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01 Dec 2008

London 2009: Patriots "at" Buccaneers

The 2009 game in London: Patriots at Buccaneers. Hope you didn't like having eight home games, Buccaneers fans.

Posted by: Bill Barnwell on 01 Dec 2008

31 comments, Last at 03 Dec 2008, 7:44pm by CluelessGuesserLori

Comments

1
by IsraelP (not verified) :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 2:46pm

So the idea is to send two teams that appear to be pretty good. If every team is to get one of these as a home game and one as a road game, then there must be an assumption that eventually everyone will fit the bill. Either that, or there will eventually be two concutive Lions/Bengals games, at the end of the cycle.

But if it were me, I'd put the Cardinals in now, before that chance is lost.

21
by Dales :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 8:40am

That cycle would have taken 60 years. :-) By then, either the experiment would have worked and there will have been expansion into Europe (ending the experiment) or the experiment will have ended.

We don't want to cause WWIV by sending Lions/Bengals. Twice.

2
by Karl Cuba :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 2:51pm

I can see two positives from this

1- I will get the chance to boo Brady and the rest of the Pats until my voice is hoarse.

2- Buccaneers Cheerleaders

The downside is that if Monte Kiffin leaves the Bucs then their defense will likely be worse and the f*****g Pats will probably win big, meaning more booing and a sore throat.

9
by Stereochemistry (not verified) :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 4:39pm

Not if the Bucs promote Raheem Morris to DC. The guy can coach; check out the Bucs defense in 2006 when he was the Secondary coach, the Bucs defense in 2007 when he was at Kansas State as DC (and for extra fun, check out Kansas State's performance before he was there, while he was there, and when he left), and the Bucs defense this year now that he's back. It's rather remarkable.

3
by gobucs87 (not verified) :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 3:01pm

Serves us Bucs fans right for leaving Raymond James Stadium half-empty every week.

4
by Charlie (not verified) :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 3:16pm

I was going to say bring the ship, but the Bucs should *come* on the ship. Sail up the Thames in that thing. Awesome.

5
by MilkmanDanimal :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 3:18pm

Well, crap. And right after a year when we've been undefeated at home.

6
by A Lions Fan (not verified) :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 3:58pm

Quit whining. At least your teams win games every year.

8
by MilkmanDanimal :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 4:21pm

Hey, your team wins games . . . well, every other year than this, at least.

10
by zlionsfan :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 5:07pm

and 1942.

7
by JasonK :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 4:18pm

So, Miami, New Orleans, and now Tampa will be losing home games overseas. The Texans better look out-- the NFL apparently hates teams based within 100 miles of the Gulf of Mexico.

11
by Theo :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 5:29pm

P1: Soccer, Rugby and playing darts and drinking pints are the 3 most popular past times in England.
P2: American football is more popular in Germany than in England.
C1: So the logical thing for the NFL to do is... oh forget it.

13
by fyo :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 7:55pm

Location, location, location.

It's INCREDIBLY cheap to fly into London from pretty much anywhere in Europe. I would wager that it's cheaper for a lot of Germans to go attend the game in London that it would be if the game were held in Germany.

The new Wembley Stadium is an incredibly venue - arguably the best in Europe - and with a capacity of 90,000 it's much larger than any comparable German facility. Westfalenstadion (Dortmund) is the largest German stadium, with an official capacity of just over 80,000 - but only around 65,000 seated. All of Wembley's 90,000 are seated - and covered in case of inclement weather. Westfalenstadion is also very old and cannot compare to newer stadia.

The only two realistic German venues are Allianz Arena (Bayern München) and Olympiastadion (Berlin). Allianz Arena is new and an amazing stadium, but can only seat 66,000. Olympiastadion is old, but newly renovated and capable of seating 76,000.

Still, no Northern European stadium comes close to the new Wembley Stadium. Probably the ONLY European venue that can compete is Camp Nou (Barcelona).

