NFL Europe folds........

[MDFAN]

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/ ... Europa.php

If a tree falls in the woods does and nobody is around does it still make a sound?

I know this isn't all that unexpected or that big a deal.... but I am curious as to what happens to all those players. Don't they have contracts with NFL teams or are in some way tied to NFL teams....... are they all FA's now? Or were they always just FA's for the NFL?

[FRESH]

ugh....what does this mean? : "the National Football League decided to concentrate its "strategies and resources" on regular season games outside the United States in an effort to reach as many people as possible.
"

[saratoga]

I hate this whole international movement. The owners quest for more money will bring the whole league down.

It will not gain them more money, it will harm/anger the players, it will frustrate the American fans, and the other countries just don't care enough.

[Flying Dutchman]

Having followed the NFLE since it's inception and lived, rooted and tailgated for my teams in Frankfurt and Amsterdam, I am sad to see the league's demise. It would not surprise me to see a German/Dutch league start up on its own. Heck there are a slew of local, amateur and kids leagues all of which grew out of the old US military leagues and more recently the NFLE.

Staging games overseas could bring some new difficulties. I was pissed enough that the Eagles had to play the Saints, again in New Orleans and in a short week wheras the Saints had two weeks off. I can just see someone having to play in Tokyo anhd then come back for a Thursday nighter. Ouch!

[BIGPHILLY]

Interesting.

NOTE: Don't sweat this toga - fans won't turn out in the numbers like they do in America to make the gate large enough to overcome the $'s that teams receive domestically AND therefore it won't work.

[saratoga]

I'm counting on that, but that mythical draw to be the biggest, baddest sport on the planet makes the owners goofy "drunk" sometimes.

They need to admit that soccer is all that and the NFL is fine swimming in the money they already make.

[dawkins20]

I forgot that NFL Europe was even dealt a hand to begin with.

on a serious note I actually believe a minor leagues like NFLE could work in the States. Lord knows how much down time there is between the end of the season and the beginning of the next. It could generate interest from March - July IMHO. Fans could even watch games live on TV instead of weird tape delays. But the NFL should do it outside the areas they already have teams in. Areas like Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, The Dakotas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming could work.

maybe merge the Arena league into an NFL rules minor league?

[FearTheDawk]

Now what the hell am I gonna do with the Hamburg Sea Devils custom jersey???

[dawkins20]

Put it next to your Philadelphia Stars Kelvin Bryant jersey hung in the attic?

[SwingOnThis]

The owners quest for more money will bring the whole league down.

Now that's just a tad over the top. The NFL is bulletproof. Nothing is going to 'bring it down'.

[MDFAN]

The NFL owners if nothing else are capitalists and very good businessmen first and foremost----before they get goofy drunk .

If the Europe thing doesn't make them enough dough-- it will be shown the door faster than Tank Johnson at an NRA gun show.

[FRESH]

I like Dawk's thought.

I understand we are already doing a couple of these, but my concern was with the comment I posted, I fear that they have aspirations of taking this to a larger scale. Before you know it, every team will be asked to play one game a season over seas. And that would absolutely bite.

[FRESH]

Bring on the Orlando Orcas, or the Florida Manatees. Think of how many players we could get to watch dehydrate and collapse in the Florida summer heat.

[FearTheDawk]

If the NFL wants to do the international thing, let's go all the way and have FC Barcelona or Real Madrid put on some pads.
Just a thought...

Although, I do think a NFL-sponsored minor league in the States would be a smash, especially if they played in the spring. NOT arena football, but NFL football, in college and / or some of the larger high-school stadiums.

[NoDakIggle]

I never got into NFLE so it doesn't bother me to see it go even though I think it played a bit of a viable role. Maybe a league in North America could fill that role. Each team had some roster exemptions that they could use to look at a kid who wasn't quite developed or a big name. It would be nice to see them keep that opportunity but.... so be it