Forget about moving the Bills to Toronto or the Jaguars to L.A., Robert Kraft would like to see an NFL team setting down roots in London within the coming decade.
The owner of the New England Patriots expressed his interest in the league placing a franchise in original England (I couldn't resist) during a promotional event for the upcoming NFL game at Wembley this October.
"I personally think we should have a franchise in London and that is something I am going to push for," Kraft said to Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports. "This fanbase has proven they deserve it."
An NFL franchise outside of the United States may be a risky endeavor. While the winners of the Lombardi Trophy are crowned "World Champions," football's immense popularity in the U.S. is not duplicated elsewhere on the globe. There are currently no NFL franchises from anywhere outside of the Continental United States.
In 2007, the Giants faced off against the Dolphins for the first ever NFL game to take place off of US soil. The game received mixed reviews, as the Dolphins were currently winless on the '07 season at the time. Both franchises struggled to gain traction on the rain soaked Wembley pitch which proved to be a bit more worse for wear than a traditional NFL field.
The NFL has continued the series over the past seven five seasons. This year, Kraft's Patriots will take on the St. Louis Rams.
