NFL, Stay out of London

   This is a Seattle Sports centered blog, I know that. I feel though that I need to get up on a soap box for a couple minutes and speak about something that affects the entire NFL, including the Seattle Seahawks. Games in London, England. My viewpoint might not be popular with the handful of Seahawks fans or NFL fans in general that live across the pond, but seriously, NFL Stay Out of London! At least during the regular season.

He'll make you an offer you can't refuse

   The St. Louis Rams made headlines a couple weeks ago when it was announced that they would be forfeiting home games at the Edwards Jones Dome in order to play the Patriots in London in 2012-2014.  Stadium officials spoke out against this and I believe have even moved to take the NFL to court over these proposed games due to the fact that they violate the lease agreement that the team has with the stadium. I hope they win. Think about it for a minute 12th man. How would you feel if the NFL took away one of OUR home games so we could go play some media darling team in London? In the Paciffic NW we're already the most traveled team in the league every year, and then you take away a home game to move us as far away as possible to play a game? If I had season tickets I would be livid. Almost Molotov cocktails outside of league headquarters in NYC livid, and I don't think I'm alone among NFL fans.

   It is an insult to the fans of the Rams to move their game across the pond. The NFL is basically saying that they don't care about the St. Louis media market. They found a team this season that they felt not enough people cared about and decided that was their target. Hell, the Rams might be back in LA in 3yrs anyway right? These games are plain and simple, a cash grab. They're putting on a show for a bunch of fans that are there for the same reason American's go to the demolition derby, the spectacle. I would have to say that better than 95% of attendees to the game in London won't be there because they like NFL Football. They'll be there because its different. Its not futbol and its not rugby, so hell why not go watch the over sized Yanks beat on each other for a couple hours.

   NFL Europe failed for a reason. There might have been some good fan bases there but the game wasn't economically viable over there.  Nobody in the USA watched the games. That meant that there was no advertising money coming in from the broadcasts and therefore no money to be made. The NFL folded it of their own volition. One or two good stories came out of NFL Europe, but for the most part it was a gigantic flop and a failure. Now Roger Goodell in his "infinite wisdom" wants to try and move back there? There isn't even a team in LA right now Roger! How can you talk about having an NFL team in London, England when you don't even have one in Los Angeles, California?

   It does make sense though that out of all the teams that they could have chosen to steal a home game from that they chose the Rams. Their new majority owner Stan Kroenke is also a major shareholder in English Premier Club Arsenal. Hey Stan, how bout you give up Arsenal's home match against Manchester United and come play it in St. Louis? How do you think the soccer hooligans that love Arsenal would react to that? I bet buildings would be burnt down and you wouldn't ever be able to walk the streets without an armed escort for the rest of your life. That's the same way I feel about the NFL playing games in London.

   Manchester United comes and plays friendlies against American Major League Soccer clubs, but that's different. Those are exhibition matches that generate a large amount of income for the home clubs. Win or lose they mean nothing for either team. With only 16 games on the schedule, every home game is important for every team in the NFL. Moving two NFL teams away from their fan bases and television markets not to mention stealing one of those all important home games makes no sense at all to me.

   Don't get me wrong, there are some good and very knowledgeable NFL fans, and Seahawks fans in particular that call England home. For the most part though, the average Brittish citizen is ambivalent at best about American Football. This is OUR game. It is at its most profitable and most loved in the United States. Just like there might be a ton of English Premier League fans living throughout the USA, the EPL would NEVER move a home match for one of its clubs to The States, so should the NFL not move regular season home games to England. Luckily for Seahawks fans, I would hope we have ownership that sees the folly of this venture and opts to stay away from London, even if its not a home game.

   Moving NFL home games to London is a mistake. I hope the Edward Jones Dome group win out and force the NFL to try and move another team over there, then that stadium group stands up and does the same thing. Force Goodell to abandon this stupid and pointless practice. It was nice for the pre-season, it might work for the Super Bowl, but NFL, keep the regular season games where they belong, AT HOME.