NFL comes to the U.K. Is there a market?

[Rael]

NFL London 2007: Home
According to one of the news link articles at the above page, 40,000 tickets sold in 90 minutes for the Giants - Dolphins game on October 28th at Wembley. I didn't think there would be much of a market outside North America. I wonder if this idea has any potential to take off.

Though I can't really quantify the opinions I know of from those outside America, they have always been negative toward NFL, or "american football". Normally compared to what they call "real football", ours is slow, too many breaks, too much protective gear, bunch of wusses, etc. So I'm actually surprised by the 40,000 number.

Whaddaya think, football fans?

 

[AK-74me]

I think that the Brits like to talk like they like their sports better than "American Football" but when it comes down to it they realize it is the most entertaining pro-sport there is.

 

[Rael]

You're right, AK-47me. Just for example, here's one opinion from another forum I go to with international members:

I prefer a good old game of rugby meself, no stupid shoulderpads or crash helmets and certainly some beefcake on the pitch for us girls to drool at - therefore rugby wins on two scores there Wink


what I'd personally pay to see would be the NFL 'football' players playing without all the stupid dressing up gear and crash helmets against a team of rugby players...

Go figure, eh?

 

[Larry Gude]

I think...

...that folding NFL Europe this past June tells you all you need to know about the NFL in Europe.

Selling 40,000 tickets to the one and only major pro football game of the year is about as meaningful as selling out Arsenal vs. Man U at RFK.

 

[vraiblonde]

It appears to me that Europeans either like highly violent sports, like rugby, or wussy sports, like curling. They don't seem to really care about the middle of the road sports. Their fans freakin kill each other when their team loses - ours might dump a beer on someone. Which is interesting because they look down their British noses at us as the violent ones.

So, even though I am not a football person, I say American football will not be a huge hit in Europe.

 

[Rael]

...that folding NFL Europe this past June tells you all you need to know about the NFL in Europe.

Selling 40,000 tickets to the one and only major pro football game of the year is about as meaningful as selling out Arsenal vs. Man U at RFK.

I guess this is really NFL's reaction to that closing. They seem to think they have a fan base there. Just sounds to me like a bad idea overall. Not fair to the fans here, either.

It appears to me that Europeans either like highly violent sports, like rugby, or wussy sports, like curling. They don't seem to really care about the middle of the road sports. Their fans freakin kill each other when their team loses - ours might dump a beer on someone. Which is interesting because they look down their British noses at us as the violent ones.
So, even though I am not a football person, I say American football will not be a huge hit in Europe.

I hadn't thought about that (the rugby & curling), but it makes sense. Also, I do sometimes detect that look-downish tone in posts I read on this subject.

Hey, I like this multi-quote!

 

[AK-74me]

...that folding NFL Europe this past June tells you all you need to know about the NFL in Europe.

Selling 40,000 tickets to the one and only major pro football game of the year is about as meaningful as selling out Arsenal vs. Man U at RFK.

NFL Europe was 2nd and 3rd tier players though what if they had 1 team that played in the NFL, with the same quality players?

 

[vraiblonde]

Also, I do sometimes detect that look-downish tone in posts I read on this subject.

Tell them they better show some respect, or we'll take the rest of their colonies

 

[Rael]

Tell them they better show some respect, or we'll take the rest of their colonies

I always hit them with the "colossal misunderstanding" they had of the U.S. colonies back in the 18th century...

 

[Larry Gude]

Football...

NFL Europe was 2nd and 3rd tier players though what if they had 1 team that played in the NFL, with the same quality players?

...is football. You can go to your local high school and see a game just as exciting as anything on TV this Sunday. Many towns in this country have 10-20,000 seat stadiums for high school.

Point is, the level of talent isn't the issue; it's the basic fan interest.

 

[AK-74me]

...is football. You can go to your local high school and see a game just as exciting as anything on TV this Sunday. Many towns in this country have 10-20,000 seat stadiums for high school.

Point is, the level of talent isn't the issue; it's the basic fan interest.

Personally I disagree, I have no intrest in HS football and little in College, however the NFL is by far my favorite sport to watch and I know many that are in the same boat as me.

I'd bet that if the UK had one NFL team they'd go crazy for it over there.

 

[Larry Gude]

Then you...

Personally I disagree, I have no intrest in HS football and little in College, however the NFL is by far my favorite sport to watch and I know many that are in the same boat as me.

I'd bet that if the UK had one NFL team they'd go crazy for it over there.

...don't count!

Football is football. Pee wee to pro's! I far more enjoy going to a high school game than to FedEx.

I'll just bet the Raiders and the rest of the West Coast teams just couldn't wait until their London games come up and vice versa!

So, you're point is that NFL Europe failed because the talent level wasn't high enough, yet Europe supports soccer, their football, throughout ever level of society, right?

 

[AK-74me]

...don't count!

Football is football. Pee wee to pro's! I far more enjoy going to a high school game than to FedEx.

I'll just bet the Raiders and the rest of the West Coast teams just couldn't wait until their London games come up and vice versa!

So, you're point is that NFL Europe failed because the talent level wasn't high enough, yet Europe supports soccer, their football, throughout ever level of society, right?

I think my point is give them one NFL team and with the country supporting one team on the highest level, the NFL, intrest would be great. BTW I don't want this to happen, I am just pointing out a way that I think introducing football in the UK might work.