London Jaguars? Cheerio!

[dave mcbride]

21 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

 

 

Calm down.  It’s a movie quote. Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels.  Guy Ritchie?  Know it?  

 

Jeez...

 

 

You know, I've never seen it. I remember it when it came out. Re Ritchie, I've seen the Sherlock movies (mostly good) and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (terrible). That's it. 

Edited October 11, 2018 by dave mcbride

[Johnny Hammersticks]

6 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

You know, I've never seen it. I remember it when it came out. Re Ritchie, I've seen the Sherlock movies (mostly good) and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (terrible). That's it. 

 

You have to see Snatch and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.  You can thank me later.

[Mr. WEO]

55 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

 

 

Calm down.  It’s a movie quote. Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels.  Guy Ritchie?  Know it?  

 

Jeez...

 

 

 

 

Chiiiill Winston.....

[cba fan]

5 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

I think the Jags will have to provide tax-free player contracts/pay their taxes for them if they play 4 games/year there. Players on all teams get a one game tax bill when they play in London. 

That payment would be part of their salary and would be taxable in US and would apply to NFL salary cap also.

 

 

[Fadingpain]

This has been brewing for a long time and it will be interesting to see how it plays out, if and when Khan pushes the issue to the breaking point.

 

The big factor that immediately hits me is jet lag for the teams traveling to England for a game, probably losing a day or 2 of preparation for the game, etc.

 

However, the owners will be focused on their pocket books and not the health of players, be sure of that.

 

If it is cost effective or hugely profitable to make the NFL a multi-continental sporting league, that will be the future of the NFL.

 

What will stop it is a lack of interest in the sport from Europeans and lack of profit.  And only that.

 

 

[stevewin]

This is likely to make St Doug more miserable

[Buddo]

1 hour ago, Fadingpain said:

This has been brewing for a long time and it will be interesting to see how it plays out, if and when Khan pushes the issue to the breaking point.

 

The big factor that immediately hits me is jet lag for the teams traveling to England for a game, probably losing a day or 2 of preparation for the game, etc.

 

However, the owners will be focused on their pocket books and not the health of players, be sure of that.

 

If it is cost effective or hugely profitable to make the NFL a multi-continental sporting league, that will be the future of the NFL.

 

What will stop it is a lack of interest in the sport from Europeans and lack of profit.  And only that.

 

 

 

I think the jet lag thing is being overblown, as it isn't that much more than East to West coast, or vice versa. I suppose if it's a West coast  team, it does become more of an issue, but I'm sure there are work arounds for that.

 

I would also say that my impression is that while it's true that many fans who attend games in London, are fans of the sport itself, there does appear to be a burgeoning fanbase of Jags fans there. You see jerseys from all teams, but even with the opponents representing, there are still way more Jags jerseys around than any other team, at least for their 'home' games.

 

Capacity wise, Wembley has an additional 20,000 seats. There's money to be made there. Probably an extra $1-2m just in bums on seats, and that would be assuming similar seat prices. Iirc, seat prices for the Jags/Bills game weren't exactly cheap. I would think you could add a few extra million in for prices being higher for seats in London.

 

As to the taxation issues etc., I'm sure there's deals to be made. The UK government is more than capable of doing some sort of deal whereby so long as they get a reasonable lump sum, they aren't necessarily going to be chasing down NFL players for percentages of game checks. There are also recipricoal arrangements already in place between the UK and US, as regards income taxation, and it's posiible that some sort of exemptions could be granted in respect of those.

 

As to not letting guys in with criminal records, well that's simply tough sh1t. Maybe the thought of getting a record, might make one or two think twice before doing some of the dumb crap they seem to insist on pulling.

 

In respect of the above, it would seem that there haven't been too many issues in the past, and a lot of teams have played in London already. Whhile undoubtedly a legitimate concern, and a potential problem for a team and player(s), the reality appears that it's less of an issue than it might be.

 

While Khan may have made some big steps along the way, it's by no means certain that he will be 'allowed' to buy Wembley. There will be an awful lot of people who would oppose the sale of the Stadium of the UK's National Sport, as a matter of principle, and the political situation in the country is fairly unstable at the moment. The current government may not last another 6 months, with the way things are going, and who knows what a new government might do.

[TheFunPolice]

This "halfway" approach will not work. A team that plays 4 games in one place and 4 in another isn't really based anywhere. Neither city really has a team in that scenario.

