"London has launched an audacious bid to stage the Super Bowl within the next eight years, a move that would see the United States' biggest sporting event played overseas for the first time, the Sunday Telegraph has reported." - Shey, Jamaican of FF from Bookmarklet

"We are looking at 2014, 2015 or 2017," David Hornby, the commercial director for Visit London was quoted as saying. - Shey, Jamaican of FF

I like the American Football when it comes to the UK but hosting the Superbowl outside America isn't a good plan imo. - Nicholas James

This would be a mistake. I love American Football; been to the two London games in the last 2 years and have tickets for this year's too, but a UK-based team or Superbowl game is a bad idea. - Mark H

I agree, Mark - Shey, Jamaican of FF

I really don't understand where the benefit to the NFL would be in this. Doesn't make any sense to me. - Kenton

I think the phrase "never in a million years" applies here. - Ken Sheppardson

Why not Hawaii? [edit] I mean, if you want the crazy travel stuff ... different venue etc. - AJ Kohn

There are still some Euro-expansion minded folks in the NFL head-office. Pipe dream. - Steve

They're trying to expand the franchise to the UK. Its not going to work mainly because "football" in the UK is what the american's call "soccer". As well as this, they're aren't that many people in the UK actually playing the sport so it would be hard to build enough teams to create their own individual league and creating a "european" version might be possible but then the problems of constant flying would be highlighted by eco concerned people of society. - Nicholas James

The Super Bowl in the pouring rain? LOL. Would rather watch it in the snow at Chicago, Foxborough or Green Bay. Why does it always have to be in domes these days? That's for cissies :-) - Sally Church

Interestingly enough, Goodell pooh-poohed the idea of holding the Super Bowl in London or Mexico City. Does that leave Toronto? Is Toronto's CFL stadium a domed facility? - John E. Bredehoft

If there were already a fan base overseas, *maybe*, but as it stands today, no way. You'd see a fan revolt here in the US, IMHO. Of course I'm probably completely underestimating the current popularity of American Football overseas. - Ken Sheppardson

The NFL wants to promote its sport overseas; we get that. The problem is that those of us outside the USA who like the sport tend to already support an American team. Expanding the franchise in Europe won't work; we're all Pats or Fins or 49ers etc. and won't suddenly become London Bulldogs fan instead or as well. Hosting the Superbowl over here could work to some extent as a one-off but it won't be as glitzy and won't do anything that the current overseas games are already doing. - Mark H

...most of the people who actually attend the Super Bowl aren't hardcore football fans, anyway—they're mostly corporate toadys and expense account f**ktards, or people related to the teams playing. I don't think it's really that big a deal where the game is played, as long is it's broadcast live, in prime time, on American television. also, the Super Bowl the Colts and Peyton Manning won over the Bears: driving rain storm in Miami. - .LAG liked that

I didn't even think of the time factor, which could kill the deal. They won't start a game at Wembley at midnight, and an 1800 Wembley start would start at 10am on the West Coast - not that the networks care about the West Coast, but that would mean that the pre-game analysis would start at 2am PST, which would cut into local stations' infomercial revenue. - John E. Bredehoft from fftogo

John, Rogers Centre has a retractable roof... it's the old SkyDome. Toronto is a more likely host for an international Super Bowl. It's on Eastern Time, and the Bills may move to Toronto sooner than we think. I can see a mid-season Pro Bowl in the UK - but not a Super Bowl, simply because of the weather and time zone factors. - Bill Sodeman

The time-zone difference could make things interesting. Earlier start time to accomodate European attendees or later start time to accommodate American TV watchers? - John (a.k.a. dendroica)

...the Super Bowl is the biggest annual corporate sporting event. It's completely fueled by the ad revenues raked in by the TV networks. the game absolutely has to air in prime time in the biggest TV market in the world. whether or not a Super Bowl leaves US shores is debatable, but it will never air in America, live, in any timeslot other than prime time. I think Toronto, in a domed stadium, has a much better shot. Maybe Mexico City--they got 100K for a Cardinals/49ers game two years ago...but swine flu...eh? - .LAG liked that