Goodell: NFL plans to play in Australia “long term”

[SirAndrew]

15 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I’m not sure that they were a different breed as much as the landscape was so different. The guys that were owners then and are owners now, have adapted to the current landscape. You don’t see the Rooney’s, Hunt’s, Mara’s or Halas’ pushing back on more games, international games, etc… 

 

I totally agree that people romanticize about the game that the grew up watching. If the situation would have presented itself though, those guys would have capitalized like these guys do.

Exactly, the game has greatly expanded its fanbase over the years. There’s just more money to be made as a result. Corporations are going to expand as much as possible. However, I believe there’s always a risk of damaging the product long term when quality is an afterthought. The quality of pro football will decline if teams continue traveling the globe and playing games seven nights a week. Modern athletes are the most talented ever, but I’m less impressed by the game each year. 

[Kirby Jackson]

7 minutes ago, SirAndrew said:

Exactly, the game has greatly expanded its fanbase over the years. There’s just more money to be made as a result. Corporations are going to expand as much as possible. However, I believe there’s always a risk of damaging the product long term when quality is an afterthought. The quality of pro football will decline if teams continue traveling the globe and playing games seven nights a week. Modern athletes are the most talented ever, but I’m less impressed by the game each year. 

For sure. If that happens and people stop consuming it at the rate they are, the NFL may make some changes. The changes though will be because it’s best for business. We haven’t reached the point yet where the demand is declining. 

[Ray Stonada]

It's brutal on the body to go to Oz. You need a week to adjust each way. Makes no sense to play a regular season game there.

 

This is probably stupid, but would it be okay for the NFL not to grow? Instead of growing the market, just getting better at delivering a great product? 

[Kirby Jackson]

14 minutes ago, Ray Stonada said:

It's brutal on the body to go to Oz. You need a week to adjust each way. Makes no sense to play a regular season game there.

 

This is probably stupid, but would it be okay for the NFL not to grow? Instead of growing the market, just getting better at delivering a great product? 

If they believed that enhancing the quality of the product would provide more ROI than growing the market, that would be a consideration. At this point, growing the market is the primary consideration for all their decisions. 

Edited April 12 by Kirby Jackson

[Mr. WEO]

10 hours ago, Brand J said:

Simplistic view. What you’re discounting is friends and family of those who do play tuning in to watch. Not many children play tackle football, relative to those who are active in sports, BUT Friday Night Lights is a real event. People show up in support of others, they don’t have to play the sport themselves to have interest.
 

Europeans have almost zero ties to American football. Most would need a reason to support the game and if their youths aren’t playing it, you’re asking grown adults and children to tune into a league that has little relevance to their culture. Soccer was a global sport long before the NBA, it’s not difficult to understand why it’s popular here and abroad. The NBA grew on a global scale not because we had teams playing overseas, but because little kids everywhere could emulate Jordan’s fadeaway, or yell “Kobe” as they shot the ball. It’s a cheap and easy game to play, unlike tackle football.

To grow the game overseas, interest has to start with the younger generation, not current adults who have zero connection to the sport. The easiest way for the younger generation to grow to love the sport is if they play, or support someone who does. And when they have kids… (see where I’m going with this?)

 

 

Yours is the simplistic view.  Look at the NHL--in Florida as an example.  Why would they put more than 1 team in a state where not many kids play relative to the northeast and the midwest--and there really isn't a college hockey culture?  Because there are large population centers (many with transplants).  The success of Tampa Bay in the NFL LEAD TO a 73% increase in youth hockey participation over a decade.  So you actually have it backwards.

 

In the US, far more kids play soccer growing up, but college soccer is not significant as far as "fans" and MLS and USMNT are very small niche sports for viewers--in fact international soccer is more popular in this country than anything home grown.  Soccer as a professional viewing sport, overall, is not very popular here--despite how many kids grew up plying it.  Youth football is popular in this country because of the NFl--it's clearly not the other way around.  Everyone knows this.

 

The NFL, which finds money everywhere, rightfully disagrees with you.  Its product is already globally available via streaming services--for free since 2015 in the UK.  They feel the way to grow it further is to bring it live to new markets. Their UK games, which they started started 18 years ago, routinely sell out.  UK and Germany had 8 million viewers of the 2024 Super Bowl.  Mexico had a massive 24 million viewers.

