taking sports fixtures on the road e.g. NFL American football in London

Only if some our biggest clubs were taken over by Americans keen to boost the value of their wonderful franchises.

could English / European football (soccer) teams actually play home games abroad one day?

This isn't a home game, it's an exhibition match, and major European teams already play friendlies in American areas with high Hispanic/Italian populations pre-season anyway.

Dom, I don't think this NFL game is an exhibition match. Of course European clubs play friendlies abroad all the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7063261.stm

Haha. That would be the same link as the one at the top of the thread. I am a moran. Plz to delete.

The Dolphins are playing a home game in London- it counts in the standings.

Thanks Brownie, I thought so.

In Brazil, football matches are sometimes taken on the road. I remember when I was over there feeling astonished that Flamengo, from Rio, would choose to play a 'home game' in the north of the country, hundreds of miles away, but this is something they did [don't know if they still do] once or twice a season. The idea was to reward loyal fans around the country who can't get to Rio. Which is all well and good but it's not a million miles from the idea of, say, Liverpool playing Arsenal in a proper competitive fixture somewhere in the far East, on the pretext of rewarding the loyalty of fans in that part of the world.

This is just another of those modern innovations that feels deeply wrong to me, but I can't really explain why.....

"...after interest faded to near nil during the 1990s, the NFL has inched upward again in the 2000s within the vast Premier League soccer shadow, and the misanthropic youths who follow it have glommed on to the dynastic Patriots."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-britain24oct24,0,2489315,full.story?coll=la-home-center

I can't imagine you would find many people in Britain who could name more than two NFL teams and one NFL player.

Bears, Redskins, William 'The Fridge' Perry

(it's been a while since I took in a Superbowl)

Steelers, Bengals, Boomer Esiasen. (me too)

49ers, The Mighty Ducks, the dude who stabbed his wife

Now in return, three Americans have to name a Crystal Palace manager from 2001.

Is there really enough interest in this beyond-boring sport to fill a stadium in London?

There would be a revolt if cluibs started trying to take Premiership matches to the States. Not just from fans, but from managers as well. Can you seriously see Alex Ferguson wanting to fly his players half way round the world unnecessarily, in the middle of a packed domestic season? Not to mention losing any home advantage they might have. It won't happen.

If I were a Dolphin fan, I'd be pissed, losing a home game to travel overseas. I think there was a regular season game last year in Mexico City.

"Is there really enough interest in this beyond-boring sport to fill a stadium in London?"

I'll disregard the "beyond boring" thing, with which I totally disagree-I think I heard this is a hot ticket.

Matt, as was pointed out upthread, it's an exhibition game.

Premier League teams like Man U and Chelsea *have* played similar exhibition games in the US.

xpost

Oops. I'm dead wrong about that.

I still think it's weird that the Dolphins are supposedly the second-most popular NFL team in Britain. That Dan Marino had some star power.

(Of course "second-most popular NFL team in Britain = second-most popular soccer team in U.S.")

There was allegedly 500,000 requests for tickets in the first 72 hours that tickets were for sale. YOU LOVE IT.

I think there was a regular season game last year in Mexico City.

Arizona beat San Francisco in 2005 there.

And Buffalo wants to play some home games in Toronto, to expand its diminishing western New York fanbase.

Osi Umenyiora of the Giants and Marvin Allen of the Fins are both actually FROM london, which could be a draw of sorts, especially since one of them is on a fucking streak of awesome right now.

I kind of think the Dolphins should thank their lucky stars that they get a "home" game in another country, since they apparently can't play for shit in America this year. Additionally the london crowd might actually stick around for the entire game, unlike Miami fans who from the looks of it have been ditching in droves at halftime (can't blame them really.)

haha I capitalized every capital noun in that post except for London. Whoops

PP, by second most popular soccer team in US, do you mean an MLS team or globally?

I think he means global Q rating, as in "name three soccer teams"

1. Man U
2. Brazil?
3. uh

Don't assume that people in the UK stick around for the end of sporting events either!

There was allegedly 500,000 requests for tickets in the first 72 hours that tickets were for sale. YOU LOVE IT.

Probably all Americans living in London plus a few Saxondale types.

Two of my college acquaintances, neither of whom have shown any interest in NFL before, are attending.

