The NFL is on track to release its 17-week, 256-game schedule this week. But it may feature a major change. The league is no longer expected to include London games on this year’s docket, according to Matt Hughes of the Daily Mail.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL does not view it as feasible to play its four-game London slate. Soccer club Tottenhan Hotspur is bracing for news its new stadium will not be hosting the two games expected, Hughes adds.
The NFL and Tottenham reached a 10-year agreement to hold two matches per season at the venue, but the coronavirus appears likely to alter part of this deal. This will mean Wembley Stadium, which has hosted NFL games dating back to 2007, will miss out on its two contests as well.
This year’s London docket was set to include a Broncos-Falcons tilt, a Patriots-Dolphins divisional matchup and two Jaguars home games. The Falcons and Dolphins were set to be the hosts in those England games. The NFL has not yet considered a centralized location for its 2020 games, so as of now Atlanta and Miami would be set to host an extra game in 2020. Jacksonville would also be on track for a rare eight-game home docket. Earlier this year, the Jaguars had reached an agreement to play two home games in London going forward. Although a league announcement may be imminent, The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala notes the Broncos have not yet heard their London game is off (Twitter link).
Given the issues that COVID-19 has caused for international travel, it certainly makes sense the league would nix its London games. This report also points to the NFL’s fifth international game — a Mexico City contest which was set to involve the Cardinals — being held at a domestic site as well.
Praise the Lord!!
Finally, a positive from all of this. If London wants real football, they can start a league.
Gosh! I hope this doesn’t disqualify Winnipeg. There are at least two fans there that want to party all night on Barn Hammer beers.
The queen is fuming
Can’t find the Royal Bong Bearer?
London games are ridiculous anyway.
Not that people who drive on the left side of the road ever cared about something being ridiculous.
Good. Never have them again.
Shad Khan is in tears
6am football on the west coast to see crappy teams play on CBS is horrible.
Want to do international games?
Mexico and South America.
Ah, but why settle for just international games? Goodell should contact the Klingons, Romulans and Borg to see if they want in on the action.
Intergalactic games
It’d be great if they’d do away with London games permanently. It’s stupid that some team has to play a “home game” on a different continent, and a fanbase loses a home game. Also who here is waking up early on a Sunday to watch a 9am game. I know I ain’t! The whole concept is idiotic.
Well, whether you think it’s good, bad or indifferent, the NFL has pretty definitively shown that it knows how to build revenue.
Keeping that fact in mind… The NFL has been doing this for over a decade. I wonder why?
Oh I know it’s a huge revenue generator for the league, which I guess is all they care about. I can’t really argue your point that the NFL knows how to make money.
My question is though isn’t there a point where you’re making enough? For a league that preaches competitive balance, international games are a disruptor of that. You’re also taking from a league city, and fanbase. That’s my biggest issue.
I also hate morning games, but I don’t expect them to care about that. It is unfortunate for west coast fans, however.
Well, regrettably, the NFL (and every other major sports league, IMO) has become more a business than a league. If all the virus stuff has shown us nothing else, it has certainly proven that. Sounds like we can easily agree that it’s not an improvement for the fans in any regard.
im sure Jags fans are fuming
Don’t worry the NFL will go back to London in 2021. Goodell will leave no penny unturned to make a buck. I still believe we will see the day where a team will be called the Budweiser Rams and the Walmart Ravens.
That would be the Walmart Rams, since Stan Kroenke is married to the Walmart heiress.
Would probably be Walmart Razorbacks since the company is headquartered in Arkansas.
Or the Costco Cardinals.
The Coors Light Broncos vs. The Amazon Bezohawks.
I wonder if the league could mandate Ryan Tannehill change his name to Jack Daniels?
Poor Jags fans now have to add 2 home games to watch that garbage. They are the real loser in all of this.
1.) Many are up already at 9 on Sunday, some could even be up on 6 on Sunday and live on the West Coast.
2.) Unless purged during schedule formation, look for the instances of back-to-back Jaguars home games to see what would have been in London.
3.) Agree Shad is crying as I’m sure he gets more playing in London than the Jags pull in playing in Jacksonville.
I doubt Khan is doing that much crying. He has a pretty sweet setup there in Jacksonville with no competition coming from city teams in the NHL, NBA or MLB. Now if he was in the Boston or Los Angeles market competing against other pro teams there…then he would really have a reason to cry.