NFL Announces Plan for Games in Germany & Mexico; Falcons Involved?
The Atlanta Falcons know the drill, having played a regular-season game last year in London.
As the NFL is announcing its specific plan for world-wide domination, should Falcons team owner Arthur Blank want his club to again pack its bags?
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
While the Falcons won't "host" a game outside the U.S. like they did last season, there is a chance they travel as the "road team."
Two NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are hosting games in London and Munich, respectively.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced earlier this month that Munich will host a game in 2022, and that there will be four total games in Germany over the next four years, two in Munich, two in Frankfurt. Now we know that the Bucs will participate in that game. Their opponent will be announced when the schedules are released next season, which should happen sometime in late March or April.
Additionally, there will be a game in Mexico this coming season, hosted by the Arizona Cardinals.
Notable to us? Not especially.
But then there is the macro view.
Over the years, Tokyo, London and Mexico City have been among the sites for NFL games. But there can always be one bit of reluctance …
The individual owner, generally speaking, might not in favor of giving up a lucrative home game at his own stadium as a trade for an overseas game.
The league remains committed to multiple games in London and a game in Mexico City with Germany now in the mix going forward, and in theory there is enough eventual profitability for everyone to wish to get involved.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
And of course, by the numbers, the Falcons will again eventually be involved ... because starting in 2022, there will be at least four games played internationally every season and each NFL team will take a turn to host an international contest once every eight seasons.
The movement to overseas games has featured all 32 NFL teams, with the Green Bay Packers becoming the final club to play a regular-season game internationally next season in London.
And to that macro view: a long-range view, as the NFL will make money here - TV contracts, expansion, popularity, all of it - maybe there is great value in the Atlanta Falcons being “Germany’s Team.”