 

Your argument make no sense at all---the NFL is supposed to wait for the UK and the rest of Europe and Australia to "grow youth football" instead of taking all that money that is. on the table right now?  I'm sure that seemed not like a "simplistic view" when you were typing it lol.....

Edited April 12 by Mr. WEO

[LarryMadman]

On 4/11/2026 at 10:00 AM, TheBeaneBandit said:

This is just getting stupid now.

Yup, something tells me after the teams experience going to and from Australia a couple times the next NFLPU contract might have anti playing in Australia built into the contract.

[JohnnyCash]

5 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

Everyone wants to blame Goodell, but it’s the owners that call the shots.  So if anyone wants to get upset, get upset with 32 owners.  Goodell works and reports to the owners.

I have made this point over and over again.  Not sure why such a simple fact escapes so many here.  

[WotAGuy]

20 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

Participation has little to do with faanhood.

Disagree.  Until you’ve hit someone over the back of their head with a metal folding chair, you have no true appreciation for pro wrestling. 
 

 

Edited April 12 by WotAGuy

[Since1981]

There are better ways to make more money than NFL core players going to Australia. 15 hrs to LAX. 20 hrs NYC. Dumb. They have same population as Florida. Flag football at least has a chance to grow rev 

[B-Man]

 

 

Goodell: NFL plans to play in Australia “long term”

 

Madness.

 

.

[Kirby Jackson]

11 minutes ago, Since1981 said:

There are better ways to make more money than NFL core players going to Australia. 15 hrs to LAX. 20 hrs NYC. Dumb. They have same population as Florida. Flag football at least has a chance to grow rev 

Flag football in the US or abroad? If you’re thinking abroad, I could be talked into it. There’s not a single person in the US that’s thinking, “now that I played flag football I think I’ll watch the Super Bowl.” It’s chicken and egg in the US. 92 of the top 100 broadcasts from 2025 were football!! There isn’t really a “new market” to find here. They have to go wider.

 

If you’re suggesting that the growth of flag football and the Olympics will turn more people internationally onto the game than a random NFL game, maybe. I don’t necessarily agree but that’s a sensible position. National pride does a lot for sport. Look at the World Cup or the Olympics. 

[Paup 1995MVP]

On 4/10/2026 at 2:10 PM, DJB said:

I hate the NFL pushing the European and other continent games . 
 

Keep it in the USA where it belongs and not be so money hungry for the owners 

I agree 100% w your statement.  I was partying in Fort Lauderdale the other night and was talking w two British guys who were visiting the states w their wives.  We were talking sports and I asked them if the NFL is well liked over in England, and surprisingly they said no.  They don’t much like American football there.  They love soccer and rugby.  They said the Premier League is very big.  

 

The NFL w its international games, and games on different streaming platforms, etc. is just kind of ruining the charm of it.  

 

The Super Bowl is an event more than a championship.  

 

I got into College basketball once the Bills season was over this year because my school Michigan had an exciting excellent team.  I watched a lot of games towards the end of the season and the NCAA tournament.   It still felt like sport should feel.  And not all polished up and artificial like the whole Super Bowl production is.  The studio show on TNT w Barkley Kenny Smith ana Clark Kellogg is real and raw, not all fancied up.  It’s just about the game, like it should be. 

[Brand J]

8 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

Yours is the simplistic view.  Look at the NHL--in Florida as an example.  Why would they put more than 1 team in a state where not many kids play relative to the northeast and the midwest--and there really isn't a college hockey culture?  Because there are large population centers (many with transplants).  The success of Tampa Bay in the NFL LEAD TO a 73% increase in youth hockey participation over a decade.  So you actually have it backwards.

 

In the US, far more kids play soccer growing up, but college soccer is not significant as far as "fans" and MLS and USMNT are very small niche sports for viewers--in fact international soccer is more popular in this country than anything home grown.  Soccer as a professional viewing sport, overall, is not very popular here--despite how many kids grew up plying it.  Youth football is popular in this country because of the NFl--it's clearly not the other way around.  Everyone knows this.

