England’s Low Crowds, the FA, NFL Teams and Wembley ownership!

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I know that’s some title, but it comes from waking up to news that the FA have gone in to typical PR Spin & shot themselves in the foot AGAIN.

How, well reading the BBC’s article this morning:

On first glance, you’ll see the FA spinning with the fact they know it’ll be yet another low crowd at Wembley tonight vs San Marino.

So, out come the FA PR Guru’s, spinning like crazy by throwing England fan’s ‘a Bone‘, saying England could play around the country from 2018.

It’s positive, a popular time for the fans during the Wembley rebuild, many of whom got easier access to England games, when they played up and down the country.

That’s all nice, the FA acknowledge they have to pay for Wembley, that’s okay too.  Got to pay off the FA’s Visa Card. Christ, we know with David, how all of us are now paying for the debts Labour piled up trying to make everyone happy!

The FA also knows there is a lot of fan apathy after the World Cup & the low crowd against Norway.   Bad for business, another half empty stadium and the sponsors are going to be knocking on the FA door soon asking for a refund.  So hence the ‘Bone‘.

  • Happier England Fans
  • Larger Crowds
  • More money for the FA
  • The FA each month can add a little more to the Minimum Payment

They’ve acknowledged, fans are not happy as the typical responses on the comments to the BBC article, is England is a national team, not a London Team.

So what’s the radical solution the FA have come up with?

Well it’s this.

They bring in an American NFL Team to play at Wembley from 2018. With this they share the costs of Wembley’s debt payments and England can pack their suitcases and travel to Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, Southampton, etc, etc.

Problem is the NFL have said yes they’ll continue the ‘International Games’ at Wembley for the next 3 years & then we’ll see what happens after that?

So the ‘International Games’ though planned until 2017, there’s nothing agreed after this, hence other countries will start to ask & conveniently the FA say Wembley is available from 2018.

The NFL also has a big following in Germany, Ireland & Mexico and I’d imagine these countries will throw their own ‘Bone’ to the NFL to share in some of these ‘International Games’.

You know, like us ‘Up North’ these countries will be asking ‘Why just London!’

The NFL have also said that due to Stadium contracts, TV deals and planned schedules the earliest a London NFL Franchise can start would be 2022. So, curious as to why the FA have all of a sudden come up with this morning’s statement, are they throwing the NFL ‘a bone?

Final thing and the most worrying, is if the FA do allow a NFL Franchise into Wembley & England move out, who owns the Stadium? Just the biggest asset & greatest stability to any NFL team is the Stadium & Stadium ownership.

So which International or more probably American Billionaire is going to want to own an NFL Franchise in London, without having some ownership of the Stadium they play in?

Hence, can you imagine the fury directed at the FA!

When England fans realise the much maligned Wembley stadium is part owned by an American Billionaire & the FA have shipped out the England team, so the Americans can play in our backyard.  Also how long before the Billionaire wants to make changes to the Stadium to fit American Football needs?

So once again the FA PR Guru’s launch what they think is a positive for the England fans, only to shoot themselves in the foot, probably with an American Gun.

Dear God, you couldn’t make it up.

Andy

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