The NFL could be heading toward creating an 'international division', according to reports.
It has been claimed in the US that the culmination of the NFL's playing of games abroad could end in an entire division of teams based outside the States. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hinted at a potential expansion of the League from its current 32-team state last year.
There has been intense speculation around a London franchise since the Jacksonville Jaguars started playing regular games at Wembley Stadium as a designated home team in 2013. The Jaguars have marketed themselves toward a UK audience in recent years with the atmosphere at Wembley and latterly the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium designed to try and appeal to neutral supporters.
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Logistically, there are clear challenges to a franchise based outside of the UK especially with regards to the distance players would have to travel, the time zone across continents and taxes. "There's no question that London could support not just one franchise, I think two franchises," Goodell said in October.
"I really believe that." Pressed on broadening the NFL's appeal worldwide, Goodell added: "That's part of what we're doing, right? "We're trying to sort of see, could you have multiple locations in Europe where you could have an NFL franchise? Because it would be easier as a division."
Now, NBC reports that an unnamed owner told A.J. Perez of FrontOfficeSports.com that an international division is in the works. It is said that the comment was made during League meetings in Arizona last month
"We don't know if it's going to happen in two years, five years, or whenever, but there's going to be an international division," the unnamed owner is reported to have said. The UK - and London in particular - is certainly able to sustain an NFL franchise with the League having played games at Wembley, Twickenham and Spurs.
The NFL has also branched out into Mexico and Germany, with two games set to be played at the latter this year after an inaugural match at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena last year.
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