BillsFan-4-Ever Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 NFL Europe did one good thing for us. Fred Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 The NBA has been saying this for twenty years... I don't see it happening. Too many hurdles with travel and an 82 game schedule. The only way it would work is if it was its own conference and the US winner faced off against the Euro winner for the finals. But even that would be a logistical nightmare. No matter how small telecommunications has made the world, it still takes a long time to travel thousands of miles -- especially if you're trying to play 4 games a week. I just heard NBA Commissioner Silver speak on this the other day and they have no plan in place to establish Euro based teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big C Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I agree. I think games here is one thing a team here is another. The other issue I see with expansion is the inbalance of the league. 32 teams works perfectly. If they expanded to 36 (one in London, one in LA) how do they make that work numerically? The bigger issue is that expanding to even more teams waters down the quality of competition. Plus, a team in London has a ridiculous home field advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I just heard NBA Commissioner Silver speak on this the other day and they have no plan in place to establish Euro based teams. I missed that, thanks for the info! It makes sense though. It's just too taxing on the players to even attempt that kind of travel schedule on top of 82 games and 3 months of playoff basketball. Football at least only plays once a week (or used to anyway), so it seems more feasible on the surface -- but I don't think it'll ever take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I just heard NBA Commissioner Silver speak on this the other day and they have no plan in place to establish Euro based teams. FWIW, when I worked in the NBA it was no secret. They may be saying that out loud but their main objective is international expansion. There will be a division in Europe and they are already planting roots in China. They have every intention of that in the next decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 FWIW, when I worked in the NBA it was no secret. They may be saying that out loud but their main objective is international expansion. There will be a division in Europe and they are already planting roots in China. They have every intention of that in the next decade. But how long have they been saying that? At least two decades now... the sport is hugely popular in China and Europe, the money is there to do it if they wanted -- but no one can figure out the travel or get the players association on board. It's a dream that will never come to reality for the NBA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Goodell Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 How much were you seating while testifying in the Ray Rice appeals process? Degree deodorant only works so well. I was seating the whole time. They provided a chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I was seating the whole time. They provided a chair. That was supposed to be sweating. I missed that, thanks for the info! It makes sense though. It's just too taxing on the players to even attempt that kind of travel schedule on top of 82 games and 3 months of playoff basketball. Football at least only plays once a week (or used to anyway), so it seems more feasible on the surface -- but I don't think it'll ever take. Those were exactly some of the reasons he cited: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/videos/352579651761 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 But how long have they been saying that? At least two decades now... the sport is hugely popular in China and Europe, the money is there to do it if they wanted -- but no one can figure out the travel or get the players association on board. It's a dream that will never come to reality for the NBA. I most recently heard it from Stern and Silver at the league meetings in 2011. I have been out of the league for a few years but still have a lot of friends there. The plan is full speed ahead according to them. It will be expansion though. The days of franchise relocation are probably over. The brand expansion in China is also moving quickly. I don't know when you will see a league there as well (presumably after Europe). The NBA believes that basketball can be the most popular sport in the world (even over soccer). In order to do that they need a strong European presence and then to dominate China. It has been about 20 years in building Europe and probably 10 in China (or whenever Yao came over). It's coming. The NBA is ALWAYS 1st when it comes to the way that they run their business. The other leagues simply take practices from the NBA and apply them 5-10 years later. They are certainly the gold standard in business operation in professional sports (and have been for 30 years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I most recently heard it from Stern and Silver at the league meetings in 2011. I have been out of the league for a few years but still have a lot of friends there. The plan is full speed ahead according to them. It will be expansion though. The days of franchise relocation are probably over. The brand expansion in China is also moving quickly. I don't know when you will see a league there as well (presumably after Europe). The NBA believes that basketball can be the most popular sport in the world (even over soccer). In order to do that they need a strong European presence and then to dominate China. It has been about 20 years in building Europe and probably 10 in China (or whenever Yao came over). It's coming. The NBA is ALWAYS 1st when it comes to the way that they run their business. The other leagues simply take practices from the NBA and apply them 5-10 years later. They are certainly the gold standard in business operation in professional sports (and have been for 30 years). Thanks for the insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I most recently heard it from Stern and Silver at the league meetings in 2011. I have been out of the league for a few years but still have a lot of friends there. The plan is full speed ahead according to them. It will be expansion though. The days of franchise relocation are probably over. The brand expansion in China is also moving quickly. I don't know when you will see a league there as well (presumably after Europe). The NBA believes that basketball can be the most popular sport in the world (even over soccer). In order to do that they need a strong European presence and then to dominate China. It has been about 20 years in building Europe and probably 10 in China (or whenever Yao came over). It's coming. The NBA is ALWAYS 1st when it comes to the way that they run their business. The other leagues simply take practices from the NBA and apply them 5-10 years later. They are certainly the gold standard in business operation in professional sports (and have