Playing in London

[J24]

(10-10-2015, 02:13 AM)Ned Ludd Wrote: I guess it's similar to how soccer is/was in the US, we've got sports that are established and have nearly 150 years plus of history. New sports struggle to get the coverage and hence don't get to be popular. I watch my local hockey team, for example, but I'd guess that 90% of my town don't even know they exist! We sort of need an equivalent of the US women's soccer team; success on a world scale and the exposure that goes with it for football to take off in any real way here. 

Starting a franchise here now might help (if it were successful) but it might follow the same path as the NASL in the 70's/80's - set up in a blaze of publicity, initial success but not built on firm enough foundations and ultimately failing. What would help, and what is getting some publicity over here, are British players doing consistently well in the NFL; a dozen or more Osi Umenyioras or Lawrence Tynes's would become role models and really start things moving. Build a franchise around some homegrown players and watch it fly...

Agreed. If their more international players the game will get bigger overseas. The NFL needs to stop just focusing on selling the NFL and needs to invest in  developing more international talent. That's probably my biggest complaint about the NFL is that they just sell the league but not the game overseas.  I guess what I am trying to say is the NFL will only grow if people are actually playing the game.