Today the NFL announced two international games for the 2008 season. First, the Buffalo Bills will start playing one game a year in Toronto for the next five years. This totally makes sense, Toronto is close to Buffalo and attracts 15,000 fans from the Toronto area every home-game. I understand the fears in Buffalo that the Bills will move to Toronto in the near future. That might happen, but then again, the Toronto market is bigger than the Buffalo market. So a move makes sense anyway.
Then, the Saints and the Chargers will play in London in October. Once again great news and a better matchup than the Dolphins and Giants last year. But I don’t understand the choice for Wembley this year. The UK market is big, but across the North Sea there is possibly a bigger market: Germany. I feel that the NFL owners are overlooking the massive attention and reception they will get there. I know that Wembley is bigger than the German stadiums, but in Frankfurt they can handle 60,000 fans. So my feeling is that the NFL is looking at easy, big money (Wembley will sell out again) instead of really transforming the league and getting more international presence.
Now, if only I could get some tickets for the London game 
Today the tickets for the NFL International Series match between the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints went on sale. I thought I was very quick, but the best seats available were behind the end-zone. Not awful tickets, but being used to sideline seats (row 10) during the NFL Europe matches of the Admirals this will take some adjustment. Most important however, I’m going to visit the game.