NFL games in other countries were charming at first. Waking up earlier to watch two teams sqaure off in Europe put a different spin on things. With a record nine international games this season, Roger Goodell's desire to plant the shield's flag in foreign lands has gotten to be too much.
This season's slate has included matchups in Australia, Brazil, the U.K. and France, while contests in Germany, Mexico and Spain will be held later this campaign. Goodell, the longtime league commissioner, said last Sunday that it's "likely" the NFL will one day have an international franchise, which sounds a lot like an impossible situation for the players who would fill that team's roster.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported last week that a game could soon be hosted in Tokyo, and other locations are in the discussion, as well.
"As for other new frontiers, some teams love the idea of going to Italy next, but that may not happen until new stadiums open in Milan (2030) and Rome (2031), ahead of the 2032 Euros," Breer wrote. "Then there's the idea the NFL's Peter O'Reilly raised of playing in new cities in countries the league's already been to, like potentially Manchester in the U.K., Barcelona (which has a stadium under renovation) in Spain, or Sydney in Australia."
Better yet, why not ditch the international contests for something more domestic?
Though they do enjoy the experiences, players certainly aren't huge fans of playing abroad. The travel can cause sluggish performance. Recovery factors in, too.
The Steelers beat the New Orleans Saints in Paris on Sunday and were given a day off on Monday. Having to readjust cut into Pittsburgh's week of preparation, which ahead of an important AFC North clash with the Cleveland Browns could hurt them.
Steelers receiver DK Metcalf voiced his displeasure with having to play so far away from home before the game. He was asked if there's any other country where he'd like to take the field, saying, "No, sir, because I really don't like traveling outside the U.S. to play football."
Aaron Rodgers, who's played an international game for each of the past three campaigns, sarcastically said that the owners care about player safety.
Let's adopt a different gimmick to spice things up.
It's time for an NFL college stadium series
The NFL has aimed to expand its fanbase by sending its teams for one-off contests outside U.S. borders, wanting to top into new revenue streams.
Yet, there are plenty of Americans who don't easily have access to see their favorite teams, whether because of distance — for example, a Minnesota Vikings fan who lives in northwest North Dakota — or ticket price.
This idea isn't to slash international games entirely — though logistical headaches, they are a useful change of pace — but there would be a good deal of value in dropping some matchups into college football meccas.
Imagine the atmospheres for these matchups, especially if younger fans could show up in huge numbers.
Venue | School | Matchup | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.) | Michigan | Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns | 107,601 |
Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pa.) | Penn State | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles | 100,000+ |
DKR Texas-Memorial Stadium (Austin, Texas) | Texas | Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Texans | 100,119 |
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio) | Ohio State | Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals | 102,041 |
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.) | UCLA | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers | 91,136 |
Kinnick Stadium (Iowa City, Iowa) | Iowa | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears | 69,250 |
Notre Dame Stadium (South Bend, Ind.) | Notre Dame | Chicago Bears vs. Indianapolis Colts | 77,622 |
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Gainesville, Fla.) | Florida | Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 88,548 |
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