I would argue that it also helps that the English speak, well, English ;)

12
by Sergio :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 7:31pm

Ok.

I said it once, and I'll say it again: Mexico City broke the single-game attendance record, both in preseason and in regular season (1994 and 2004, respectively). So why in the hell aren't we slated for another game?

Fine, NFL. Just f*ing fine.

-- Go Phins!

14
by fyo :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 8:00pm

Which brings up the issue I never understood: Why aren't (some) preseason games played abroad (instead of a regular season game)?

It would be much EASIER to do, since the "circus" is much smaller for preseason games. And, while they don't count, they would still be immensely popular. There could also be more of them, allowing more fans in Europe to see "their" team in person.

22
by Dales :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 8:42am

I think the idea is to sell the game to the foreigners.

Preseason games might have the opposite effect.

23
by tuluse :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 11:49am

Just make sure it's the 3rd preseason game.

24
by David :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 12:38pm

Done - years ago

The first overseas preseason game was held in London in 1983 - 25 years ago.

We went to them, we enjoyed them, we got bored with seeing substandard football, we stopped going to them - they are no longer "immensely popular"

I believe that there was a preseason game in Tokyo this year, where the novelty has not yet worn off

15
by Yuro Buc (not verified) :: Mon, 12/01/2008 - 8:34pm

The NFL used to do preseason games at wembley but the fans soon got bored watching 1/4 of their favourite teams and 3 quarters of guys who would play in nfl yurp next spring anyway

17
by fyo :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 3:51am

But why limit it to Wembley? Preseason games would be the perfect way to give fans in MANY parts of Europe a chance to see their teams up close. The stadium requirements for a preseason game are much lower than for a regular season one, so probably every single country in Western Europe has at least one stadium that would fit the bill.

Spread the love, so to speak ;)

25
by David :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 12:40pm

"The stadium requirements for a preseason game are much lower than for a regular season one, so probably every single country in Western Europe has at least one stadium that would fit the bill."

Y'know, you're a patronising little fuck.

30
by fyo :: Wed, 12/03/2008 - 5:08pm

Y'know, you're a patronising little fuck.

I also live in one of those Western European countries that would then be able to host a game.

27
by Snidely (not verified) :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 12:56pm

"nfl yurp" = win.

16
by RickD :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 2:24am

Why do the Bucs lose a home game?

Ask Malcolm Glazer. After all, he's been one of the biggest proponents of having the NFL play in England, right?

18
by Paulo Sanchotene, RS, Brazil (not verified) :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 5:28am

Two things, because this game can be a home game for Tampa if: (a) it's played at Old Trafford; (b) and Bucs play it wearing red shirt, white pants, black socks and with a red devil painted on their helmets...

19
by Mungo (not verified) :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 6:03am

If you're suggesting that us United fans would cheer for the Bucs just because they're owned by Glazer, then you've slightly missed the exact nature of our feelings about the guy.

29
by Paulo Sanchotene, RS, Brazil (not verified) :: Wed, 12/03/2008 - 11:15am

Not exactly, Mungo. I thought it would be a great opportunity for ManU fans cheer to ManU(!), in a different sport. I didn't say just to move the game to Old Trafford, but to dress Bucs players as Red Devils...

20
by andrew :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 8:15am

If they're going to play in London, wouldn't it make senses to make this the first week of the NFL? That way you could hold it earlier to help offset the impact of the travel time... I'd say hold it on thursday but time zone differences would mean you'd want it to be an "early" game...

26
by David :: Tue, 12/02/2008 - 12:42pm

It's scheduled for that one week of the year when because of the different week the countries stop daylight saving time/British Summer time, the time difference is only four hours, instead of five

28
by M. Simon (not verified) :: Wed, 12/03/2008 - 11:14am

At least the Saints don't get totally hosed by the league for one year....

31
by CluelessGuesserLori (not verified) :: Wed, 12/03/2008 - 7:44pm

Look out for lots of Patriots jerseys...

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