PalenQ

In all fairness to British organizers the Lions had for them a great season last year and were expecting to be much better than they were - the 0-5 start was startling for sure.

janisj

<i>In all fairness to the British organizers . . .</i>

British organizers have very little to do with anything -- except renting the stadium to the NFL. The League selects the dates, the teams, the referees, the broadcasters, the ticket prices, you name it. This is an NFL show all the way.

PalenQ

So Brits don't care if two sad sacks come and play as they will show up for any game in numbers? OK - I got it that it's a 100% NFL deal but NFL is short changing the Brits in this tilt. But I guess you have to give all teams a chance to go - Lions' 2nd time - Q for janis the expert on this - how does the NFL choose teams? By a draw or those who want to go and those who refuse?

hetismij2

Are the ticket prices at Wembley much higher than for the equivalent game in the US Janis?

janisj

hetismij2: Not when you buy them from the teams when first released. In fact my ticket a couple of years ago (Club Level w/ early access) was actually cheaper than what the Niners charge this year in Levi stadium for comparable seats but about the same as they would have cost at Candlestick. (Of course that doesn't count the airfares and hotels )

But because the teams' allotments sell out pretty quickly - ticket brokers and sports package agencies sell at a big mark up.

PQ: >>So Brits don't care if two sad sacks come and play as they will show up for any game in numbers?<<

Only maybe 25%-30% of the crowd (at least in my section and nearby) were Blokes. There were about the same # of Americans as British . . . and more French/Germans/Belgians/Dutch than either.

>>how does the NFL choose teams? By a draw or those who want to go and those who refuse?<<

Ask them -- just like when the NBA schedules games in China -- the teams are selected by the league and I'm pretty sure there is no veto power.

janisj

Oh -- and members of the NFL UK and NFL Europe fan associations also get ticket allotments - just like the participating teams do. Those seats sold out in hours.

PalenQ

Do teams playing get extra compensations for going over there - above that is for losing a home game take? I assume their luxury hotels and air and transportation with Uber or such is also covered? If it's lucrative teams may beg to go and I guess it seems Brits and Europeans will come see it whoever is playing.

jv827

The NFL does not force teams to go to London, at least not officially. The Rams agreed to play two straight years there, then backed out after changing their minds. However, I'm sure there are instances where other factors come into play behind the scenes.

Also, there are two incentives the NFL recently added to try and encourage more teams to go. The NFL owners voted last year, and any team/stadium either hosting, or wanting to host a Super Bowl, must be willing to give up a home game and be the "home" team in London, and it must be within 5 years. So that's why even teams like the Chiefs, who easily sell out their stadium, are willing to travel for the games, even at the risk of financial and competitive disadvantage. But they haven't announced whether that applies to cities who've already been awarded the SB, or whether it will begin with the next city. But to even be considered for a future SB (and both KC and Miami want to host), you have to play and be the home team in London.

They also voted to give the host team an additional $1,000,000, on top of lost home game revenue.

29FEB

And the KC Chiefs' fans are having fun as well:

http://espn.go.com/blog/kansas-city-...-the-teams-tab

rialtogrl

My mother and are considering going to a game next fall if the dates work (we are stopping in London on our way home from Spain.) I read janisj's trip report and it sounded like a lot of fun. Ticket prices for this year didn't look too horrible in the cheap seats, and it's good to know the tickets sell out fast. Apparently The Packers and Steelers are interested, would love to see one of those teams play!

A few years ago when the Chargers went to London a few of my friends flew over to see the game and they had a blast.

IMDonehere

After the cr-p that the Brits give the Americans on this board, the NFL thought that it was more than fair to send the Lions.

janisj

rialtogirl: Teams that have big international following (Niners, Bears, Packers, Steelers, Pats, Dolphins and a few others) are huge draws so would sell out quicker. People travel in from all over the world. If you don't get the face value/team allocation tickets -- there are well known UK agencies (like Thomas Cook) that put together hotel/game/hospitality packages.

rialtogrl

Thanks for the info janisj. Its a timing thing now - if it works logistically then I will start to watch for the ticket sales dates. If it works out it works out

PalenQ

Don't expect the toothless Lions to be invited back for a third straight year after today's embarrassment. Europeans want to see football at its best,not worst as sad sack Lions give.

IMDonehere

So do Americans. The Lions are one of the few NFL teams that existed before the AFL-NFL merger who have not won a Superbowl

annhig

Give me rugby, either code, any day of the week. Played by real men without the need for body armour.>>

hear, hear.

how did the match go? it didn't even make the BBC Radio 5 live results round-up, such is the lack of interest.

<<After the cr-p that the Brits give the Americans on this board, the NFL thought that it was more than fair to send the Lions.>>

IMDonehere - did you miss BigRuss's "contribution"?

<<Dang, rugby is so dull. Plus, every time a ball carrier gets tackled, he looks like he's laying an egg in trying to get the ball to the dude behind him.>>

so dull, BigRuss? tell that to all the fans who filled the stadiums for the RWC that just finished.

to each his/her own. You keep your NFL, we'll stick to our rugby.

IMDonehere

I must admit I did not read every adjective and comma of Big Russ's missive.

It is a cultural difference. Soccer finally is taking hold in the US after 500 years of European invasion.

Bedar

The NFL wants to infect Europeans with the football malaise. They are panicked because football is doomed in the US because of the injuries.

annhig

it's doomed, IMHO, because it's just so darned dull. Stop -starting every few seconds is just not interesting. no wonder you need the cheer-leaders to keep the crowd interested.

Heimdall

I am a transplanted American, and my love of rugby started in 2003 while I was in Australia during the RWC. I grew up in Wisconsin watching gridiron football, but enjoy the faster pace of rugby, especially rugby union.

I must disagree, however, with the statement: "Played by real men without the need for body armour."

American football has different rules, and force of impact between players is greater than in rugby. The "body armour", in fact, allows players to hit much harder. In 2014 there were five deaths in high school football directly related to the sport, and about the same number this year. Tell the mothers of those boys that they weren't "real men".

Quote from <i>The Guardian</i>: "One study of 35 former professional American football players found that 34 showed signs of brain injuries." Clearly the "body armour" isn't doing the job for which it was intended.