Report: NFL, Chargers interested in team possibly moving to London

Brian in Mesa

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NFL, Chargers interested in team possibly moving to London

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/chargers-nfl-london-los-angeles-move-050456914.html

After years of success with its games in London, the NFL might be considering taking its overseas relationship with the city one step further.

Interest is picking up with the league, the Los Angeles Chargers and the rest of the NFL’s team owners in a possible move by the team to London, according to a report from The Athletic’s Vincent Bonsignore:

The Athletic has learned through NFL sources that the possibility of the Chargers moving to London has been broached among league personnel. The Athletic also has learned that, while the team is fully committed to Los Angeles where it will move into the new $4.5 billion stadium with the Rams next year, the Chargers would at least listen if the NFL approached them about about London as a possible option.

Finally, The Athletic has learned that NFL owners are concerned enough about the Chargers’ situation in L.A., where a crowded sports market and the presence of the more established Rams has resulted in a tepid embracement [sic] of the Chargers, that they would provide the necessary support for a relocation to London if the Chargers pursue it.

In summary, it appears there are few figures with control over the Chargers’ location who would say no to a hypothetical move to London.

The Chargers are scheduled to move into the Inglewood stadium with the Rams next season, but it’s clear the team is in danger of becoming the second banana in a city that might not have enough room for two NFL teams.

A move to London would give the Chargers sole possession of an even bigger market, with the whole of the United Kingdom possibly rooting for them. The Athletic also mentions the state-of-the-art, 62,000-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the likely venue for the team.
 

Shane

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There is no way with travel and time change that this would even be feasible IMO.
 
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Brian in Mesa

Brian in Mesa

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There is no way with travel and time change that this would even be feasible IMO.

I'm on the same page. Not sure why international expansion would have to be London. Why not Canada or Mexico? Someplace where travel is still a big deal, but not THAT big of a deal.

Personally, I feel the league should just remain in the US with occasional games outside of the country to spotlight the sport for fans around the world, but there is no need for a team to reside in another part of the world.

Heck, if they want a team outside of the contiguous United States so badly - why not Alaska or Hawaii first? ;)
 

Dr. Jones

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Personally..... This could also mean a move to the AFC West for the Cardinals.

The possibilities are endless.
 

Dr. Jones

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I'm on the same page. Not sure why international expansion would have to be London. Why not Canada or Mexico? Someplace where travel is still a big deal, but not THAT big of a deal.

Personally, I feel the league should just remain in the US with occasional games outside of the country to spotlight the sport for fans around the world, but there is no need for a team to reside in another part of the world.

Heck, if they want a team outside of the contiguous United States so badly - why not Alaska or Hawaii first? ;)
London is just as close to the NFL home office from a time zone perspective but will command far superior dollars.
 

BigRedRage

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imagine having to fly to arizona from london for an away game and then back to london for a thursday night game.
 

cardpa

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Stupid Stupid Idea! Five hour difference to the East coast and eight hours to the West coast. Air travel is 3500 miles to the East coast and 5500 miles to the West coast. Eight hour travel time to the East coast and add an extra 6 hours to the West coast so a team would be traveling 14 hours just to get to a game on the West coast. No matter which way you are traveling a team would need an entire travel day and need to adjust to the time difference. The Chargers would have to do this multiple times during the season unless they clump their away games together and then that adds finding places to practice between games and I bet the players would hate the idea of living out of suitcases for 3 or 4 consecutive weeks.
 

mjb21aztd

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That would suck for the players long airplane rides every sun....

Not gonna happen just have a few teams keep playing each yr in London
 

Dr. Jones

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imagine having to fly to arizona from london for an away game and then back to london for a thursday night game.
My thought:

Seattle to the AFC West. Jacksonville moves to the NFC South. New Orleans moves to the AFC South.The Cowboys move to the NFC West.

Ha..... It will never happen.

Therefore..... no way they move a west coast team all the way to London. St. Louis? Absolutely.

Then the St. Louis Chargers can just stay in the AFC West with Vegas, KC, & Denver.

London is destined to be the home of the Jaguars IMO
 

HoodieBets

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My thought:

Seattle to the AFC West. Jacksonville moves to the NFC South. New Orleans moves to the AFC South.The Cowboys move to the NFC West.

Ha..... It will never happen.

Therefore..... no way they move a west coast team all the way to London. St. Louis? Absolutely.

Then the St. Louis Chargers can just stay in the AFC West with Vegas, KC, & Denver.

