The NFL has moved numerous games to other countries, but an international Super Bowl has always seemed off limits.
The tone of that conversation is shifting though.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the possibility of a Super Bowl being played outside of the United States, and it sounded like a real possibility.
“We’ve always traditionally tried to play a Super Bowl in an NFL city — that was always sort of a reward for the cities that have NFL franchises,” Goodell said, via the Associated Press. “But things change. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if that happens one day.”
The NFL has continued to push international games, but the softening of the stance on a Super Bowl being played overseas is new.
Who might host an international Super Bowl?
A Super Bowl played in another country won’t happen for a while. The next three Super Bowls all have hosts. New Orleans, the Bay Area and Los Angeles are getting the next three games.
If the Super Bowl ever is played outside of the United States, London seems like the most likely option. The NFL has held regular-season games in London for many seasons, and a world-class venue like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is obviously up to the standard of hosting a Super Bowl. The NFL has played a game in London each of the past two weeks and has another coming up this week.
There will likely be pushback. Hosting a Super Bowl is big business and that’s a big reason every one has been in an established NFL city. A regular host city like New Orleans or Miami won’t want to lose that revenue to London or anywhere else.
But the NFL wants to grow the game internationally, and a Super Bowl overseas would be a big step.
NFL continues to expand globally
As part of Goodell’s remarks over the weekend, he noted his plan to have 16 international games a season if the regular-season is expanded to 18 games. That would give each team one international game. He also said Ireland and Rio de Janeiro are likely to host games soon.
The NFL has been pushing its global expansion for a while. This year, a Week game between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles was held in Brazil, the first time South America has hosted a game.
Just about every year, the NFL adds to its international portfolio, whether it’s more games in England or giving games to other countries. The next logical step to push the envelope would be a Super Bowl in London, though there would be plenty of opposition to it.
It doesn’t matter. The NFL wants to grow the game internationally because it sees that as a way to grow its revenue. Now that Goodell has said he wouldn’t be surprised at all if a Super Bowl was played overseas, it’s probably inevitable.