Buftex Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) So, checking out the slate for my local, Austin, TX affiliates this Sunday (week 8) broadcasts...seems that FOX and CBS both have a Sunday double-header this weekend... FOX is showing the Detroit/Atlanta game in London, at 8:30am (9:30am eastern), followed by the Houston/Tennessee game at noon. Over on CBS, at noon, we get Seattle/Carolina and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh at 3:25pm. Won't matter too much to me, as I will be at the bar watching the Bills game...if it were a more interesting matchup than the Lions/Falcoons I might make the effort to watch at 8:30 in the morning.... Let me ask, isn't this the first time they have done this with the London game? I don't remember ever watching football before noon (except once when I was on the west coast), for one of the international games. Never thought about it much, but if the NFL's dream of adding a team in London, full time, were to come true, it could change our Sunday watching habits some. Edited October 22, 2014 by Buftex
Max997 Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 It makes sense to have the London game start earlier then 1Pm EST, dont know why it took them this long to figure it out
Sojourner Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) So, checking out the slate for my local, Austin, TX affiliates this Sunday (week 8) broadcasts...seems that FOX and CBS both have a Sunday double-header this weekend... FOX is showing the Detroit/Atlanta game in London, at 8:30am (9:30am eastern), followed by the Houston/Tennessee game at noon. Over on CBS, at noon, we get Seattle/Carolina and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh at 3:25pm. Won't matter too much to me, as I will be at the bar watching the Bills game...if it were a more interesting matchup than the Lions/Falcoons I might make the effort to watch at 8:30 in the morning.... Let me ask, isn't this the first time they have done this with the London game? I don't remember ever watching football before noon (except once when I was on the west coast), for one of the international games. Never thought about it much, but if the NFL's dream of adding a team in London, full time, were to come true, it could change our Sunday watching habits some. You are correct. They usually, if not always, have them scheduled for a 13:00ET kickoff. I've been to three of them in the past whilst I've been in the UK at the same time. Giants/Fish, Saints/Chargers and 9ers/Broncos. They are a poor attempt at recreating the atmosphere of a teams home stadium. Also, what is never taken into consideration is the fact that these games draw people from all over Europe. On all occasions the grouping around my seats (once at the 50, once in the endzone and the other in club) were all different nationalities. German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, French, Croatian... You name it. There is no home team in any of the games I've attended. It's an event that people get to showcase the team they live and breathe, or if they choose: just follow lol. In fact, a large draw of the club seating was from Players families as the facilities on offer are all private and complementary (well, the buffet and up to 5 beers). There's no way a franchise would succeed long term there, it wouldn't pull in the numbers from the UK crowd alone. It's a big marketing event for European broadcasters to draw these crowds from all over. I think that's why, in part, they've made it into three games this season: to test the numbers. Only way a franchise would ever evoke long term profit in London would be if the team sustained success right from the get go. Continental Europe would be a better bet IMO... Netherlands or Germany where they are still, to this day, bat-s#*! crazy about the NFL. Edited October 22, 2014 by Smooth
GunnerBill Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 Yes this is the first early London game and it will be a feature of the 3 game a year plan to have one early kick off. I will be at Wembley on Sunday for the game and am looking forward to it immensely. I kind of want to see a close game because the last 2 years I have seen blowouts (Pats over Rams and 9ers over Jags). However, the downside of a close game is it delays my journey home and means I miss more of the Bills game. I will also miss the first bit of the KC game after the bye because my neice is being Christened. That is a more annoying reason to miss Bills football.... I'm not even religious.
GunnerBill Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) There's no way a franchise would succeed long term there, it wouldn't pull in the numbers from the UK crowd alone. It's a big marketing event for European broadcasters to draw these crowds from all over. I think that's why, in part, they've made it into three games this season: to test the numbers. Only way a franchise would ever evoke long term profit in London would be if the team sustained success right from the get go. Continental Europe would be a better bet IMO... Netherlands or Germany where they are still, to this day, bat-s#*! crazy about the NFL. I am not totally in agreement I have to say. American Football is the fastest growing participation sport in the UK, TV number are up year on year, and the University League over here is admitting new teams all the time. Do I think we would fill Wembley 8 times a year with just UK fans? No, but the estimates are that the split at Wembley games is somewhere in the region of 60% UK fans. So yes you would need fans from continental Europe and Scandanvia. I'm not convinced a London Franchise would be a success for slightly different reason. I live in London, I can get to Wembley in 40 minutes.... but if you are asking me would I not watch the Bills every week the London Whatevers had a home game so that I could go watch them then the answer is no. I'd do what I do now.... sit a home and watch the Bills on GamePass. I suspect most UK and European fans are the same. Yes - we want to watch live NFL football. Yes - we would give up maybe 1 possibly 2 games a year of watching out team on TV to watch a live game in the stadium. But No - I am not going to stop being a Buffalo Bills fan and become a London fan. Nor are my mates who support any range of other teams. That is the issue. The fans over here love the NFL but most of them love "their" team too. They are not going to switch and that is the problem you have in establishing a fanbase for a viable franchise long term. I think that applies equally to Germany and the Netherlands and Scandanavia too. Edited October 22, 2014 by GunnerBill
Buftex Posted October 22, 2014 Author Posted October 22, 2014 Hey Gunner, not sure where I read this, but at the very least, I believe that Bills are considered a "prime candidate" to play a game in London next season.
