna have the same two teams play each other after a Thursday night game though?

 

[Djp]

The NFL should also start playing games in Australia, China, and Japan, with the games starting at 11:30 PM ET Thursday nights (Friday afternoon in the cities in these countries where the games could be played) and airing as the second game of a Thursday Night Football doubleheader on Prime Video.

After clocks change in Nov/ dec

they could play game in AUS at noon Sat and it airs at 8 pm ET on Friday.

with China/Japan it’s more of an early am homr like London/ Europe is. The game happens Saturday night locally and airs at 8 am or desolate in the east. They coukd do a game Sat am before college football games starts.

thr idea of another game was to have thrm be international/ neutral site games

you can do
3-4 from London.
3-4 from elsewhere in europe
2-3 from mexico
2-3 from canada
2 from Hawaii
a few in mainland cities that don’t have a team but has a college football stadium. St Louis, Austin/San Antonio, Raleigh, Lincoln, Madison. Bama/Auburn

 

[Bucky_Hoyt]

Maybe? Gonna have the same two teams play each other after a Thursday night game though?

Probably not the same two teams, though not impossible. Can't see why NFL doesn't go with multiple Thursday or Monday games if they're going for all of these overseas games. At the very least have 2 Thursday games (1 East Coast and 1 West Coast) and then one each will travel to APAC to play each other?

 

[IU Hawks fan]

After clocks change in Nov/ dec

they could play game in AUS at noon Sat and it airs at 8 pm ET on Friday.

with China/Japan it’s more of an early am homr like London/ Europe is. The game happens Saturday night locally and airs at 8 am or desolate in the east. They coukd do a game Sat am before college football games starts.

thr idea of another game was to have thrm be international/ neutral site games

you can do
3-4 from London.
3-4 from elsewhere in europe
2-3 from mexico
2-3 from canada
2 from Hawaii
a few in mainland cities that don’t have a team but has a college football stadium. St Louis, Austin/San Antonio, Raleigh, Lincoln, Madison. Bama/Auburn

Hawaii doesn't have a viable stadium, and games in Canada don't really do anything to move the needle, since the fanbases are already so established.

College stadiums aren't happening - again, doesn't move the needle, it doesn't fit in with a greater strategy.

I think the goal is eventually 8 London games, a full home schedule without actually giving them a team.

 

[GKJ]

Probably not the same two teams, though not impossible. Can't see why NFL doesn't go with multiple Thursday or Monday games if they're going for all of these overseas games. At the very least have 2 Thursday games (1 East Coast and 1 West Coast) and then one each will travel to APAC to play each other?

Another thing is that players get all those days off after the Thursday game. They don’t go back to practice until Monday or Tuesday, so that’s days off.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

I think certain NFL teams occasionally playing their 9th home game in a nearby college venue could be cool. These games would include all the gameday traditions typically associated with a home game for the primary tenant of each stadium. Like having the "Jump Around" in between the last two quarters of a Packers game at Camp Randall Stadium or "Script Ohio" occurring before a Browns or Bengals game at Ohio Stadium. These games can be billed as "Sunday games with Saturday atmospheres".

It’s not a bad idea in theory to play there, but there is no possible way it can happen on a weeknight, and it won’t be 11:30 at night even if they could. The only real time is to do it is sometime is starting around 11pm eastern on Saturday night

The problem with playing games further away than Europe is the travel. We heard about it when they brought in the London games, but trips to Asia you’re talking 15-hour flights and Australia are 18-19 hours. The logistics aren’t practical and aren’t necessarily saved by scheduling the bye week upon return.

I suggested Thursday night because Saturday nights are the territory of college football for most of the season, Though it is possible the NFL might be allowed to stage games outside the US that are televised on a Saturday. I'm not sure.

 

[GKJ]

I think certain NFL teams occasionally playing their 9th home game in a nearby college venue could be cool. These games would include all the gameday traditions typically associated with a home game for the primary tenant of each stadium. Like having the "Jump Around" in between the last two quarters of a Packers game at Camp Randall Stadium or "Script Ohio" occurring before a Browns or Bengals game at Ohio Stadium. These games can be billed as "Sunday games with Saturday atmospheres".


I suggested Thursday night because Saturday nights are the territory of college football for most of the season, Though it is possible the NFL might be allowed to stage games outside the US that are televised on a Saturday. I'm not sure.

Thursday night is just impossible logistically speaking. Far more likely to get the eyes on Saturday. Keep in mind they’d still be playing Sunday in Australia