NFL Relocations and League Expansion

[Exe Gesis]

San Diego citizen files taxpayer suit against NFL over Chargers move​

Posted by Mike Florio on January 26, 2022, 8:51 PM EST

San Diego refused to do it. So a San Diego taxpayer did.

Earlier this week, Ruth Hendricks sued the NFL and its 32 teams in an effort to recover taxpayer funds lost as a result of the 2017 relocation of the Chargers.

The 35-page lawsuit raises four arguments in support of the claim that the rights of San Diego taxpayers were violated by the move. The specific legal theories are breach of contract (based on the NFL’s relocation policy), unjust enrichment (based on the relocation fee paid by the Chargers and the increase in value of the Chargers franchise), fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment by the Chargers, and fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment by the NFL.

As previously mentioned, the biggest challenge this lawsuit will face arises from the statutes of limitations applicable to the four legal theories. The NFL undoubtedly will raise this as an affirmative defense to the lawsuit. Based on our preliminary and not-licensed-to-practice-in-California review of California law, the lawsuit possibly was filed too late.

In California, fraud claims have a three-year deadline and breach of contract claims must be filed within four years. The Chargers moved five years ago.

That’s why the lawsuit is quite possibility a political stunt, aimed at attacking San Diego elected officials who failed to do what St. Louis did, on a timely basis

 

[Exe Gesis]

NFL has no comment on San Diego litigation​

Posted by Mike Florio on January 27, 2022, 8:29 PM EST

The lawsuit filed this week by a San Diego taxpayer seems to be susceptible to dismissal based on the various applicable statutes of limitations. Given the league’s past habit of thumping its chest when it regards a case filed against it as lacking merit, we expected the NFL’s comment tin response to the case to point out the basic fact that this specific action was pursued too late.

Instead, the NFL has opted to say nothing.

In response to a Wednesday email from PFT seeking comment on the San Diego litigation, the league said, “We will decline comment.”

That’s not how the league has handled other fairly recent lawsuits. When St. Louis sued over the move of the Rams, for example, the NFL said this: “There is no legitimate basis for this litigation. While we understand the disappointment of the St. Louis fans and the community, we worked diligently with local and state officials in a process that was honest and fair at all times.” When Oakland sued over the relocation of the Raiders to Las Vegas, Mark Davis called the case “meritless and malicious.”

Most recently, when former Raiders coach Jon Gruden sued the NFL, the league said that “the allegations are entirely meritless and the NFL will vigorously defend against these claims.”

Maybe, after ultimately paying $790 million to settle the St. Louis litigation, the league has decided that it’s not wise to huff and puff and then have its house blown down. Regardless, the statute of limitations argument hovers over the San Diego lawsuit. Look for the league to push that angle aggressively, at the appropriate time.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Report: Buccaneers will play a home game in Germany this season​

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 25, 2022, 1:48 PM EST

The NFL will play a regular-season game in Germany for the first time in 2022, and now we know which team is giving up a home game to go there.

The Buccaneers will be the home team for the Germany game, according to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal.

There’s been no word on the date of the game or who the Bucs’ opponent will be. The Bucs’ home opponents in 2022 are the Falcons, Ravens, Panthers, Bengals, Packers, Chiefs, Rams, Saints and Seahawks.

The game will be played in Munich, at the home stadium of the Bayern Munich soccer team. The NFL has agreed to play in Munich in 2022 and 2024, and in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2023 and 2025.

The Bucs are one of the teams that staked a claim for international marketing rights in Germany, and now they’ll get a big chance to try to appeal to the German fans.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Expansion in a way....

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[AJ_2000]

Where's Melbourne???

 

[Exe Gesis]

Where's Melbourne???

Australia doesnt count. Perhaps only in the small thousands the total number of NFL fans here (eg, Gamepass subscribers). Dunno, but thats what id guess.

 

[hoddo22]

Australia doesnt count. Perhaps only in the small thousands the total number of NFL fans here (eg, Gamepass subscribers). Dunno, but thats what id guess.

Because most with Gamepass on here have subscribed via Brazil or India?

On SM-G781B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[00Stinger]

Because most with Gamepass on here have subscribed via Brazil or India?

On SM-G781B using BigFooty.com mobile app

lol

Imagine if there second biggest market was New Delhi with 4.1m subscribers

 

[AJ_2000]

lol

Imagine if there second biggest market was New Delhi with 4.1m subscribers

We gotta get a team there!

 

[aussiedude]

lol

Imagine if there second biggest market was New Delhi with 4.1m subscribers

The NFL is going to be sad when 95% of the india and Brazil fanbase goes missing under the new gamepass deal with DAZN. but will see spikes in most other places.

 

[Broken]

Spain to host NFL regular-season game in Madrid during 2025 season​

The NFL's explosive growth has prompted the league to add a new destination to its international slate: Madrid, Spain.