My main problem with all this business is that NFL stands for NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

Yes, that's my main problem too.

;) wink winky

also though you guys are missing out on the best part so far

"I couldn't find London on a map if they didn't have the names of the countries. I swear to God. I don't know what nothing is. I know Italy looks like a boot. I learned that. I know London Fletcher. We did a football camp together. So I know him. That's the closest thing I know to London. He's black, so I'm sure he's not from London. I'm sure that's a coincidental name."

-Channing Crowder, Dolphins linebacker http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/photos/uncategorized/sflchanningph06.jpg

All joking aside, there'll be cheerleaders I assume? But can they match the Coventry City cheerleaders for raw energy?

hahaaaa

http://www.martinwildig.com/pictures/crew.jpg

actually you only get one cheerleading squad since the NYFG have never been into that shit.

http://www.martinwildig.com/pictures/sam.jpg

Maybe this will be the opportunity to revive the much-missed Sky Strikers cheerleader squad of the early 90s.

awww

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42400000/jpg/_42400265_fergusonandfred270.jpg

http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/dolfanzone/dolphinsfightsong.asp

again, NYFG way too cool for this shit

Actually, I just remembered that my cousins in Ft. Lauderdale sent me an aquamarine Dolphins gym bag in the mid 80s.

Also I believe that team featured in the first Ace Ventura movie.

This is the sum total of my personal experience with this sport.

This all makes me think of this LOL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ui89K5nN3U

bonus for wembley attendees, when they hold up "D-##" it won't contain an implied misspelling

Dolphins have hot cheerleaders, Giants have none.

Crowder now says he was joking. Let's hope.

bonus for wembley attendees, when they hold up "D-##" it won't contain an implied misspelling

I'm going to be disappointed if Tom Brennaman doesn't mention this.

possible British response to D-###

Off-http://tolkiengateway.net/w/images/thumb/4/4b/John_Howe_-_Ents.jpg/180px-John_Howe_-_Ents.jpg

Not Tom Brennaman. Goddamit, he sux. Moose Johnston and Siragusa too? Our standing in the world just got even worse, if that's possible

Some Miami Dolphins players were unhappy about the Patriots

throwing with a big lead Sunday.
''Everyone was disappointed with the lack of respect,'' Chris Liwienski

said. ``It's a kick in the teeth and lacked some class. Enough is

enough.''

tbh, I'd just like an English premier league player to say:

"They speak English in New York? Really?"

Like Premiership players have enough time off gang-raping impressionable young glamour models to get some quality zinging time in

This couldn't be any worse than the annual Australian Rules game at The Oval for the benefit of 20,000 backpackers.

But it won't be any better than next February's Australian Rules game in Dubai because...Aussie Rules is huge in the Emirates...and...

"Fight, You Fightin' Giants!"

Come on and fight you fightin' Giants,
Roll along, to a score;
Come on and fight you fightin' Giants,
Roll it up, more and more.
Go on and show your might, you Giants,
As you go, t'ward the foe;
Come on and go, go, go, go, go fightin' Giants,
Giants Go!

Marching along the road to victory,
Fight Giants fight, you're on the way.
Singing a song, another victory,
You're gonna win again today.
So rack 'em up, and stack 'em up,
And go, go, go, go, go, go, go!

Come on and fight you fightin' Giants,
Roll along, to a score;
Come on and fight you fightin' Giants,
Roll it up, more and more.
Go on and show your might, you Giants,
As you go, t'ward the foe;
Come on and go, go, go, go, go fightin' Giants,
Giants Go!

Another reason it'll never catch on here = those songs are really, really gay.

Aw, even you Brits had to love "The Super Bowl Shuffle".

Come on and fight you fightin\' Giants,
Roll along, to a score;
Come on and fight you fightin\' Giants,
Roll it up, more and more.
Go on and show your might, you Giants,
As you go, t\'ward the foe;
Come on and go, go, go, go, go fightin\' Giants,
Why can\'t you just go already
What the fuck is wrong with you

More shots of the grass, plz.

American sports fans need to learn songs about bags of sweets and cheesy smiles

Nice performance of the wave. So who brought the John 3:16 sign?

the wave? really? i've got the bears game (cedric benson is doing a decent impersonation of a pro running back so far) as the only early game. when one side of the field starts chanting "LESS FILLING" and the other responds "TASTES GREAT" let me know.

The Rockies were doing a version of that last night. n00bz.

no f'ing way!

i've found that i can tune out mccarver but joe buck drives me up a wall so much that i can't listen to him, i have to mute the tube and listen to something else. so i had nazi death camp (does toumas know them? they're from finland) at a more than moderate volume while the sox were putting the spank on the rox.

I'm alright with Joe Buck. Maybe it's my Cardinals loyalty, but I can certainly stand him better than Trev Albert. I saw Buck call a game from a seat behind home plate one time (you could even see him back there on the television), and it cracked me up enough to give him a pass.

Fighting Talk hero Greg Brady is commentating for 5LSE! :D

fuck a joe buck and him trying to blame manny being thrown out at home last night on his dreads.

^otm.

Yes, JGO, I heard a bit of Greg Brady's commentary. He is a top broadcaster.

Wow, this game is bad. I love football and I love the Giants, but when they're trying to make a game exciting and they feature the godawful Dolphins, I doubt the English will ever want to see another American football game again. It doesn't help that the field is in such awful shape.

Is the game even being televised there?

Ok, I stand somewhat corrected... the end was ok. It could've been more exciting if Jay Feely didn't totally fuck up the onside kick.

The Colts-Pats game next week would've been a much better international showcase.

I thought the game was sold out, but Wembley didn't seem all that packed.

The Colts-Pats game next week would've been a much better international showcase.

except it would be the worst possible move the nfl could make having the most anticipated regular season match of the last decade to be played thousands of miles away from either teams home.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/photo?slug=716189d0f6e54f3bb32501c57bbc1aec.britain__lth101&prov=ap

"what in the fuck are we doing this for?"

Was the pitch really in that bad shape? Surely it ends up like that whenever that American football is played on real grass in the rain?

no, it doesn't.

It used to when Giants stadium had grass. that was the worst field, or pitch, ever.

I haven't seen the wave at a football game in at least 10 years until yesterday.

xpost, do you know why not? Is there something different about Wembley/British turf? How many NFL teams still play on grass?

Commentators said that the sod that NFL teams play on is usually thicker and not cut as short as the grass on a soccer pitch.

They let the grass grow longer on rugby pitches here, so I guess that makes sense.

why not? not sure but i would wager because most nfl stadium are newer they take advantage of advances in field drainage. there are also differences in root strength for different types of grass, how long the blades are, how often the sod is replaced, etc.

most nfl teams play on grass.

xposts.

Yeah, I guess. Soccer pitches are planted primarily to allow the ball to roll over them very quicky and predictably.

Wembley stadium is brand new (although the location of the pitch is historical). There were complaints when it first opened too: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/05/22/sfnpit22.xml

Chicago Kevin,

I'm sure it would take a quick Google search too confirm, which I am too lazy to do, but I tend to think most teams have gone with that new "field turf" artificial turf that looks like and feels like grass.

According to Wikipedia, 11 out of the 31 NFL Stadiums use FieldTurf.

oh no: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7232390.stm

The Premier League always finds a way to bring out the DJ Martian in the most mild-mannered of us.

Ban football.

Although lol at the idea that Maddison Square Gardens playing host to Reading vs Fulham

Kitson has the crossover appeal to make it happen, clearly. Fulham have McBride, Dempsey and Bocanegra

Kitson would be good doing the US showbiz circuit. Guest appearance in Ugly Betty surely beckons?

AND THE BEST GOALKEEPER IN THE WORLD KASEY KELLER XP

Jimmy Bullard could be the new Tommy Steele

Marcus Hahnemann could be the start in the next series of Flavour/Rock/Shot/Age of Love.

http://www.nodanw.com/shows_h/logos/hans_andersen.jpg

oh god play in montreal please premier league PLEASE! i will buy like ten tickets and FORCE people to come at gunpoint!

he said, like the premier league was listening to him on ilx

this is a good idea for english football and a bad idea for american football

Bad idea all round

"We understand the reasons for this proposals and the benefits it can bring to English football as a whole"

= WE WOULD LIKE MORE INTERNATIONAL TV MONEY PLEASE