Saints NFL Game in UK (1 Viewer)

[tuw]

Hi guys,

First post on here so apologies if i'm repeating what has already been written but think i can help answer a few of your concerns,

When the Giants played at the Packers last week, in the British studio we had the MD of NFL UK who gave out enough info without saying who was playing.

First concern i've seen on here, although there are 32 teams in the NFL 18/19 are currently under contract to play at their stadium so this obviously leaves only 13/14 sides that could have feasibly played over here(Saints being one of them). The Saints were in a short list of 4 potential home teams along with the Chiefs, the Bucks and the Seahawks(i think). Although the NFL guy didn't confirm which would be the home team(obviously this has now been leaked).

The game will be played in the UK but i still haven't read any definite confirmation it will be at Wembley? The 3 grounds up for consideration were Wembley, Murrayfield(Home of Scotland Rugby) and Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. I personally thought the Millienium Stadium would have been given the game as it has a roof and it would prevent the farce that happened at Wembley last season where it rained all week and we saw a truely awful game - the pitch was still ruined when our national football side lost a few weeks later meaning we didn't qualify for Euro 2008(The NFL got the blame - although when England lose its everyone else's fault but our own).

The Saints will be compensated financially by the NFL, if it is at Wembley then you will get 90,000 attendance gate receipts as well as your normal sponsor money(which will be all over the stadium as it would be if it was in New Orleans).

Now, i have been surprised at how many people on here think there will be little interest over here. To give you an idea, when the Dolphins played last season, over half a million people applied for tickets in just 48 hours of the game being announced. Since that game tv viewing figures for the NFL have risen by 80% on what they already were(bearing in mind how many people applied for tickets). Please don't think those that attend would be bored and lacking knowledge on the game, we now have a sports channel that is entirely dedicated to the NFL every Sunday and think upto 12/14 games are shown(via interactive) each Sunday. This weekend will also see the Superbowl on the UK's biggest terrestial channel(The BBC) for the first time ever.

The Saints will get a fantastic amount of support and one thing you will notice(if you attend the game or watch it on tv) is that everybody will be in the ground from the first minute to the last(something i noticed didn't happen at the 2 NFL games i attended recently over in the States).


I can understand the frustrations that you won't be able to watch you side at home - if this happened in English football there would be riots - but its happening and i do think the NFL are an incredibly ambitious organisation that is continually looking at ways to improve their brand. It will never become the number one sport over here but there's always room for another and quite frankly its the only American sport that has a chance(I just can't get into baseball, basketball is ok and hockey never really took off over here).

The Saints aren't one of the better supported teams over here so i think there is a big market for them. They will sell lots of shirts and will definitely increase their fan base(as more and more people are getting into the sport) particularly if they put on a great attacking display.

Also let's not forgot the Giants made the Superbowl after playing at Wembley....could be a lucky omen for future teams.

 

[LA_Steve]

The voice of reason....

 

[srenner]

First concern i've seen on here, although there are 32 teams in the NFL 18/19 are currently under contract to play at their stadium so this obviously leaves only 13/14 sides that could have feasibly played over here(Saints being one of them).

18/19 are under contract to play at their stadium? Please do explain how the rest are not?

The Saints will get a fantastic amount of support and one thing you will notice(if you attend the game or watch it on tv) is that everybody will be in the ground from the first minute to the last(something i noticed didn't happen at the 2 NFL games i attended recently over in the States).

OK, what the heck does "everybody will be in the ground from the first minute to the last" mean? Is the ground the stadium? I get the pitch. I get Cheers and bugger off and other not so family friendly sayings, but I haven't heard "the ground" before .

 

[Bundok Saint]

I think he means that the fans will stay in their seats watching the game from beginning to end no matter the score.

 

[Saint Greg]

OK, what the heck does "everybody will be in the ground from the first minute to the last" mean? Is the ground the stadium? I get the pitch. I get Cheers and bugger off and other not so family friendly sayings, but I haven't heard "the ground" before .

That sounds about right. What is the "pitch" anyways? The field? And while we're on the subject, does anyone know what it means when a game is a "coup"? I see that all over the NFLUK boards.

 

[gummbo70114]

Ah! the english are a whimsical people.I guess it's out of our hands at this point,Al we can do is support our team no matter what.Remember any time we can get more saints fan the better it is for the city,In terms of $$$$ from turist

 

[tuw]

18/19 are under contract to play at their stadium? Please do explain how the rest are not?

Hi,

I don't know is the honest answer. I was repeating what the MD of NFLUK said, i presume that those stadiums are sponsored stadiums hence every game has to be played inside the stadium as agree when the stadium was sponsored


OK, what the heck does "everybody will be in the ground from the first minute to the last" mean? Is the ground the stadium? I get the pitch. I get Cheers and bugger off and other not so family friendly sayings, but I haven't heard "the ground" before .