The NFL will hold its first game in the capital of Spain in 2025, the league announced during a Friday new conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. In partnership with Real Madrid, the game will take place at the recently renovated Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to the world-famous La Liga soccer club.
"Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 highlights the continued expansion of the league's global footprint and the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "We are proud to partner with Real Madrid C.F., a global brand, together with the City of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid, to bring a spectacular regular season game to Spain at the world-class Santiago Bernabéu Stadium."
In just two months, the NFL has swiftly expanded its international footprint. Spain will be the fifth different country to participate in the NFL's International Games, following the United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany and Brazil, and the third European nation to do so. Friday's announcement followed a Dec. 13 announcement that Brazil will host an NFL regular-season game in the 2024 campaign, the first ever to be held in South America. The Philadelphia Eagles are the designated team to play in the São Paulo game, which will take place in Week 1 on Friday, Sept. 6.
It's all by design, according to Peter O'Reilly, NFL executive VP of club business, international and league events.
"In December, NFL owners voted to expand the number of NFL games played internationally every year, moving from four league-operated games to now up to eight regular-season games starting in 2025," O'Reilly said Friday. "And what that does is allow us to explore new markets, new partners, new passionate fan bases around the world who love the NFL and haven't had the chance to experience the NFL live and in-person.
"We could not be more excited to bring the best of the NFL, the best of our teams, our star players to our more than 13 million passionate fans in Spain and to partner with one of the greatest global soccer clubs in Real Madrid and a truly world-class and innovative stadium."


The first-ever game in Madrid -- for which the league unveiled a new logo proudly featuring "Madrid Game" on Friday -- will take place in 2025, and not 2024, because the NFL and Real Madrid only recently finalized their agreement. The NFL isn't in a huge hurry, though, and with the recent renovations of Bernabéu Stadium now complete, the two parties felt it was the perfect time to strike a deal.
The renovated Bernabéu Stadium features a retractable playing surface that makes it possible to replace the soccer pitch with an NFL-caliber field, eliminating a massive hurdle to holding a game at the facility. It also follows in the footsteps of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England, which was purposely built to serve as both the home of the Premier League club and also as a top-tier destination for international NFL games. Since its completion, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has hosted eight NFL games, including two in the 2023 season, and in September, the NFL extended its partnership with the club through the 2029-2030 season.
Should everything go according to plan, Madrid could become the next mainstay in the international slate, which doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.
"We have learned a lot over the years," O'Reilly said of the potential for international games, "and I think the good news is that it's not seen, by your term, as a logistical nightmare anymore because of the way the teams, team operations folks, our operational team, has been able to deliver not only a great travel team experience, stadium experience, practice facility experience, but have been able to do that again across multiple stadiums in Europe and now South America.
"Nothing imminent in terms of going to Asia or Australia, but that's something that we continue to consider because there are clearly great stadiums, great partners there. The travel is a factor, and that will be something we continue to look at. But there are real opportunities in real parts of the world that are important to reach with our game, and we will look to continue to do that and explore that operationally."
Expansion of the International Series benefits the NFL beyond simply increasing the popularity of the league. With flag football entering the Olympics as an official event in 2028, the NFL is spreading the game around the globe in an effort that could even include moving the Pro Bowl Games overseas.
"We were really energized with the way the Pro Bowl Games has evolved in its reimagined form the last two years," O'Reilly said. "To your point, with flag football at the center of it, the biggest stars in the NFL, as we saw last Sunday, having a great time and very competitively playing flag football. As I described before, that showcase that in 2028 countries around the world – both women and men – will be playing on that platform.
"We are considering all options. Clearly, the global growth of our game is important. So, looking at that are there opportunities to create more moments internationally? Nothing is imminent there, but we would not rule that out if there was the right fit and the right opportunity to add an international Pro Bowl game sometime in the future."


For now, all that is confirmed is a game in Spain in 2025. But all signs point to a continued effort on the part of the NFL to gain a foothold in as many international nations as possible in the years to come.

 

[Broken]

That'll be 6 (?) international games now - it wouldn't surprise me if the NFL makes each teams 17th game a neutral international game in the near future.

 

[aussiedude]

I think that will be the plan. Not all international but use it to test non NFL markets. Also go back into Canada. And possibly back to Hawaii.

Don't see australia or Asia getting games because of the distance unless it's like teams playing on Thanksgiving then fly to Australia then the bye after.

 

[Broken]

I think that will be the plan. Not all international but use it to test non NFL markets. Also go back into Canada. And possibly back to Hawaii.

Don't see australia or Asia getting games because of the distance unless it's like teams playing on Thanksgiving then fly to Australia then the bye after.

Could be a Week 1 thing, played a week/half week earlier, to allow travel.

 

[aussiedude]

Could be a Week 1 thing, played a week/half week earlier, to allow travel.

I don't think the NFL will do a week 0. Also getting grounds around NRL finals might be hard.
Memorial day weekend is a college thing. Also short turnaround from preseason cuts to do a week 0 or even if they did a Saturday afternoon week 1 game

 

[00Stinger]

That'll be 6 (?) international games now - it wouldn't surprise me if the NFL makes each teams 17th game a neutral international game in the near future.

Would make sense and make it fixture a bit more even

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[andana]

As long as they move chiefs out of afcwest