International series Wembley 2009

[vegaslover]

Couldn't find another thread for this years game so, who has got tickets for this years game???

[Longy]

Had to google what this was, no haven't got tickets.

For future posters, Vegas is referring to the NFL Wembley game between New England and Tampa.

[thetank]

I'm not going this year, maybe next year. 1 time Broncos to be scheduled plz tyvm.

[thetank]

The fans in America hate the international series. You only get 8 home games a year to go to as it is and this takes one of those away.

Personally, I'd love to see a revival of the NFL Europe, but with a bit of cred in that the champions get into the playoffs of the NFL proper or some shit like that.

Longy was saying last year that the London based franchise in the NFL proper wouldn't really work as it wouldn't get a lot of initial support. The fans already have their team and they're not going to switch. Maybe it would be slightly different if you were only potentially playing against your other team if you won the NFL Europe and happened to run into them in the playoffs. Would happen so rarely that it'd be like having a Premiership club and a La Liga club that you follow.

[thetank]

Wouldn't take much restructuring. At the moment two teams from each conference get a bye week making four in total. Just remove that bye week for the team with the 4th best record and slip in the NFL Europe champs.

The messy bit is that the NFL Europe champs would get humped and it would all be a bit pointless for 20 years. If you've not got high schools and colleges playing, you don't have any homegrown talent so it's a case of hiring the NFL rejects.

[dino1980]

Had to google what this was, no haven't got tickets.

For future posters, Vegas is referring to the NFL Wembley game between New England and Tampa.

Yeah have got tickets to the game and the pre-game 'tailgate'. Like many an 80s child I grew up watching the Gary whatisname  (Ilmach?) coverage ( the guy who presents cycling on ITV and wrote the book about his dad who used to play football that won the Will Hill sports book of the year prize).
As a result I was a 49ers fan, however in 2002-2003 I lived for a year in Amherst, Massachusetts and developed a fondness for the New England franchises. Obv the Pats, Sox, Bruins and Celtics all epic failed that year. Regardless, I shall be wearing an 02-03 Pats top wiith the number 80 and Brown (for Troy Brown) to the game.

[Royal Flush]

Went to the fist 2 then messed up by booking a trip to the states for this, luckily i hadn't bought tickets yet!

[Newportlad]

Went to last years game (San Diego Chargers vs New Orleans Saints), and it was fantastic.
However, not going to this years game.

[vegaslover]

Have been to both the previous games, last years being much the better game.
Tank, I think that's the only thing they really hate about it, losing a home game when they only get 8 anyway. For the actual games, they have been hugely successful commercially. The fans I have spoken to both here and in the states have enjoyed them, and support them.

Dino, I was also an 80's fan in my childhood. I'm a Bears fan myself.

[Ironside]

Wouldn't take much restructuring. At the moment two teams from each conference get a bye week making four in total. Just remove that bye week for the team with the 4th best record and slip in the NFL Europe champs.

The messy bit is that the NFL Europe champs would get humped and it would all be a bit pointless for 20 years. If you've not got high schools and colleges playing, you don't have any homegrown talent so it's a case of hiring the NFL rejects.

teams in NFL Europe got there players from the NFL teams on loan players that werent quite ready to make the starting 50 or even the reseve list

[thetank]

Tank, I think that's the only tssful comhing they really hate about it, losing a home game when they only get 8 anyway. For the actual games, they have been hugely successful commercially. The fans I have spoken to both here and in the states have enjoyed them, and support them.

That's good to hear. Perhaps it's just a noisy minority of fans I've been hearing rant about this.

[smileriraq]

lets put it this way

When the Premiership mooted the adding of an extra game to be played abroad - all the fans bitched like hell complaining about it. The NFL has a shorter season so each game has more significance to the final standings so despite what Goodell says I really cannot see a London (presuming that any franchise would be based here) franchise (goodell is pretty optimistic tho)

I think one International game a year is about as good as we can expect