Charles Romes Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 When the league closed NFL Europe in 05 less than 20 percent of US homes had the NFL Network. Now it's up to 62 percent and it's a favorite channel of any football fan. It would be much easier to stay informed about player story lines of NFL Europe teams. Who wouldn't want to check in on a few games to see how the Bills allocated players are doing during the long offseason. The league has been missing opportunities to develop new stars. The time is right to bring it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick the Greek Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 It was probably done away with because it wasn't profitable. Soccer is the game Europeans love, not football. I doubt Europeans really even understand the rules of football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Linen Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Yes but do it here in the US where it would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playman Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 as a season ticket holder of rhein fire i want it back too. and for the profits: galaxy made money as well as rhein fire. galaxy from the start, fire after 3 years iirc. if the league wouldve put another team to hamburg and one to dresden instead of cologne and berlin we by now COULD have a profitable developmental league. hamburgs gfl team plays in front of around 20k people. and i am pretty sure 2/3 of the london game tickets are sold to germans. so, an NFL germany could work very well. but the NFL just must understand localities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodbuster Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Yes but do it here in the US where it would work. An NFL "D" league would be sweet. My ideas: Scrap NFL Thursday night series. Play the developmental league games on Thursday on NFL network. 16 teams, each co-owned by teams in opposite conferences who are somewhat close to each other. SF and Oakland. Miami and Tampa. Dallas and Houston. That kinda deal. Two conferences. Ten game season. Four teams make the playoffs. After NFL week twelve, rosters expand to 60 and they can pull a few guys up. Edited February 16, 2014 by sodbuster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 It was probably done away with because it wasn't profitable. Soccer is the game Europeans love, not football. I doubt Europeans really even understand the rules of football. Plent of people here in Europe who understand the rules of football thanks. Europe has sold out 3 NFL games in two weeks for next season. However, I don't want NFL Europe back, because ultimately the quality just wasn't there. Unless they could guarantee it was going to be better... and the increased interest in Europe is starting to lead to European players capable of playing in the league and might get us to that point eventually... not sure it's there yet though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 How many teams were in the old NFL Europe? Maybe just make it a 6-team league-- improve the quality of the product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think it was a 6 team league by the end 5 in Germany and 1 in Amsterdam. Id be in favour of maybe 4 teams... play each other twice.... 6 weeks of summer competition. A team in the UK, one in Germany, one in Holland and one in Spain if they were going to bring it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrLocke Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I know the rules are different , but what about closer ties with the CFL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playman Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think it was a 6 team league by the end 5 in Germany and 1 in Amsterdam. Id be in favour of maybe 4 teams... play each other twice.... 6 weeks of summer competition. A team in the UK, one in Germany, one in Holland and one in Spain if they were going to bring it back. nope. all 4 in germany not only for better attendance but also cost-cutting on travels. but make sure players from all over europe have a chance. like 10 per team with 55 roster spots. really, no one in spain or netherlands cares about football, and very few in england. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 There are plenty in England who care. It's currently our fastest growing sport both in terms of viewing figures for the NFL and in terms of grassroots participation (unless you include womens soccer as a separate sport to soccer). There are plenty of Germans that come over for the Wembley games but it is nowhere near 2/3s. The majority are British fans. I said Netherlands and Spain because they supported NFL Europe teams for decent periods in the first incarnation. I do think you have a point about keeping down travel costs though. Localising the teams in Germany would make sense from that perspective. But there is zero chance that the NFL would consider a new NFL Europe without a London based team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playman Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) really? the monarchs didn´t seem to be much of a draw to people then. its some time though. well, frankfurt-düsseldorf-hamburg-london then Edited February 17, 2014 by playman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 The Monarchs drew decent crowds the first couple of years and then the interest quickly waned and the decision to "tour Britain" with the team rather than have a base was the final nail in the coffin. But it was a long time ago. The fan base is much stronger here now. And part of the problem was the product which was not great. I've been to all but two of the Wembley games and there is no question that they are Europe's games rather than just the UK's but there a lot of British people at the games and every year you meet people who are there for the first time and love the whole experience and say they will definitely be back. Last year the Steelers - Vikings game had a distinctly European feel, but at the 49ers game it was overwhelmingly British voices in the stadium and the concourses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Kick Flutie Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 It was probably done away with because it wasn't profitable. Soccer is the game Europeans love, not football. I doubt Europeans really even understand the rules of football. The whole Euro league lost almost $20 million a year, that's lass than what Joe Flacco makes in a year, from a player development aspect, each NFL team can pony up $625,000 in my opinion, not to mention airing it in the US, the NFL can really tap into the spring/early summer TV market, especially with the NFL network as another poster mentioned. I say bring it back. How many teams were in the old NFL Europe? Maybe just make it a 6-team league-- improve the quality of the product. Make 8 teams, one made up of all AFC East, West, North, South and NFC East, West, North, South. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I just don't see the appeal of this, especially in the US. Who wants to watch this? History has repeatedly said "few people". It could be argued the talent currently in the NFL is already diluted. Who would want to watch a league of guys who couldn't make it into the League? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I just don't see the appeal of this, especially in the US. Who wants to watch this? History has repeatedly said "few people". It could be argued the talent currently in the NFL is already diluted. Who would want to watch a league of guys who couldn't make it into the League? The point would be to act as a farm system for the NFL much in the way that baseball has. Some players need more time to develop than others. Some smaller school players specifically could really benefit from an intermediate step up before being able to make it in an NFL roster. Personally, I believe a minor league system would really raise the average quality of players on an NFL roster. Maybe not on the top end, but definitely the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGUNBILLS Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Yes but do it here in the US where it would work. Yeah, not Canada either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I cant believe the NFL can't find potential owners for D league franchises that would be endorsed by the NFL. 10 game spring/summer season. Top 3 teams go to the playoffs. #1 seed gets a bye. Season wraps up just in time for training camp. Make it just 6 teams. Stock them with college UDFAs. Consider it an extended combine. You are bound to uncover some gems. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 The point would be to act as a farm system for the NFL much in the way that baseball has. Some players need more time to develop than others. Some smaller school players specifically could really benefit from an intermediate step up before being able to make it in an NFL roster. Personally, I believe a minor league system would really raise the average quality of players on an NFL roster. Maybe not on the top end, but definitely the bottom. This has been tried in many forms. It doesn't really work as a D league. And fans don't buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 This has been tried in many forms. It doesn't really work as a D league. And fans don't buy it. Fans didn't buy it because they were halfassed, underfunded attempts with no legit TV deal. Do it under the NFL brand in the USA. Put the games on NFL network and it's a different story. (I could see networks like NBCSN, CBSSN access Fox 1 wanting games too.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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