 

The NFL, which finds money everywhere, rightfully disagrees with you.  Its product is already globally available via streaming services--for free since 2015 in the UK.  They feel the way to grow it further is to bring it live to new markets. Their UK games, which they started started 18 years ago, routinely sell out.  UK and Germany had 8 million viewers of the 2024 Super Bowl.  Mexico had a massive 24 million viewers.

 

Your argument make no sense at all---the NFL is supposed to wait for the UK and the rest of Europe and Australia to "grow youth football" instead of taking all that money that is. on the table right now?  I'm sure that seemed not like a "simplistic view" when you were typing it lol.....

This may surprise you: there was a point in time the NFL wasn’t popular. College marching bands would play the halftime show. What changed? Massive support for the sport? Where/when did that begin? Hint: it wasn’t because millions of Americans decided to pick up a remote and turn on a game “just because.” It started with the atmosphere that is varsity football (homecoming, pep rally’s, rivalries, boosters, cheerleaders, etc) and it carried over into college. That’s where the growth began. That’s what we have that these countries abroad do not. That’s why the game has reached gladiator arena status.
 

Did you read the original article that was referenced stating the NFL has been struggling to gain a foothold abroad despite sending teams every year? You have fans in those crowds wearing 32 different jerseys. We’re talking about growing the game to the point where fans show up with one of the two team jerseys. You know, like their futbol teams. Not 32. These games are a novelty for them and the Super Bowl numbers you referenced were comically paltry. Should have kept that information to yourself.

 

Obviously if we could transport millions of Americans abroad, the game would grow on rooting influence alone. Those who previously had little to no interest would likely follow their American friend’s team. My argument wasn’t necessarily to “grow youth football” abroad, although that would be the easiest way to grow the interest. I’m saying the NFL has to reach the younger generation and make the game relatable for them somehow/someway. Like basketball, which has comfortably reached global status. If the youth are playing rugby in their high schools, rather than American football, which sport do you think they’ll continue to support en masse? Which sport do you think they’ll continue to support as adults? This isn’t rocket science. 

8 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

Yours is the simplistic view.  Look at the NHL--in Florida as an example.  Why would they put more than 1 team in a state where not many kids play relative to the northeast and the midwest--and there really isn't a college hockey culture?  Because there are large population centers (many with transplants).  The success of Tampa Bay in the NFL LEAD TO a 73% increase in youth hockey participation over a decade.  So you actually have it backwards.

 

In the US, far more kids play soccer growing up, but college soccer is not significant as far as "fans" and MLS and USMNT are very small niche sports for viewers--in fact international soccer is more popular in this country than anything home grown.  Soccer as a professional viewing sport, overall, is not very popular here--despite how many kids grew up plying it.  Youth football is popular in this country because of the NFl--it's clearly not the other way around.  Everyone knows this.

 

The NFL, which finds money everywhere, rightfully disagrees with you.  Its product is already globally available via streaming services--for free since 2015 in the UK.  They feel the way to grow it further is to bring it live to new markets. Their UK games, which they started started 18 years ago, routinely sell out.  UK and Germany had 8 million viewers of the 2024 Super Bowl.  Mexico had a massive 24 million viewers.

 

Your argument make no sense at all---the NFL is supposed to wait for the UK and the rest of Europe and Australia to "grow youth football" instead of taking all that money that is. on the table right now?  I'm sure that seemed not like a "simplistic view" when you were typing it lol.....

 

14 hours ago, EssexBill said:

I can’t speak for the rest of Europe, but you’re absolutely correct in what you say regarding the UK.

 

It’s never going to be more than a small minority sport in the Uk though due to the popularity of Rugby which most people think of as being similar. It’s not of course, and the only thing similar is the shape of the ball, but people thing of Rugby as being for tough guys and will comment that American football players are soft because they wear helmets and pads. That’s the overwhelming attitude towards it, and it’s not likely to ever change when Rugby is played in schools up and down the country 

 

6 hours ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

I agree 100% w your statement.  I was partying in Fort Lauderdale the other night and was talking w two British guys who were visiting the states w their wives.  We were talking sports and I asked them if the NFL is well liked over in England, and surprisingly they said no.  They don’t much like American football there.  They love soccer and rugby.  They said the Premier League is very big.  

