Roger Goodell says London could host more NFL games

The commissioner is always looking for new ways to expand the reach of the game, with England being one of the top priorities.

by Matt Verderame

May 22, 2013, 12:33 PM UTC

Doug Pensinger

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes football can thrive in England, which is why he’s considering expanding the overseas schedule. Goodell spoke on Tuesday at the Spring League Meetings and addressed the media’s questions on the subject.

“Much to the disappointment of my staff when they told me the two games in London were sold out, I said, ‘Okay, what’s next and what can we do to continue our progress, in the UK in particular and internationally in general?’” Goodell said.

"There are multiple things that our committee is doing and they reported on that today. Potentially going to three games is one alternative."

Currently, the NFL plays two games in London annually, but Goodell now believes that three games every season in Great Britain isn’t out of the question.

England has certainly shown legitimate interest when games have been scheduled in London, selling out the events easily. The major problem for NFL franchises is travel, especially for teams that aren’t on the East Coast.

Since 2007, the NFL has been playing one game in London per season, with 2012 being the first time two contests were hosted by Wembley Stadium. However, the notion of playing in England has been kicked around the league offices for decades.

Since the 1980s, NFL teams have played exhibition games in England, testing the waters for what takes place today. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the franchise most heavily invested in international play, agreeing to have a home game played in London every year through 2014.

While other alternatives are on the table in terms of developing overseas interest in the product, Goodell will likely announce some sort of measures soon, using the word “aggressive” to describe his efforts.

“We are going to be aggressive because we see the fans’ reactions to football and we want to be there on a more regular basis.”