GunnerBill Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 Yep..... there is a thread on here where I have already offered to guide anyone from here who wants to come over away from the tourist traps around the stadium and into some decent proper British pubs....
Sojourner Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) I am not totally in agreement I have to say. American Football is the fastest growing participation sport in the UK, TV number are up year on year, and the University League over here is admitting new teams all the time. Do I think we would fill Wembley 8 times a year with just UK fans? No, but the estimates are that the split at Wembley games is somewhere in the region of 60% UK fans. So yes you would need fans from continental Europe and Scandanvia. Maybe so, but you have to take into account the expenditure on a new stadium, facilities and training ground for an NFL team as there's no way they will continue to rent/hire locations on a week to week basis. London is already having a fiasco with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC trying to secure new football grounds. I think it was the same for West Ham too but they secured the Olympic Stadium? I just think financially they would be looking at posting losses unless, like I said it comes to them having sustained success from the get-go. Look at Khan, he owns Fulham FC and not since the mid 90's have they been this unsuccessful both in terms of domestic records and financially revenue. I used to play for the Inverness Blitz, granted it was only one season back in 2000. There isn't just the BUAFL, you also have the BAFANL (leads to Brit Bowl, which if you follow football in London or the UK you should know as they have produced teams with the most championship wins and appearances: Blitz, O's and I cannot remember the other team). Accross the board in most teams which play in both the BAFANL and the BUAFL, they are two and sometimes three-way players - defensive, offense and ST. Here's a tidbit - the majority of BAFANL teams have players in the age range of 25-35. EDIT: My point about Khan was because, realistically, he's the only owner looking to move/secure his NFL franchise in London. Edited October 22, 2014 by Smooth
GunnerBill Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 On the location point - the FA announced 2 weeks ago securing an NFL team is a key part of the Wembley forward strategy. They want it at Wembley. I think they would even be willing to give it to the NFL relatively cheaply although would probably want to keep the lions share of the in stadium concessions money. I suspect the NFL would make sure the product couldn't fail by propping it up in the early years. I doubt it would succeed financially long term though for the reason I explain above... as much as there is a thirst for NFL football that is growing all the time (and I know all about the BAFANL I have been and watched the odd game and have a mate who played for London Blitz for a year) the fact is people who love the game already love a team too. The Fulham point is interesting. Fulham are not a Premier League football club. Never have been in truth. They were posting losses the whole time they were there, they were being propped up by Mr Al-Fayed and then for a year before relegation by Mr Khan. Their relegation was almost a direct result of having 4 Head Coaches in 1 season it was mismanagement on a huge scale. If the point of raising that is that Mr Khan is capable of matching that ineptitude with the London Jags then you will get no disagreement from me!
PromoTheRobot Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 You are correct. They usually, if not always, have them scheduled for a 13:00ET kickoff. I've been to three of them in the past whilst I've been in the UK at the same time. Giants/Fish, Saints/Chargers and 9ers/Broncos. They are a poor attempt at recreating the atmosphere of a teams home stadium. Also, what is never taken into consideration is the fact that these games draw people from all over Europe. On all occasions the grouping around my seats (once at the 50, once in the endzone and the other in club) were all different nationalities. German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, French, Croatian... You name it. There is no home team in any of the games I've attended. It's an event that people get to showcase the team they live and breathe, or if they choose: just follow lol. In fact, a large draw of the club seating was from Players families as the facilities on offer are all private and complementary (well, the buffet and up to 5 beers). There's no way a franchise would succeed long term there, it wouldn't pull in the numbers from the UK crowd alone. It's a big marketing event for European broadcasters to draw these crowds from all over. I think that's why, in part, they've made it into three games this season: to test the numbers. Only way a franchise would ever evoke long term profit in London would be if the team sustained success right from the get go. Continental Europe would be a better bet IMO... Netherlands or Germany where they are still, to this day, bat-s#*! crazy about the NFL. I think NFL Europe showed that. The Germans get football, and the Dutch to a degree.
GunnerBill Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 I would say two things about NFL Europe - one is that the quality was so drab by the end and the other is that American Football in the UK has come a long way in the last 5-10 years since the dying days of NFL Europe. We went about 10 years with no American Football coverage at all on free to air TV in the UK after Channel 4 dropped it in the early 90s then 10 years with just MNF and now there is the Sunday late game and a highlights show that is on at a reasonable time that people can watch, in addition to the brilliant SKY coverage on pay tv. Are we behind Germany in terms of a fanbase? Yes I think we probably still are, but it is a massively growing sport here and London as a potential European host city has lots of advantages. Interestingly after contributing to this conversation at work this afternoon when I got on my tube home and picked up the London evening newspaper the front page headline is that the current Chancellor of the Exchequer (our Government's finance minister) wants an NFL franchise in London and has held discussions with the NFL about it. The authorities over here are keen I think the Commissioner is keen.... I believe it may well happen eventually. I have my doubts whether it would work for the reasons I've already explained.... but I do think at some point they are going to try.