London is destined to be the home of the Jaguars IMO

It can be much more simplistic.
Chargers to AFC East
Miami to AFC South
Houston to AFC West.

Everyone stays in their own conference and travel not bad at all once the raiders move to Vegas and a short flight to Denver. The longest flight for Houston would be to Vegas at 3 hours.

The rivalry of Mahomes and Watson could amp up and you could create an instate rival of Jacksonville and Miami if they ever amount to anything. This is actually ideal and would make a better division set up.


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Jasper

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Not gonna happen. The time, the travel, the income tax, residency and visas. How would the team be able to sign free agents?

The chargers messed up moving to LA. LA didn’t really need or want the team.
 

kerouac9

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People aren't being very creative about the time and travel. If San Diego had 3-game home stands and road trips, it would be pretty easy. Teams coming back always have a bye week following. The playoffs could be a mess, but whatevs.

The passive voice used in this article is hilarious. I think the Chargers are locked into a 15-year lease on the Rams' stadium, which means the NFL would have to step in to get them out of it.
 

ARZCardinals

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They play 6 games a year there now....it's not a big deal

The team can stay in the states for 2 sessions of 4 weeks each for their away games and have their 8 home games in London.

Why people cry so much about this I'll never know

If you own the team ...Wembly stadium holds 90k and sells out for every game. The passion for sports in London far exceeds that of any US city. It's simple math...move the team and make a boat load of money

also, once you live in London the trips to other Europe cities are easy and a ton of fun

People hate change....get over it....change is going to happen
 

ajcardfan

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Not gonna happen. The time, the travel, the income tax, residency and visas. How would the team be able to sign free agents?

The chargers messed up moving to LA. LA didn’t really need or want the team.

LA won't even support the Rams when they suck again. LA has thoroughly proven it is the most apathetic NFL market. The NFL teams are third in local interest behind USC and UCLA.

The Chargers? The LA Kings get more real fans at their games. Chargers home games look like road games.
 
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Brian in Mesa

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So, would the league change it's name to the IFL? Currently it is the National Football League, but with a permanent team in another country...wouldn't the International Football League be more appropriate? :shrug: #justsaying
 

Dback Jon

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People aren't being very creative about the time and travel. If San Diego had 3-game home stands and road trips, it would be pretty easy. Teams coming back always have a bye week following. The playoffs could be a mess, but whatevs.

The passive voice used in this article is hilarious. I think the Chargers are locked into a 15-year lease on the Rams' stadium, which means the NFL would have to step in to get them out of it.


Really good points. East Coast to London is a five hour difference. That is just a bit more than the 3 hour time difference West Coast teams have to face (and since there are a lot of East Coast teams, West Coast teams have to do that multiple times a year, versus once to London.

Bye weeks after traveling to London, etc would be helpful.
 
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It can be much more simplistic.
Chargers to AFC East
Miami to AFC South
Houston to AFC West.

Everyone stays in their own conference and travel not bad at all once the raiders move to Vegas and a short flight to Denver. The longest flight for Houston would be to Vegas at 3 hours.

The rivalry of Mahomes and Watson could amp up and you could create an instate rival of Jacksonville and Miami if they ever amount to anything. This is actually ideal and would make a better division set up.


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What makes the most sense is moving the Cowboys to the AFC West but we know Jerry would never let that happen.
I think your proposal is the most realistic and I would be in favor of it.
With some creative scheduling I really don't think it would be that big a deal and I think if you could figure out a way to offset the income taxes, players would be fighting each other for the chance to play in London.
 

Solar7

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I think it's possible, but I just still can't see it happening. As mentioned, getting free agents to commit and such would be a really big deal. Uprooting your family out there? Getting players over for a short training camp or minicamp and back? All a major challenge.

The logistics of travel can probably be worked out, as seen above, but not particularly smoothly.

But enough teams go over there, and as long as the schedule-makers are fair about it, you can alternate divisions for participation in this.
 

londonpete

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Even taking into account the logistics of it all, I'm not convinced it would work from a fans point of view.

Speaking as a born and bred Londoner, while I love being able to see live, meaningful NFL games now, my affiliation is purely to the Cardinals.
I wouldn't now be able to support a London team after 35 years of following the Cards from across the pond.

I think that feeling goes for a lot of UK based fans who have followed their team for many years, maybe based on family connections too.

So a London team may get full stadia, but not necessarily a great atmosphere.
 
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