been for 30 years). I hear you, and don't disagree that the League wants to do it and has been planning it for decades. I just don't think the Players Association and the league are in lockstep on this issue -- unless they are separate entities that only meet for the playoffs / world cup. But integrating a Euro league or division into the traditional 82 game schedule will be a huge sticking point with the players. They don't want it, and have been pretty vocal about it for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clippers of Nfl Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 With the Bills being sold to the Pegulas & them being able to see the Toronto series for what it really was a huge turd for Bills fans & other NFL fans in general , what will it take to realize that the idea of putting any team in a foreign country/city such as London is just as big of a toilet flusher for the league & other NFL teams ? What is the obsession with making the NFL a global sport any more than what it all ready is ? They are making more money than they NEED to survive & it is better than it has ever been ! I know once greed gets rolling it's a hard thing to stop but most times to much of a good thing can hurt more than help ! Why don't they learn from the likes of NASCAR ? Their tracks use to be to capacity every weekend then they added more races , & changed the format . Now look at any given week end & you can see empty seats , the same with MLB more game & teams equal more revenue but less attendance per game ... WHy mess with perfection ? If it ain't broke don't fix it !! Bills fans can attest to the fact that losing that one game a year to a foreign country , some one that has little or NO interest in the team really sucks ! Not to mention the added expense to every team that would have to go to London every season . Bring back NFL Europe , that worked out well for players like our Fred Jackson . I personally will be boycotting the London games as a show that we don't need (or do i want) a team in any place but the U.S. This is America's game & that is where it belongs let those other countries keep their football/soccer which folks here have said at times is bigger globally that the NFL . SO WHAT !! Well have at it , you can go watch a bunch of guys run around a field for hrs & score 1 goal i will be spending my week ends watching the NFL & when the NFL is not in season i will watch other American sports . Just to add fuel put a European football game on TV on a sunday afternoon during the NFL season & see which one has a higher TV rating . If by chance the only TV game would be in London then i would be watching just to prove that the NFL RULES over soccer . OH what was soccers last TV contract worth in the U.S. ? Personal opinion i hope the london thing fades gracefully into the sunset , or like the Toronto series falls flat on it's face & Goodell realizes our NFL needs to stay here !! Let them come here & spend the money here instead of shipping our jobs over seas like the U.S. has done so successfully with a bunch of our other jobs NOT !! (how has that worked for us ?) If you wanna diss the biggest sport in the world, SOCCER. I can understand that. It can be very exciting. But it can be boring too. I agree. (Ps. Even nfl can get like that too) But the bolded parts make you look bad. You're probably that guy that doesnt dance SALSA with the hot ladies since it's not American? You dont know what you're missing dude. I'll give you my opinion. Diversify yourself captain America!! I love all the flavors of the world. Give me a chinese, african, brazilian. Add an american too. But the only america thing is so 1776. I'll take their sports too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I hear you, and don't disagree that the League wants to do it and has been planning it for decades. I just don't think the Players Association and the league are in lockstep on this issue -- unless they are separate entities that only meet for the playoffs / world cup. But integrating a Euro league or division into the traditional 82 game schedule will be a huge sticking point with the players. They don't want it, and have been pretty vocal about it for years. I don't disagree at all. What you want to do and what happens are often two different things. If I had to guess (this is strictly a guess) the owners will bend some on revenue in the next negotiations in exchange for further international expansion. It won't be easy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clippers of Nfl Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 How much were you sweating while testifying in the Ray Rice appeals process? Degree deodorant only works so well. lol. I was going to ask him a similar question. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heels20X6 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 FWIW, when I worked in the NBA it was no secret. They may be saying that out loud but their main objective is international expansion. There will be a division in Europe and they are already planting roots in China. They have every intention of that in the next decade. Um...technically, the NBA has already internationally expanded when they put teams in Toronto and Vancouver. Vancouver should have worked but the NBA botched that up something fierce. Firstly, they should have gone to Montreal first not Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Um...technically, the NBA has already internationally expanded when they put teams in Toronto and Vancouver. Vancouver should have worked but the NBA botched that up something fierce. Firstly, they should have gone to Montreal first not Vancouver. Technically baseball has expanded internationally too, you get the point. They want to have a presence in Europe and Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 The bigger issue is that expanding to even more teams waters down the quality of competition. Plus, a team in London has a ridiculous home field advantage. On the watering down I agree..... On the home field advantage not so much... because as I've explained elsewhere I think they would have a neutralish fan base every week... because European fans won't ditch their existing teams to become London fans but will go to watch NFL football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted William's frozen head Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I think Toronto woukd be a good market with its own expansion team in a new stadium. Buffalo could have a great rivalry. I think London will be first given the volume of games they now play there and also the Jags have their eyes on a move. They pack in Wembley when the NFL plays there. Toronto is within Bills market territory. I suppose that Pegula could 'let' an ownership group have a Toronto franchise for say, $1.4 BILLION. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Where there's a dollar (or a euro or a peso) there's a way. I'd be dissapointed in them if they weren't trying to find the right way to go international. Pulling it off is no easy feat, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts