04/23/24
August 04, 2015
How close are we to a London Jaguars NFL franchise?: tl;dr: would the league be able to get existing UK NFL fans to switch allegiances to a relocated team and would the league be able to attract younger people who are not already fans of the game?
The premise of the article is intriguing, at least to the extent that he is saying that because most Londoners have already chosen an NFL team to cheer for, the Jags would presumptively fill a niche as "everyone's secondary team." I think that can be equated to a certain degree to moving a bottom-tier Premiere League team to the States (nice segue, rcade). Lots of Americans have chosen a Premier League (or FA) team to cheer for, but how loyal would we remain if we suddenly had a hometown team? Rather than any sort of intelligent analysis of the question, I propose the following masturbatory exercise.
Who is your Premier League (or other FA) team? Which team moves across the pond to become your new hometown team? And do they become your default favorite (favourite), or do you remain loyal to your adopted Premier League (FA) team?
I cheer for Spurs, largely because I am always drawn to the team that is competitive, but never quite elite (Bengals, Sharks, etc.) I can see Stoke or QPR moving, based largely on attendance and relegation/promotion status. If they move to Santa Barbara and become the home team, I think I immediately jump on board as a fan, and Spurs move down a notch to #2, until I basically give up on them and just cheer for the home team. Anyone else?
posted by tahoemoj at 03:24 PM on August 04, 2015
If a Premier League team moves over here and chooses a West Coast city, how many people in the Midwest and the East Coast are going to give a rip about them? What are the chances of two Premier League teams moving over here (one for the East and one for the West)?
posted by NoMich at 04:01 PM on August 04, 2015
Would Americans be ready for their Premier League team to get relegated? You may need multigenerational fans to see a team through dropping a league or two.
posted by rumple at 06:07 PM on August 04, 2015
Why would I trade the scars Everton have given me over the last decade for some Johnny-Come-Lately that's even worse?
posted by yerfatma at 06:14 PM on August 04, 2015
The U.S. should get the M.K. Dons. Franchise America F.C.!
posted by rcade at 08:13 PM on August 04, 2015
Honestly, I'd probably be less likely to root for a US-based team, but that's my issue.
If a Premier League team moves over here and chooses a West Coast city, how many people in the Midwest and the East Coast are going to give a rip about them? What are the chances of two Premier League teams moving over here (one for the East and one for the West)?
In a certain way, having two two makes more sense than one. That way teams that are flying over can play away(s) at multiple sites before having to fly back. Especially if there were to be a West Coast team. Flying from JFK to London is vastly different than flying from LAX to London.
Why would I trade the scars Everton have given me over the last decade for some Johnny-Come-Lately that's even worse?
Eh, call me when you get relegated. /Magpie supporter.
posted by Ufez Jones at 08:21 PM on August 04, 2015
I'm thinking, only partially out of self-interest, the team should be in the favorite U.S. vacation destination of Brits: Orlando, Florida. That way there are tourists to beef up attendance, the way Orlando City S.C. is reportedly getting 20% of its attendance from people who are from outside the state.
It would be tough to abandon Sheffield Wednesday for an American Premier League team, now that I've suffered with the Owls a few years. But while Wednesday isn't in the Premier League, it's an easier dilemma.
Since we're bringing non-U.S. leagues here, I want the CFL back. Put teams in Rochester and Detroit.
posted by rcade at 08:46 PM on August 04, 2015
Why isn't anyone calling for Crystal Palace to relocate to the US? You got something against exhibiting great and new technologies that power the industrial revolution?
posted by NoMich at 08:49 PM on August 04, 2015
That then burns in a disastrous fire?
posted by LionIndex at 01:12 PM on August 05, 2015
Well, yeah, there's that.
posted by NoMich at 01:40 PM on August 05, 2015
Eh, call me when you get relegated. /Magpie supporter
I said I was a sufferer, not stupid.
posted by yerfatma at 09:37 AM on August 06, 2015
"But while Wednesday isn't in the Premier League, it's an easier dilemma."
Especially as it's in the most exciting division in Europe, by far.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 09:57 AM on August 06, 2015
I always thought that was the Maginot Line.
posted by yerfatma at 11:24 AM on August 06, 2015
I think there's still a good chance the Jaguars stay put.
The team can't get out of its stadium lease before 2030 without opening its books to prove it lost money for one year and was beneath league average revenue for two more, which may require other teams to open their books. NFL teams are extremely reluctant to do that.
Team owner Shad Khan also is planning with the city a huge commercial and downtown residential development for the Shipyards, the blighted industrial area where the stadium is located.
I don't think a London NFL franchise should be allowed until the U.S. gets a Football Association team.