Roger Goodell considering NFL regular season game in Mexico
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell alluded Wednesday to the possibility of the two NFL teams playing a regular season game in Mexico, noting that "there is interest" from team's around the league in such a game.
The comments, which came at the NFL owners meetings in San Francisco, echoed sentiments expressed at league meetings in March when NFL owners discussed expanding the league's international presence.
The league brought American football to London beginning in the 2007 season, and London will again host three regular-season games during the 2015 season.
The NFL has also prioritized establishing a London-based franchise by 2022 and is rumored to have its sights set on playing regular season games on multiple continents, including mainland Europe, South America and Asia.
"The work we're doing now is to ask, 'How do we accelerate the agenda in Mexico, Canada and China?'" Mark Waller, the NFL EVP, International, said in March.
"Those would be our next stage, and we have offices in those three countries. And then, after those, where should be our focus? I think we've concluded that Brazil and Germany are the next two frontier markets, which is where the Pro Bowl idea comes from."
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Germany was home to five teams in the now-defunct NFL Europe league and has produced several NFL players. The NFL currently features prominent Latino players including New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez, but according to Sporting Intelligence only had 11 international players on rosters during the 2014 season compared to 1,673 American players.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said both countries have contacted the NFL about hosting games, and there is "renewed interest" among the owners.
The Arizona Cardinals surrendered a home game to face the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City in 2005. The game drew a regular-season record crowd of 103,467. Last occuring in 1994, the NFL has played five preseason games in Germany.
- Will Green and Jake Fischer
