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NFL eyes London franchise
NFL chief confident of multiple UK games - points fo London franchise
By Paul Higham Last updated: 24th October 2009 
Goodell: UK ambition
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell plans to stage multiple games in Britain, a move which could pave the way for a franchise based in London.
Wembley will stage its third NFL regular season game on Sunday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 'host' the New England Patriots.
Goodell is keen to expand the popularity of the sport and playing another game in Britain would fit in to that plan, while he has also spoken of the possibility of a franchise based in the country in the future.
Saying that the NFL has a great interest in Britain, Goodell believes that London is shaping up as a venue that could sustain an NFL franchise.
"The interest and the enthusiasm for our game continues to grow, and we want to feed that," Goodell said. "We want to respond to that by hopefully bringing more to the UK."
More games
"I expect that sometime in the next couple of years, we could be playing multiple games here.
"If we brought more than one game here, and it continues to have the same kind of enthusiasm and growth of interest, I think that is about as good of an indicator you can get that it could successfully support a franchise. And that's what we're looking at.
"We were worried when we first came here that it would be a novelty, but we've seen the interest grow.
"If the interest continues to grow, it's a very practical way to go to have a franchise here."
Goodell says that Manchester and Glasgow could join Wembley in hosting an NFL game in the net few years.
Kraft fan
Patriots owner Robert Kraft is a fan of bringing more games to London - and he also believes a franchise in Britain is on the horizon.
"I think it should happen," Kraft said. "I would be the right thing to do some time in the next decade to have a franchise here.
"We've had great success both here and in Germany and I look forward to seeing if that happens."
A major stumbling block over staging more games in the UK is that the designated home team has to give up a lucrative game at home in order to play in the UK.
Plans to expand the number of games during the season could provide a way to stage more games in the UK, as even backers of the plan like Kraft would not like to give up one of the eight home games they stage each season.
"I think if we expand our regular playing season and create more games, going from 16 to 18 games, it's a real possibility," Kraft said.
"Right now the Tampa Bay team has given up an away game to come here. I'm not sure our fans would appreciate us giving up a regular-season game. I know our fans wouldn't like us to do that."
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Comments (7)
Andrew 234 says...
Honestly, I can't stand the NFL, and I just wish that it got banned from everywhere in the universe. It isn't football if you play it with your hands, not your feet.
Posted 23:05 26th October 2009
Danny Yau says...
I love the NFL best sport ever, and a massive chargers fan. I hope there will be a franchise in the uk would love to go to the trials and give it a go!
Posted 15:28 26th October 2009
Martin Evans says...
As much as I love watching the NFL, I don't think a london Franchise in an American league would work. Firstly they would have to travel to America for all of their away games, which would be a huge undertaking in terms of time, money and the ability of supporters to travel to support them, meaning all away games would be played in front of 100% home support. Same thing goes the other way, every team playing at the London franchise would have to travel to london. Secondly what happens with the draft? All of hte players come out of American Universities. I suspect that the vast majority of the London draft picks would not want to play in london because its so far from home, and also the above reasons. I don't think it'll be a smart move. They think that because the 'Brit Bowl' is followed so enthusiastically that will translate into being able to support a franchise. I don't think so. The 'Brit Bowl' is an annual event, which is why it is so profitable when it occurs. If you bring 8 games a season here through a franchise, I wonder whether it would continue, esp. considering the inevitable talent difficulties the London franchise would face.
Posted 23:06 25th October 2009
Greg Wallace says...
I think it is ridiculous to have an NFL Franchise in London or anywhere abroad is because of the travel time and how to schedule a game without taking revenue from the 32 teams in the league. But in contrast the game will be a global enterprise like the Barclays Premiere league in England was the reason I have become a Manchester City fan because of Fox Soccer Channel and Sky Sports.
Posted 02:49 25th October 2009
Leon Jackson says...
Most Americans and most NFL players would not like the idea of an NFL team based outside of the U.S. based on the fact that the NFL is an American sport, it's like a religion to us. Having 1 or two regular season games over in London is alright. Say the superbowl is held in London; the U.S would lose a lot of dollars because it will be too much for a lot of Americans to fly to London, but a lot less if it was held in the U.S. Also regular season games; fans usually travel to other states to cheer for there team. For instance, the Seattle Seahawks fans are willing to travel to Dallas Texas to watch their team play, but will think twice about traveling to London. However If the U.K. wanted to start a league of their own that's fine. But football is not that easy to copy; football is played from the time a person is as young as 8. We have the pee wee league, and then the youth league, and then highschool, and then college, and then the NFL if a player is good enough to get drafted. Football is a unique sport that's why it's America's favorite sport.
Posted 01:52 25th October 2009
Paul Marshall says...
An NFL franchise in London. What a joke... We need to support our traditional games (Football, the Rugby codes, and Cricket). Next thing we will have baseball at Lords or the MCG - no thankyou.
Posted 23:39 24th October 2009
Matthew Brown says...
Man i love the NFL and watch every sunday and i so want my team the green bay packers over here at wembley, but i think a franchise here would be difficult because i dont see there being enough players, but who knows.
Posted 21:08 24th October 2009