Super Bowl may someday be held in London

*ramsanddodgers* · #1 (**permalink**) -16-10-2007

Goodell: Super Bowl may someday be held in London
Oct. 15, 2007
CBSSports.com wire reports

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- A future NFL champion may someday be crowned overseas in a game witnessed predominantly by a foreign audience, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.

"There's a great deal of interest in holding a Super Bowl in London," Goodell told reporters Monday. "So we'll be looking at that."

The commissioner said London's Wembley Stadium would make a great candidate for American pro football's biggest matchup, given the opening of the stadium's lastest incarnation and enthusiasm overseas for the game.

The NFL has been expanding its overseas presence for years by televising games around the world. It's held preseason games in numerous countries in Europe, Asia, Mexico and Canada, and in 2005, the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco ***** played the first regular-season match outside the U.S.

The game at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City drew the league's largest crowd to date, 103,467.

On Oct. 28, Wembley will host the first regular-season NFL game outside North America. It took just 90 minutes to sell the first 40,000 tickets for the game between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants. Goodell said event organizers have sold 95,000 tickets in all.

Goodell spoke about the possibility of a British Super Bowl after a luncheon Monday in Scottsdale sponsored by the host committee for the 2008 Super Bowl in Arizona.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2006-2007, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10410478

*majorram* · #2 (**permalink**) -16-10-2007

Excellent news, living half an hour from Wembley, great news if this comes true

**AvengerRam** · #3 (**permalink**) -16-10-2007

With all due respect to our British Clan Members, I think that is a horrible idea.

*81~BIG-GAME* · #4 (**permalink**) -16-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvengerRam

With all due respect to our British Clan Members, I think that is a horrible idea.

I have to agree with you Avenger, and TBH I can't see it happening. I think it's great to bring regular season games to the UK, as there is a dedicated fanbase over here which can be expanded with the NFL being in the public domain. However the SuperBowl is the pinnacle of the sport and should always remain within it's motherland. Hopefully the Dolphins-Giants game is a success (I'm sure it will) and there are more opportunities for games to be played more regulary not only in the UK but in Europe and Mexico, Canada and Asia etc. The NFL realises that there is an un-tapped market and as a business are trying to expand their brand. BTW I will be attending the Wembley game and am looking forward to it..

*jkramsfan* · #5 (**permalink**) -16-10-2007

the commish needs to focus on the game right here in this country, a couple of regular season games overseas is fine but the Super Bowl is an American tradition,it basically equals a holiday here,you can't tinker with that and I say this with all due respect to our fellow clan members overseas,but the big game needs to stay home.

*ramsanddodgers* · #6 (**permalink**) -17-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkramsfan

the commish needs to focus on the game right here in this country, a couple of regular season games overseas is fine but the Super Bowl is an American tradition,it basically equals a holiday here,you can't tinker with that and I say this with all due respect to our fellow clan members overseas,but the big game needs to stay home.

What time would the game be played? 17:00 hrs here in Calif is 01:00 hrs in London. that would be 1AM tomorrow. Also known as 00:00 GMT?

It seems to me the Super Bowl usually starts about 16:30 on Sunday here and that would mean a 02:30 start time in London?

Let me know if I am incorrect in this.. (like I would have to ask...

)

So unless I am completely befuddled, a 20:00 start in London would gives us a 13:00 start on the West coast (16:00 Eastern) I guess that might work other than the fact it would be Monday there and the Queen would need to grant a 4 day weekend to commemorate the event. Unless, of course, it were determined that not enough Brits would be needing Tues to recover from the celebrating? :l

*tomahawk247* · #7 (**permalink**) -17-10-2007

there is more chance of the NFL having a franchise in London than a Superbowl being held there

*39thebeast* · #8 (**permalink**) -17-10-2007

No disrespect top any Brits out there, but no way this should or would happen. This is our sport where the biggest fan base will be forever. The time just doesn't match up with us. I wouldn't mind regular season games though

*RAMFANRAIDERHATER* · #9 (**permalink**) -20-10-2007

Uh............no. Probably one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. It's about as ridiculous as bringing the NHL to England. Oh, wait, they did that. ...and yes, it was a dumb idea. I would hope that the commish of the NFL has more sense then the commish of the NHL.

*rawkhrdr* · #10 (**permalink**) -21-10-2007

I am fully against this. The Super Bowl needs to stay at home. It really does. It needs to make a trip to all 32 stadiums in the NFL before it is held in a stadium outside the country. And that will never happen because they are afraid of the weather in Seattle, Green Bay, and all the other cold-weather cities.

If the reason they won't hold the Super Bowl in Seattle is that it is to cold there...then how can they justify holding it in London where it is colder?