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A couple NFL (American football) teams are playing in London this weekend. A few others have already done so in previous weeks. There is talk over here about starting a new team (or re-locating an existing team) in London permanently. My question to the fine folks from the UK who frequent the Lounge:
Do you believe there is enough legitimate interest in American football in the UK for a London franchise to be successful?
I know this is probably asking the impossible but please try to refrain from the obligatory cracks about how "it's not football if they use their hands", "our football is a real sport, yours sucks", "they're all candy-asses compared to rugby players", etc... Not that such comments aren't true or sometimes even humourous but I'm hoping for at least one honest opinion on my question.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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It sounds like a scare tactic -- "You hooligans! Behave or we'll make you watch this!"
Did you also know that some MLB games were played in Sydney this year?
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: Did you also know that some MLB games were played in Sydney this year?
I did not know that but baseball is a whole other matter. Baseball is already very popular in Southeast Asia and Central America - American football is still rather unique to North America.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Mike Mullikin wrote: American football is still rather unique to North America
Actually, American football is unique to the USA. Canada has Canadian football, which is similar(*), and some Mexico schools have American football teams, but no college (that I am aware of) or pro teams.
(* Canadian football has 3 downs instead of 4, the field is wider and has a 55 yard line instead of 50 and many of the minor rules are different. Since Canada is now metric, I'm surprised that the game hasn't done so as well...)
I'm retired. There's a nap for that...
- Harvey
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Yeah, I consider American football and Canadian football close enough to be considered the same for this discussion.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Like Rugby Union and Rugby League?
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
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Fighting words. 
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Yes I believe there is.
There is a growing and very devoted fan base. We generally have to stop up to two in the morning to watch the Superbowl so we don't get put off easily.
I know quite a few who have been to the Wembley games now, and I'm hoping to do so soon.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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chriselst wrote: two in the morning to watch the Superbowl
Personally, I don't watch football (either type actually), but having "the Big Game" descend on your town is no picnic either. (Only a first world problem of course.)
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I've started to get in to this. I watched the post season last year and have watched games from this years regular season most weeks.
Do you support a team? Struggling to decide who I like, thinking that if I do choose a team it might take some of the enjoyment out of it as now I just watch good games with no investment in the result. Don't think I have enough attachment to truly support a team anyway.
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I'm sure it'll come as no surprise to you that I support the Rams, LA as they were and St Louis as they are now.
I've been into the game since I was a kid when it was first on Channel 4, then when I went to university I played for 3 years so I know a lot of people who are in to the game too.
When you understand it I think it can be a fascinating game to watch, when you don't then it makes no sense at all.
From a playing perspective (and I have played most team sports to some degree or other over the years) it is by far the most physically and mentally demanding thing I have ever done.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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chriselst wrote: I'm sure it'll come as no surprise to you that I support the Rams,
 Of Course didn't think of that.
chriselst wrote: LA as they were and St Louis as they are now.
Confirms what I was suspecting recently, that the teams are franchised and therefore can move City.
chriselst wrote: When you understand it
I'm getting there, I mean I understand most of it, though I still pick up one or two new vague rules each week which adds to the enjoyment. I agree it's fascinating. I'm often Stoned when I watch it and it's a good sport to just mong out too.
chriselst wrote: From a playing perspective (and I have played most team sports to some degree or other over the years) it is by far the most physically and mentally demanding thing I have ever done.
I remember you posting this awhile back in one of the endless Anglo-American Football debates that crop up here regularly, I often think about that when watching it and can see how right you were. There's no respite at all for the players on the pitch and if they let their player go for one moment, whether that be through Physical weakness or mental lapse, then they get punished.
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I think one of the things that makes it unique amongst team sports is that there is no place for a rest at all when you are on the pitch. Each and every play all 11 on each side have something to do, a move to make, a block to make, a run to make, and if you do the wrong thing then the whole play breaks down.
When we played at uni (I was an offensive lineman) we had 30 second play clocks so when the whistle was blown for the end of the play you had 30 seconds to get back to your huddle, get the play from the QB which was in the form of a code, get the snap count from the QB, remember what you had to do for the play from a play book that ran to several pages, get to the line of scrimmage, get properly set, then wait for the signal to move. Move slightly early and you give away a penalty, move slightly too late and there is a very good chance that your man will be past you. Move into the right position, different for a pass to a run, or for a fake play, or move somewhere else if it is a stunt play, engage your man and then fight him until the whistle goes again. He is trying to get by you towards the man with the ball, you are either trying to stop him or trying to move him out of the way to create a gap for the running back to go through.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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There used to be an american football league in Europe but it was not successful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Europe[^]
IMO, having a London based team (6 hours away from its closest competitor) is not a good idea; distance and different time zone would kill TV audiences in Europe (and TV is how NFL survives).
I'm all for 2, 3 games per years in different countries; it makes a nice show.
I'd rather be phishing!
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Maximilien wrote: IMO, having a London based team (6 hours away from its closest competitor) is not a good idea; distance and different time zone would kill TV audiences in Europe (and TV is how NFL survives).
Certainly a concern. I wonder if delayed broadcast or DVR use would mitigate the problem.
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Maximilien wrote: TV is how NFL survives
In fact, that is how the NFL thrives and keeps expanding. The activities on the field and frequent stop action are quite convenient for commercials, beer and bathroom breaks.
I'm retired. There's a nap for that...
- Harvey
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We all know that football is the correct term for what we know as soccer and Europeans can't call american football "football". So, what would you call it then?
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Let them call it... Lompas.
Large Overpaid Men Pushing And Shoving
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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Slacker007 wrote: what would you call it then?
The germans: We call it blitzkrieg.
The Brazilians: That about covers it.
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I've no idea, but OT: my old group (The Woodville Household) once provided the half time entertainment for the London Monarchs (at White Hart Lane, no less). It was pretty mental charging onto the field in full 15th century armour with the crowd roaring.
If I learnt one thing that day it's that Groundsmen really don't like you dragging cannon over their pitch. Oops.
Anna ![Rose | [Rose]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
Tech Blog | Visual Lint
"Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"
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Anna-Jayne! Holy crap! It's been a very long time since I've see you post.
How's life treating you?
Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. ~ George Washington
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I'm good...just a very busy bunny these days. That's a good thing, I think. 
Hope things are going well for you too!
Anna
Tech Blog | Visual Lint
"Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"
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