The NFL has a history of enticing fans from other countries with tantalizing prospects. One such prospect is the idea of moving a team across the pond to Europe. Just two years ago, Commissioner Roger Goodell hinted at the potential for an entire European division within the league.
But this year, Goodell went a step further and suggested that a Super Bowl could one day be held in a non-American city. “We’ve always traditionally tried to play a Super Bowl in an NFL city,” Goodell said at a fan forum in London. “That was always sort of a reward for the cities that have NFL franchises. But things change. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if that happens one day.”
The notion of a Super Bowl outside the U.S. first emerged 17 years ago when Goodell, in his first year as Commissioner, mentioned the idea prior to the inaugural NFL regular-season game in London. Six years later, Goodell acknowledged the challenges of staging a Super Bowl in a city like London with a franchise based there.
While talk of a permanent team in London has been replaced by the plan to eventually play 16 international games per year, the discussion of a non-American Super Bowl continues to linger.
Many American fans may not be thrilled about the idea, but they would likely tune in nonetheless. And if it helps further the NFL’s goal of globalizing the sport, then perhaps it is a conversation worth having.
For now, speculation about the possibility of a non-American Super Bowl remains tied to the NFL’s annual trips to London. It serves as an easy way to generate buzz and interest in a sport that still trails behind soccer on a global scale.
