Now that the Oakland Raiders’ relocation plans to Las Vegas have been approved by the NFL, three teams have announced their intention to move in just over the past calendar year.
This has led to some major questions about what city might be the next to get a football team. While there’s certainly been some focus on the United States, one international city keeps coming up.
Could London actually house an NFL team here soon? If you ask New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the answer to this question is a resounding yes.
“First time we went there (London), I said that in the next decade, I think there should be a team here,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said, via MMQB. “I still think we should have a team there, and then probably on the continent. I don’t know how it’ll work, we’ll have to work the logistics. How would it work? Who would it be? But I wouldn’t be surprised if in the next five to seven years we have a team there. Maybe sooner.”
None of this should really be considered a surprise. The NFL has long been looking to expand outside of the United States. In addition to annual games in London, the league started what appears to be a yearly tradition in Mexico this past season. There’s also been talk about games being played in China (more on that here).
Now, the idea of an international city outside of North America hosting an NFL team full time is a bit more convoluted. With a five-hour time difference between the east coast of the United State and London, that brings a ton of logistical concerns. When looking at an eight-hour difference between the west coast and London, this is magnified even further.
One also has to wonder whether a current team would simply relocate to Europe or if the NFL itself would have to expand. Of the 32 teams currently in the league, the Jacksonville Jaguars could make the most sense. They’ve made it an annual tradition to play in London.
Either way, Kraft opening up about the possibility should not be taken with a grain of salt. He’s among the most powerful owners in professional sports. He’s been in on all three of the relocation announcements over the past 14-plus months. When he talks about the possibility, we surely should listen.