 

The NFL w its international games, and games on different streaming platforms, etc. is just kind of ruining the charm of it.  

 

The Super Bowl is an event more than a championship.  

 

I got into College basketball once the Bills season was over this year because my school Michigan had an exciting excellent team.  I watched a lot of games towards the end of the season and the NCAA tournament.   It still felt like sport should feel.  And not all polished up and artificial like the whole Super Bowl production is.  The studio show on TNT w Barkley Kenny Smith ana Clark Kellogg is real and raw, not all fancied up.  It’s just about the game, like it should be. 

Somehow you’d disagree with these two as well. 

[Kirby Jackson]

58 minutes ago, Brand J said:

This may surprise you: there was a point in time the NFL wasn’t popular. College marching bands would play the halftime show. What changed? Massive support for the sport? Where/when did that begin? Hint: it wasn’t because millions of Americans decided to pick up a remote and turn on a game “just because.” It started with the atmosphere that is varsity football (homecoming, pep rally’s, rivalries, boosters, cheerleaders, etc) and it carried over into college. That’s where the growth began. That’s what we have that these countries abroad do not. That’s why the game has reached gladiator arena status.
 

Did you read the original article that was referenced stating the NFL has been struggling to gain a foothold abroad despite sending teams every year? You have fans in those crowds wearing 32 different jerseys. We’re talking about growing the game to the point where fans show up with one of the two team jerseys. You know, like their futbol teams. Not 32. These games are a novelty for them and the Super Bowl numbers you referenced were comically paltry. Should have kept that information to yourself.

 

Obviously if we could transport millions of Americans abroad, the game would grow on rooting influence alone. Those who previously had little to no interest would likely follow their American friend’s team. My argument wasn’t necessarily to “grow youth football” abroad, although that would be the easiest way to grow the interest. I’m saying the NFL has to reach the younger generation and make the game relatable for them somehow/someway. Like basketball, which has comfortably reached global status. If the youth are playing rugby in their high schools, rather than American football, which sport do you think they’ll continue to support en masse? Which sport do you think they’ll continue to support as adults? This isn’t rocket science. 

Disclaimer: this is anecdotal and may or may not be representative of the situation abroad.

 

I went to the game in London in 2023. The kid that sat next to us was born and raised in London. He plays in the American Football Leage there. His league played at either halftime or before the game (I don’t remember). He didn’t but had in a previous year. He was there with his mother. She was saying how much the league has grown since he started (he was maybe like 12). He was all in (although wearing a Jags hat). My impression (again anecdotal) is that the game had grown quite a bit. Define quite a bit? I can’t.
 

My take on the situation, from that trip was that the NFL is popular in London at least. How popular? Similar to the Premier League here. People wore jerseys of all 32 teams. We were counting and thinking we saw 30 different jerseys. They loved it but it was a novelty. There are people on here infinitely more qualified to discuss the popularity of the NFL abroad, but that’s my $.02. It was more popular than I expected but not anywhere near what it is here (or even in Canada). 

Edited April 12 by Kirby Jackson

[BillsShredder83]

On 4/10/2026 at 1:48 PM, Einstein said:

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/roger-goodell-nfl-plans-to-play-in-australia-for-the-long-term

 

That’s what? 20-ish hours in travel time from Buffalo?

I hope Goodell always walks carefully on the stairs and wears his seat belt.

 

Fans would be so devastated if he left this league 🤣🤣🤣

[Arkansasrifle]

Horrible idea

[Brand J]

10 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Disclaimer: this is anecdotal and may or may not be representative of the situation abroad.

 

I went to the game in London in 2023. The kid that sat next to us was born and raised in London. He plays in the American Football Leage there. His league played at either halftime or before the game (I don’t remember). He didn’t but had in a previous year. He was there with his mother. She was saying how much the league has grown since he started (he was maybe like 12). He was all in (although wearing a Jags hat). My impression (again anecdotal) is that the game had grown quite a bit. Define quite a bit? I can’t.
 

