A reader has forwarded to us a link to the NFL’s official United Kingdom web site, which states that the announcement of the two teams who’ll play in London during the 2009 regular season will be made later today.
As a practical matter, it means that folks in one NFL city will learn that they’ll be able to attend only seven home games next year. (Unless they go to the England game.)
Based on our discussions with various league insiders, it appears that the identity of the participants is currently known only by employees of the two teams who’ll be playing in England, and that the other 30 teams generally haven’t been given the identity of the teams — or even informed that the announcement would be made today.
The Dolphins “hosted” the Giants at Wembley Stadium in 2007. The Chargers “visited” the Saints there in 2008.
Based on this year’s effort to export an exciting game and given the history of interconference contests, we suggest Ravens at Vikings for 2009. The game would feature young stars like Joe Flacco and Adrian Peterson and two stout defenses.
And the low-scoring field-position battle would be a nice contrast to the Arena League scoreboard-breaker that San Diego and New Orleans put together earlier this year.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has said repeatedly that he would like to expand the NFL’s regular season to 17 or 18 games, which would allow multiple teams to play annual neutral-site games without losing one of the eight current home games.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
GridIronKing34, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:19 pm
As long as it isn’t the Lions, I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone…
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
MNRunLeft, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:20 pm
Can it be Lions vs Raiders and just leave to two teams over there?
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 4.35 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
mcrowell, a Rookie, on 12/1/08 at 12:22 pm
WHAT???!!!!! you want to put another 10-9 final score game over there and portray it as a good sample of what the NFL is?!! didn’t you incessantly bitch about the snore-match over there two years ago???
Although, given the regions love affair with the bore fest they call futball, they’d probably eat that crap match right up.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
KEEP THE GAME HERE I’M SURE THOSE BRITT GIVA A CRAP ABOUT OUR FOOTBALL, THEYRE INTO SOCCER!!! QUIT WASTING TIME ON THIS!!!
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 4.2 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
empty13, a Hall of Famer, on 12/1/08 at 12:29 pm
seattle-detroit! and make it a lions home game so they will sell out a home game!
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
Ntrikit, a Head Coach, on 12/1/08 at 12:31 pm
We can’t have the Vikes over there.
Adrian Peterson is going to be suspended all next year for taking off his “helmut”.
Jared Allen is going to be suspended for being a cheap shot artist and he will get TEH BIGG LOSS (Thanks Bucco Bruce)
Pat & Kevin Williams are going to be suspended for the steroids and cocaine trafficking.
Ray Edwards is going to be suspended because the pcakers hate him.
No…can’t send the Vikes. They are all going to be suspended.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 3 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
Minnesota Apron, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:32 pm
Am I the only one who hates the idea of taking a game away from a home team here? If they want games in England or Canada, they should get an expansion team!
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
QotSA, a Water Boy, on 12/1/08 at 12:32 pm
Just as long as my team doesn’t have to fly over there, I don’t care.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
RobJH, a Division Champ, on 12/1/08 at 12:33 pm
Put a Jags home game over there; they can barely sellout 8 games anyway.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
fcmlefty, a Passionate Fan, on 12/1/08 at 12:38 pm
Wouldn’t it make sense to hold the Vikes back until 2011 or 2012, when, if things go well, they’ll be playing at the Gophers stadium while thier new stadium is being built. Seems to me it would make the most sense to take a home game away from a team that doesn’t have a permanent home for that season.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
ironwasp, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:44 pm
Patriots-Bucs. You read it here first.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
It will be Carolina or Jacksonville for sure. Dallas is out, new stadium and all. Oakland vs KC would be bad for the game.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
vikings2102, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:50 pm
Here’s the real question, are the fans of the teams that lost a home game still paying for 10 games (2 fake home games and 8 regular season games) as season ticket holders? If this is the case, the NFL really needs to look at thier practices on selling season tix. If that is the case, the “home” team that gets to go this year should have the fans boycott the purchase of season tix for next year. I have had season tix for 9 years and if my team (the Vikes) had a “home” game in London and I have to pay for it w/o the benefit of going, I’m gonna be pissed!!
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
par4life, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:51 pm
wouldn’t that be Vikings @ Ravens I beleive its the AFC turn to get screwed out of a home game.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
Fail Cat, a Water Boy, on 12/1/08 at 12:52 pm
Can’t we just hire the cast of The Replacements and tell the Brits that they’re the Cowboys or something? I doubt they’d question it if we told them Orlando Jones was T.O.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
code1390, a Cheerleader, on 12/1/08 at 12:53 pm
Patriots vs Bucs is the winner.
http://www.nfluk.com/news/buccaneersandpatriotscoming%20to%20london_011208.html
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
whatthehellisgoingonoutthere, a Head Coach, on 12/1/08 at 2:10 pm
The Vikings would make sense given that they would have to play one less game in their dumpy stadium. It would also give them a chance to get used to playing in a new stadium as the home team in preparation for when they move to LA. New stadium isn’t going to happen in Minne. They pretty much reiterated that on the news just last night. Zygi backed out of the contract to buy property downtown, so it’s obvious what his plans are.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated
SF Saints Fan, a Passionate Fan, on 12/1/08 at 2:23 pm
vikings2102:
The Saints lost a home game this year, so what they did is just increase the price of the seven remaining home games (plus the two home pre-season practice games) to make up for the lost home game in London. They should have at least given us a “free” ticket to the game in London that we could have sold on the internet.
You will be losing a home game at some point. They will try very hard to make sure that the secondary market teams (like the Vikings) will be the ones to lose games. Don’t expect the game to be a home game for Dallas, New York, Washington, Boston or Chicago. More likely will be a “home” game for Minnesota, St. Louis, Jacksonville or Tennessee. The NFL is all about the “haves” and the “have-nots”. And the “haves” will keep their home games.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: Not yet rated