Sojourner Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 the brilliant SKY coverage You only say that because Kevin is a Bills fan...
Saxum Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 EDIT: My point about Khan was because, realistically, he's the only owner looking to move/secure his NFL franchise in London. If London expansion franchise is okayed I suspect Khan would sell his Jacksonville franchise to get London one assuming they would allow cross-town ownership of two teams like the Bills/Sabres. Then the new owner of Jacksonville would probably move team to make it more profitable. I think NFL Europe showed that. The Germans get football, and the Dutch to a degree. Yes I think NFLE proved that.
GunnerBill Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 I think he'd just quite like to move the Jags..... although no jacuzzi decks at Craven Cottage last time I went there.... You only say that because Kevin is a Bills fan... Haha I normally have my GamePass on my laptop and the SKY game on mute in the background. On Sunday their game finished before us so they cut to the end of the Bills game live on SKY..... Kev was very excited when they went back to the studio after the Sammy touchdown.
1B4IDie Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 So, checking out the slate for my local, Austin, TX affiliates this Sunday (week 8) broadcasts...seems that FOX and CBS both have a Sunday double-header this weekend... FOX is showing the Detroit/Atlanta game in London, at 8:30am (9:30am eastern), followed by the Houston/Tennessee game at noon. Over on CBS, at noon, we get Seattle/Carolina and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh at 3:25pm. Won't matter too much to me, as I will be at the bar watching the Bills game...if it were a more interesting matchup than the Lions/Falcoons I might make the effort to watch at 8:30 in the morning.... Let me ask, isn't this the first time they have done this with the London game? I don't remember ever watching football before noon (except once when I was on the west coast), for one of the international games. Never thought about it much, but if the NFL's dream of adding a team in London, full time, were to come true, it could change our Sunday watching habits some. I thought that was a misprint! Send Jacksonville, Bucs, or Rams to London! Football all day is a fantastic idea !
YoloinOhio Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 Coffee, my fantasy QBs, and the fox robots! I'll be watching.
Buffalo Barbarian Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 So, checking out the slate for my local, Austin, TX affiliates this Sunday (week 8) broadcasts...seems that FOX and CBS both have a Sunday double-header this weekend... FOX is showing the Detroit/Atlanta game in London, at 8:30am (9:30am eastern), followed by the Houston/Tennessee game at noon. Over on CBS, at noon, we get Seattle/Carolina and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh at 3:25pm. Won't matter too much to me, as I will be at the bar watching the Bills game...if it were a more interesting matchup than the Lions/Falcoons I might make the effort to watch at 8:30 in the morning.... Let me ask, isn't this the first time they have done this with the London game? I don't remember ever watching football before noon (except once when I was on the west coast), for one of the international games. Never thought about it much, but if the NFL's dream of adding a team in London, full time, were to come true, it could change our Sunday watching habits some. DVR
Wayne Cubed Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 https://www.nfl.apply2jobs.com/ProfExt/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=1185&CurrentPage=1 Head of Marketing job for NFL UK. Has some interesting statistics in the job description. They are pushing very very hard to get a team there.
bladiebla Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 I think NFL Europe showed that. The Germans get football, and the Dutch to a degree. Wait what?!? I only get football to a degree? *tisk*
bladiebla Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) I would say two things about NFL Europe - one is that the quality was so drab by the end and the other is that American Football in the UK has come a long way in the last 5-10 years since the dying days of NFL Europe. We went about 10 years with no American Football coverage at all on free to air TV in the UK after Channel 4 dropped it in the early 90s then 10 years with just MNF and now there is the Sunday late game and a highlights show that is on at a reasonable time that people can watch, in addition to the brilliant SKY coverage on pay tv. Are we behind Germany in terms of a fanbase? Yes I think we probably still are, but it is a massively growing sport here and London as a potential European host city has lots of advantages. Interestingly after contributing to this conversation at work this afternoon when I got on my tube home and picked up the London evening newspaper the front page headline is that the current Chancellor of the Exchequer (our Government's finance minister) wants an NFL franchise in London and has held discussions with the NFL about it. The authorities over here are keen I think the Commissioner is keen.... I believe it may well happen eventually. I have my doubts whether it would work for the reasons I've already explained.... but I do think at some point they are going to try. Hmmm, London Monarchs is a story on itself imho, much to do with poor management and the rebuild of Wembley. With regards to quality I disagree, sure Berlin and Amsterdam were putrid in 2007 but other teams had a decent enough level. 2007 World Bowl was one of the best played, with the exception being the 2005 World Bowl. Edited October 23, 2014 by bladiebla
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