Ground is just our term for stadium, people say they are going to the football ground rather than stadium(even though a lot are now called this)....its simply tradition

That sounds about right. What is the "pitch" anyways? The field? And while we're on the subject, does anyone know what it means when a game is a "coup"? I see that all over the NFLUK boards.

The pitch is what we call the 'field'.

'Coup' - Basically, we're incredibly lucky to have such a high quality game with two quality teams. Last year we got the worst side in the NFL so this year we believe we're getting two of the strongest.....take it as a compliment

 

[StChadwick]

This game is really a guise for Benson to secretly relocate the Saints overseas and was decided during the 05 fiasco. Benson's reasoning came from the idea that the Saints would be the only NFL team there so would have complete control of the market no matter how bad the team played.

 

[DarkBuddha]

this is going to be great for the saints fan base and expanding it. at my sportsbar here in prague the place is packed every sunday. 75% are 'yanks' and the other 25% are Europeans. last year the saints were on tv nearly every week and as the Europeans are new to the game and trying to find their favorite team alot of them gravitated towards the saints, especially during a magical season with a table of screaming saints fans from nawlins there every week to support their team. the saints game in the UK will bring even more fans to the saints, SR.com and to nawlins in the long run to see their team play in its home stadium, which just happens to be in the best city in america (easy sale to the wife). so if you really look at this in a mid-long term strategy it will benefit the saints and the big easy enormously. plus, its great walking into a bar somewhere else in the states or the world to catch the saints game and finding other saints fans. but thats probably an experience you can only appreciate when you move out of the city. anyway, thanks to all the season ticket holders for taking one for the the rest of the fans.

who dat

 

[d3vanj]

this is going to be great for the saints fan base and expanding it. at my sportsbar here in prague the place is packed every sunday. 75% are 'yanks' and the other 25% are Europeans. last year the saints were on tv nearly every week and as the Europeans are new to the game and trying to find their favorite team alot of them gravitated towards the saints, especially during a magical season with a table of screaming saints fans from nawlins there every week to support their team. the saints game in the UK will bring even more fans to the saints, SR.com and to nawlins in the long run to see their team play in its home stadium, which just happens to be in the best city in america (easy sale to the wife). so if you really look at this in a mid-long term strategy it will benefit the saints and the big easy enormously. plus, its great walking into a bar somewhere else in the states or the world to catch the saints game and finding other saints fans. but thats probably an experience you can only appreciate when you move out of the city. anyway, thanks to all the season ticket holders for taking one for the the rest of the fans.

who dat

lus-un2:

WHO DAT!

 

[Irish Saint]

18/19 are under contract to play at their stadium? Please do explain how the rest are not?



OK, what the heck does "everybody will be in the ground from the first minute to the last" mean? Is the ground the stadium? I get the pitch. I get Cheers and bugger off and other not so family friendly sayings, but I haven't heard "the ground" before .

Just in relation to the being in the ground quote. Yes people will stay for the entire game win lose or draw. I have been to two games in the States recently while on holidays. I went to see the Chargers whip the Titans in San Diego 40-7, at the start of the 4th quarter the stadium was emptying out!!!! Last September I was in NOLA to see the Titans beat the Saints 31-14 & by the end the place was empty except for maybe a couple of hundred. I hated that & I hated seeing it. It just seems fickle although I can understand fans being angry. But in San Diego with a quarter to go??!!!!! Apparently they were trying to beat traffic.
Yeah the Ground is literally the stadium over these parts.
Cant wait for this game.
Oh yeah the original post above is excellent & a top read. This is a great discussion point as there is so much for & against it. Bring it on.

 

[Great Dane]

this is going to be great for the saints fan base and expanding it. at my sportsbar here in prague the place is packed every sunday. 75% are 'yanks' and the other 25% are Europeans. last year the saints were on tv nearly every week and as the Europeans are new to the game and trying to find their favorite team alot of them gravitated towards the saints, especially during a magical season with a table of screaming saints fans from nawlins there every week to support their team. the saints game in the UK will bring even more fans to the saints, SR.com and to nawlins in the long run to see their team play in its home stadium, which just happens to be in the best city in america (easy sale to the wife). so if you really look at this in a mid-long term strategy it will benefit the saints and the big easy enormously. plus, its great walking into a bar somewhere else in the states or the world to catch the saints game and finding other saints fans. but thats probably an experience you can only appreciate when you move out of the city. anyway, thanks to all the season ticket holders for taking one for the the rest of the fans.

who dat

+1. Too bad about losing the home game, but otherwise great for the franchise and City. NO needs publicity and this will bring it. Then NO needs direct flights from UK and Europe.
PS: I've heard the local girls in Prague are hot? Is this true?