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NFL to consider playing 2 games overseas every year


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Associated Press

National Football League News Wire

<DIV class=text11 style="BACKGROUND: #fff">NEW YORK -- NFL owners will consider next month whether to

play two games a year outside the United States, starting with

contests in Canada, Mexico, Britain and Germany.

The league has played numerous exhibition games overseas for the

past two decades. The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks

will play a preseason game next August in Beijing.

But last year's San Francisco-Arizona game in Mexico City is the

only regular-season match played outside the United States. It drew

over 100,000 fans to Azteca Stadium.

Mark Waller, senior vice president of NFL International, said

Thursday the league believes fans in a number of countries are now

ready for the real thing. NFL games regularly have been televised

live in Mexico and Canada and more recently in Europe, notably the

United Kingdom.

"The preseason games and American Bowl games have worked well

to introduce fans to the game," Waller said. "Once fans have

gotten to know it and understand it, they are very aware that the

regular season, playoffs and Super Bowl are the real thing."

Waller already has spoken to the owners about the plan and

received an enthusiastic response, with most of the questions about

logistics rather than economics. Under the plan, which would

probably be put in place for the 2007 season, there would be a

rotation so that each team would lose only one home game every 16

years.

Coaches have tended to be less enthusiastic about going

overseas, especially to Europe and Asia, primarily because of jet

lag and travel time. Waller noted, however, that a trip to England

or Germany isn't much different from a coast-to-coast trip.

League officials, who have been talking for years about

regular-season overseas games, say that matches in Europe could be

timed in a way that teams returning from them might go into a bye

week. They are likely to be played in October, a period when the

bye weeks always are in effect.

The plan, first reported by The Arizona Republic, will be

discussed again during meetings in New Orleans on Oct. 24.

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Big market teams arn't going to want to forefit more then a Preseason home game over-seas. The only reason why the Cardinals were so willing is because in the 100,000+ they drew as a "home" game vs San Fran, was more then the amonut of people combined that showed up for the other 7 true home games in Tempe. There's no way they're going to convince a team like Dallas, Pittsburgh, New England, etc. to give up a regular season home game over-seas so I think it's going to stick to Preseason games.

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Big market teams arn't going to want to forefit more then a Preseason home game over-seas. The only reason why the Cardinals were so willing is because in the 100,000+ they drew as a "home" game vs San Fran, was more then the amonut of people combined that showed up for the other 7 true home games in Tempe. There's no way they're going to convince a team like Dallas, Pittsburgh, New England, etc. to give up a regular season home game over-seas so I think it's going to stick to Preseason games.

As much as I love the NFL there isn't much interest in it outside of North America.

Having regular season games overseas would be a disaster.

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As much as I love the NFL there isn't much interest in it outside of North America.

Having regular season games overseas would be a disaster.

I agree. Much as I'd love to see the Jets over here, I can't see it remotely selling out.

Bad bad idea.

As if season ticket holders aren't screwed enough anyway.

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Count on the Bucaneers and Browns to be the first to play overseas, in England. The Glazers own Manchester United and the Browns owner just bought Aston Villa in the English Premier League. NFL games in the 76,000 seat home field of Manchester United would put more money in the pocket for the Bucs owner than playing in Tampa.

Several reports have the Pats Bob Krause interested in buying Liverpool. Seems NFL owners are branching out into EPL ownership and thus the interest in playing regular season games in Europe, especially England.

Wouldn't be surprising if the Bucs play a home game in Manchester and Manchester United plays a home game in Tampa.

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Count on the Bucaneers and Browns to be the first to play overseas, in England. The Glazers own Manchester United and the Browns owner just bought Aston Villa in the English Premier League. NFL games in the 76,000 seat home field of Manchester United would put more money in the pocket for the Bucs owner than playing in Tampa.

Several reports have the Pats Bob Krause interested in buying Liverpool. Seems NFL owners are branching out into EPL ownership and thus the interest in playing regular season games in Europe, especially England.

Wouldn't be surprising if the Bucs play a home game in Manchester and Manchester United plays a home game in Tampa.

Thereis a lot of bad feeling towards the Glazers from the Man U fans,i could see the fans kicking up a storm if tampa were to play at old trafford.

The other way round for Villa fans,they lover Lerner and many have started rooting fr the browns.I'm sure they would show up for a Browns game.

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I hope Vancouver qualifies as overseas.

We have a 60,00 seat indoor stadium that only sells out for concerts and the occasional Grey Cup.

Yes, we lost our Grizz due to mismanagement, but I know the NFL would do well here.

And people love coming here. Great weather, fantastic scenery, mountains, water, the greatest park in the world, excellent beer, downtown beaches and more women than men.

Gimme some NFL here!!

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I hope Vancouver qualifies as overseas.

We have a 60,00 seat indoor stadium that only sells out for concerts and the occasional Grey Cup.

Yes, we lost our Grizz due to mismanagement, but I know the NFL would do well here.

And people love coming here. Great weather, fantastic scenery, mountains, water, the greatest park in the world, excellent beer, downtown beaches and more women than men.

Gimme some NFL here!!

It would make sense for the NFL to head to Vancouver or Toronto but that is to logical.

Let's send teams to Europe & Asia!

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It should be KC vs Manchester. Herm would at least stand a chance at outcoaching someone who doesn't know how the game is played.

I think Fergie'd be a quick learner.......

Final score Manchester United 3, KC 0.

Herm would see how much of United's plays end in kicks and he'd adopt that game plan.

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