The article from Grantland, called "London Calling" made many claims that the NFL was looking to expand to London in the coming years. Although this may seem like a longshot because the NFL has called the United States 'home' since its genesis, the league has definitely been making moves to create a fanbase and generate interest in London. For the past few years, the NFL has been playing an exhibition game at Wembley Stadium which has always been a major success. I think it clear why the NFL has been showing interest in the city of London and working to create a fanbase there. One, there is money in move. There are millions of sports fans in London that are willing to follow the NFL if they have access to it. Although soccer would still remain the most popular sport, an involvement in the NFL would bring billions of dollars in revenue through advertisements, TV deals, games, merchandise etc. The second reason why this makes sense is because the NFL probably wants to create a more international scene. Soccer is by far the most popular international sport and will most likely remain so for some time, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seems to have interest in that number one spot. If American Football ever wants to branch into an international fanbase, London is definitely the city to start in. After London, I could imagine another expansion team in Mexico, maybe Mexico City.
Of course, with all of the success that would be generated by a London team, there would be barriers. Players may not want to relocate to such a distant place. Travel times are outrageous and would definitely leave one side at a disadvantage. I think at first, there would be struggles, but after a few years of more expansion and tweaks, the NFL could be ready to break the international barrier.
Reference: London Calling Article
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