My take on the situation, from that trip was that the NFL is popular in London at least. How popular? Similar to the Premier League here. People worse jerseys of all 32 teams. We were counting and thinking we saw 30 different jerseys. They loved it but it was a novelty. There are people on here infinitely more qualified to discuss the popularity of the NFL abroad, but that’s my $.02. It was more popular than I expected but not anywhere near what it is here (or even in Canada). 

Yeah, I’m not discounting the NFL’s effort to popularize the game abroad (and specifically the UK). There certainly is more interest today versus what it was before the games started. What I’m saying is that it can’t be a global sport like the others because it’s not relatable to their youth in the same way it is ours. The NFL would love nothing more than rabid international fans, that’s why they keep sending teams abroad, but there’s a ceiling to the popularity unless something changes that turns it from a novelty to a passion.

 

EDIT: and now that I’m looking at it again, maybe that’s where WEO was getting tripped up. The game has grown on a small scale, yes, but is absolutely nothing like futbol, basketball, or any other global sport and won’t ever be until we reach their younger generation in a comparable way.

Edited April 12 by Brand J

[BillsShredder83]

9 minutes ago, Brand J said:

Yeah, I’m not discounting the NFL’s effort to popularize the game abroad (and specifically the UK). There certainly is more interest today versus what it was before the games started. What I’m saying is that it can’t be a global sport like the others because it’s not relatable to their youth in the same way it is ours. The NFL would love nothing more than rabid international fans, that’s why they keep sending teams abroad, but there’s a ceiling to the popularity unless something changes that turns it from a novelty to a passion.

 

EDIT: and now that I’m looking at it again, maybe that’s where WEO was getting tripped up. The game has grown on a small scale, yes, but is absolutely nothing like futbol, basketball, or any other global sport and won’t ever be until we reach their younger generation in a comparable way.

Honestly I can't ever see it catching on anywhere else. Its too cost prohibitive for kids to get into it like it is here.

 

Not only is football gear expensive,  but finding 40-50 kids in a town wanting to play seems unlikely. Its the hardest sport for kids to organize organically. Soccer you can play 2 on 2, play "half court". Literally no expenses other than a ball... bball, you can shoot by yourself. Play 1 on 1, there are courts everywhere in cities that have pickup games going 12hrs a day, 7 days a week.

 

To grow the way thst the nfl wants to, they'd have to convert soccer/bball fans away from those sports to an extent. It's not just gettinh popular needed... but the sports are competing for the same pool of kids to an extent too.

 

Pulling a kid out of most popular sport there in soccer,  and getting them into football is just not happening at the scale needed.

[Buffalo716]

8 hours ago, WotAGuy said:

Disagree.  Until you’ve hit someone over the back of their head with a metal folding chair, you have no true appreciation for pro wrestling. 
 

 

When I was younger we used to have a backyard wrestling league 

 

I was always the hardcore guy.. so in my teenage years I still wasn't taking full chair shots to the Head .. that's where I drew the line lol

 

But I did let my friends bust me over the head with 5/8 in thick drywall a good amount of times 

 

And that thing explodes like fireworks and compresses your spine lol

Edited April 12 by Buffalo716

[Kirby Jackson]

1 hour ago, Brand J said:

Yeah, I’m not discounting the NFL’s effort to popularize the game abroad (and specifically the UK). There certainly is more interest today versus what it was before the games started. What I’m saying is that it can’t be a global sport like the others because it’s not relatable to their youth in the same way it is ours. The NFL would love nothing more than rabid international fans, that’s why they keep sending teams abroad, but there’s a ceiling to the popularity unless something changes that turns it from a novelty to a passion.

 

EDIT: and now that I’m looking at it again, maybe that’s where WEO was getting tripped up. The game has grown on a small scale, yes, but is absolutely nothing like futbol, basketball, or any other global sport and won’t ever be until we reach their younger generation in a comparable way.

I agree.

 

I guess where I agree with @Mr. WEO is that even small, incremental, growth abroad is more profitable than what’s left to squeeze out of the US. It’s the only place left to grow. With football making up 92 of the top 100 watched shows in the US (actually down from some years) this market is tapped out. They’re dragging new networks in, finding new days for a stand alone game (ie night before Thanksgiving) but there aren’t many more fans to attract. To attract new eyeballs they need to go around the world. 

Edited April 13 by Kirby Jackson