 

Jacksonville would just be a box to check whereas London would be the exciting, desirable place to be. But it wouldn't really be a London team because they play 4 games in Jacksonville.

 

What would the team name be? What free agents would want to sign with a team constantly on the road?

 

then the biggest question: how much more miserable would this make Doug Marrone?

[djp14150]

8 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

Which national anthem will be sung at Wembley? What if a player turns their back on the Queen? This gonna get ugly. 

 

 

Kneeling wont be an issue

[KD in CA]

Cool....more 6am games.  I usually wake up during the 2Q.   

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

10 hours ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

So does that mean Kaepernick will stand if he ever plays in London? Or if they play both anthems he will stand then kneel?

He’ll order an Atumnal mead and be sent to the pit of misery 

[Beast]

11 hours ago, H2o said:

It would suck to be on the Jags if this happens, especially if you have a family. 

 

Would it?

 

London, UK is sort of a happening city of you haven’t heard.

[H2o]

6 minutes ago, Binghamton Beast said:

 

Would it?

 

London, UK is sort of a happening city of you haven’t heard.

If your family is in America and you're stuck in London for a week or two at a time I believe that would suck. 

[Beast]

4 minutes ago, H2o said:

If your family is in America and you're stuck in London for a week or two at a time I believe that would suck. 

 

Move your family over. Being a millionaire has its advantages.

[H2o]

Just now, Binghamton Beast said:

 

Move your family over. Being a millionaire has its advantages.

If they would want to go, then yes. If they didn't then you're basically looking at being away from home for 16 weeks out of 17. 

[row_33]

58 minutes ago, Binghamton Beast said:

 

Would it?

 

London, UK is sort of a happening city of you haven’t heard.

 

1965 to 1968, it was

 

 

[Zerovoltz]

12 hours ago, dpberr said:

Wouldn't it make more sense just to relocate the team elsewhere in the United States if the JAX market isn't a viable one?  That plan of his is so stupid.  

 

While there are many US markets that would welcome them, the point of the move has more to do with the next TV contract.....so here is what I mean.....the US TV market is pretty well mature in that even in non NFL markets, the viewership is high...you don't gain a signifigant amount of new viewers by putting a team in....San Antonio...those people are already watching NFL games on TV.....that is why any further moves or expansion will be in international markets.....If you expand to San Antonio, Portland, Oklahoma City and Salt Lake City....you don't really add TV viewers...but the owners end up having to split the same TV contract with 4 additonal teams....they don't want to....they need to add more eyes in other markets to grow the TV money...Jax isn't a problem of being or not being a viable market...that isn't the problem...it's as vaible as any other domestic market....Adding London to the TV mix along with Toronto and Mexico City (or some new market with new eyes) gets the owners a bunch of new TV viewers wich means more TV money...that is what this is about.

[Mojo44]

16 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

1965 to 1968, it was

 

 

It swung like a pendulum do.

[GunnerBill]

16 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Good grief, Why?  It would be a logistical nightmare for both the Jags and for their opponents.

How could they be sure it would make them money enough to compensate for all the extra expenses?

Canadian fans didn't exactly "take" to NFL games and they have American football of their own.

 

Where's @GunnerBillto weigh in here?  Between Soccer, Rugby, and if they want something exotic Gaelic football or Hurling - um, now to put this politely?  Many Brits and Europeans that I've known actually regard American Football as, er, um............. somewhat UNMANLY.  Giles the Librarian's quote from Buffy kind of sums up the attitude: " I think it’s rather odd that a nation that prides itself on its virility should feel compelled to strap on forty pounds of protective gear just to play a game like rugby."

 

 

 

 

 

A London team will happen. It is when not if. The games here sell out in minutes. There were 4 last year and you would hardly call them prime matchups..... all sold out. American Football is bigger here than most Americans presume.... it is certainly bigger than GAA (gaelic and hurling). TV audiences were steadily up for about a decade, though seem to have plateued a little the last year or two. 

 

The games are actually supported by the whole continent - lots of dutch, spanish, scandanavians and germans come over - a flight to London being about £50 and taking an hour. It makes it affordable for many in a way flying trans Atlantic often isn't. 

 

Would a team playing 8 home games a year here have enough support to make it viable long term? I am not sure. Early on they would get crowds... whether that would last especially if the team sucked I am not convinced. 

 

The Wembley deal seems dead anyway. The FA council seems to have killed it much to the dismay of the money hungry tossers on the FA executive. 

[Dr.Sack]

Doug Marrone with all his dry sarcasm will fit in well.