Preventive action: Why the London Jaguars will be not a success story

Before some commentators and columnists will switch to full throttle of the "Jaguars moving toward" kind of stories, here is a reminder for them, that the Jaguars are pretty safe within the next 2-3 years from any moving to somewhere kind of actions. That means the Jaguars can have a maybe last shot with their rebuilding process.. Well lot of empty seats are sure, not a welcomed view for those who who want profit from this whole league. But they (starting with Roger Goodell) must cooled down and be realistic. Even Los Angeles (the second largest market in the USA) is not ready right now for an NFL for couple of reasons (California is literally bankrupted, there is no new stadium in sight just yet, and did I mentioned the 3 teams which left the "City of Angels"...)

Which leaves for searching for a new target location for those who don't want to see the Jaguars in Jacksonville. And they found one: London. Even Roger Goodell likes the idea of expandig the NFL to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Well I have bad news for them. It ain't gonna work! And I have a couple of very big reasons to that.

1. Timezones

I think the biggest factor is the time difference, and the advantage and disadvantage which will happen automaticly if an NFL team will based there. Even the teams at the east coast are 5 timezones away from London. Why is that important? Because based on the experience of other athletes in other sports, after traveling to a much different timezone, athletes need time, to accomodate to it. Which means the team from US must travel to London on Wendesday for Sunday"s matchup, to not have a major disadvantage at the game. Because the home team is perfectly fit to the circumstances and will be ready that' sure, meanwhile the visitor of the matchup will try to catch on in the first 1-2  days, so just a Wendesday arrival can insure, that no team suffer any disadvantage from that effect! It is a factor even for the teams at the coast.  And that is of course the case with the team in London as well to EVERY away games! They must go to the states on Wendesday as well, to accomodate. Coaches and players will like that, I'm sure...

2. Broadcasting

Another major problem. The London games started and will start this year at 13:00 EST. Which means 18:00 locally in London. That is the almost only possible timesolution for the London team. And these means troubles as well. What if the last game in Week 17 (or 18 or 19, whatever)will be played in London, and will be the most important matchup of that weeks calendar, because it has the biggest impact of the playoffs. Starting it at 13:00 in the US, and throw away the huge ratings? Or turn the the thing around, every game the London based team will play on 13:00 even on the west coast? You, know you must think to the London fanbase. There are some hardcore footbal fans, who are looking a bit of a junkie because of lack of sleep on Monday (and Tuesday), there will be some, but there will be not many. And you must count off prime time games too in that mentality, as well, because you must think of the Europen fanbase, and give them the right to see their team(Will be the Jaguars their team? Really?) live when they are playing in the States. It means less ratings in the U.S. networks. I don't think CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN will like that idea...

3. Remembering the failure of NFL Europe

There was an attempt in the 90s to give NFL experience to European cities. And well in the early szages there were team in Scotland, Spain, even London. And of course Germany. And it was a place where players like Kurt Warner or Jake Delhomme gave a second chance to their careers, but let's face it, in the end it was a road which went to nowhere. The interest declined, the NFL Europe nicknamed was in the end NFL Germany (5 out of 5 teams played there in the last seasons), the profit they expected from the thing was far from the expectations. So the NFL did what they can only do, shut down the whole thing.

4. The Land of Soccer (and the effect of Rugby)

Now NFL is booming in Europe and worldwide as well that is true. But they have simply no chance against another booming sport: soccer. That is Europe's (and slowly the rest of the worlds) NFL too, and in the top candidate markets (England, Spain, Germany) the NFL doesn't hold the candle against soccer. And if we speak about London there is another sport which booming these days. Rugby. Folks many people are don't like NFL because they find it too soft compare to rugby! I totally disagree with that opinion, but it is a way of thinking in Western Europe, belive me. Not to mention that after the 1st regular season game of the Giants and the Dolphins many local(!) spectators who were at the game had a bit bad taste in their mouth, because the game was slow (compared to soccer and rugby), to many interuptions, was too long etc. 1 game is a fine attraction. Maybe 2 per year as well too. But 8? I think it is a too tall mountain to climb because of the reasons what I just wrote about.

With this I don't wanna create the illusion of not buying tickets, because the team will never move. No, the fanbase in Jacksonville must show up at the home games, avoid blackouts in the future. This team ask for time. It will not be a powerhouse this year, maybe even next year too(the schdule will be very hard(NFC East, AFC West, who are on the rise veryslowly, and our division). But I think soon this team will belong where now the Patriots, Giants, Steelers, and Colts are. A dominating powerhouse for years. But to be paid off in the future, you must invest now! But do it because the passion, because for the team, not because of a guy might being drafted(you all know who I'm talking about...), or scared the hell out of you by these "the Jags are moving to" kind of talks. I tried to show with this article why the Jaguars still have time to get their fanbase back, why they are safe no matter what some sources and commentators will tell you in the next few weeks/months. You; dear Jaguars fan can silence them, if you will be on Sundays at "the Jack". And I think if that happen, and this team will be that powerhouse I think the Jaguars can stop worrying of the blackouts, and we simple fans will stop hearing from articles which trying to ship this team from Jacksonville in their columns!

Zoltan Paksa