Team Glazer Addresses Bucs Playing In China
March 29th, 2016
Joel Glazer talks to Joe
Shanghai’s Quarterback?
A big buzz at the NFL Owners Meetings last week was the NFL’s expectation to play a regular-season game in China as early as 2018.
Of course, Joe felt compelled to get the thoughts of Team Glazer on this hot topic, specifically Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer.
A majority of Bucs fans frown upon international games, but the Bucs always have been at the NFL forefront when it comes to testing new turf. Back in 2003, the reigning Super Bowl champion Bucs went to Tokyo in the preseason. Tampa Bay also played two (home) games in London (2009 and 2011) when England was still in the league’s experimental stage.
JoeBucsFan.com: Would you be quick to volunteer to play in China or in one of these landmark games overseas?
Joel Glazer: We’re seeing a lot more international games. We’ve played our two games in London already. We are always going to what to do what’s in the best interest of the National Football League. And you see a lot of teams stepping up and playing international games, and you’re seeing more and more of them. So, all teams are going to have to contribute at some point. We will always be a contributor at the right time. I don’t see it happening in the very near future. But at some point, all teams are going to be asked to play some more international games.
Joe gets the whole marketing value in China thing, and Team Glazer surely does, too. Manchester United, owned by Team Glazer, has been diligent and vigilant about promoting and playing exhibitions in China.
However, playing a real game in China feels like a nightmare on players of any team. Nothing like two entire days of international travel to mess up a body for a while.
The only way Joe could see the NFL sending teams there is if it were part of an early Week 1 night/day game, like on Wednesday. Then teams could be back home on Friday and back in a regular routine in time for Week 2.
March 29th, 2016 at 9:21 am
If Trump becomes president, there will be no games in China…
March 29th, 2016 at 9:21 am
Why must the NFL force-feed their sport to populations worldwide that have no interest in it at the detriment of the fans they do have? It’s nonsensical, aka the Goodell way.
March 29th, 2016 at 9:23 am
Because we’ll be at war…
March 29th, 2016 at 9:28 am
The way things are going in Cleveland, the Browns might move to Shanghai
March 29th, 2016 at 9:30 am
As long as we are not playing a “home game” in China as we have the last two times in London then I am ok with it.
March 29th, 2016 at 9:32 am
We have to appease the Chinese. They do own most of this countries debt. Dance you over paid clowns!!
March 29th, 2016 at 9:37 am
“DallasBuc Says:
March 29th, 2016 at 9:21 am
Why must the NFL force-feed their sport to populations worldwide that have no interest in it at the detriment of the fans they do have?”
NFL owners have an inferiority complex with European soccer. American Football will never be bigger than soccer, but, they aren’t happy with billions. Must. Have. Mor.
March 29th, 2016 at 9:38 am
FIRETHECANNONS
sad but true….
March 29th, 2016 at 9:53 am
What has Goodell done to improve this sport for the fans or players?
March 29th, 2016 at 10:04 am
Absolutely NOTHING Dallas. Football’s profits and popularity have continued to grow DESPITE the meddlings of King Goodell.
Dipweed makes $35-$40 MILLION every year – all for trying to ruin the game.
China? Seriously?? SMH
March 29th, 2016 at 10:05 am
Check out Panda by Designer if you ain’t I meant if you haven’t heard it yet. Hot track yo.
March 29th, 2016 at 10:19 am
why play games internationally when the whole world can stream the games online….how about making the fan/stadium experience better for fans…American football will never be as popular as European football/soccer in europe…how about adding more nfl teams with more games….with all of these college athletes and current/former coaches, there’s more than enough coaches, players and money to make it happen…if the nfl/godell was smart, he would improve the game and the game/stadium experience that people from Europe and china would want to travel to the usa just to experience American football…or they could just watch it online…GO BUCS!!!
March 29th, 2016 at 10:20 am
*goodell
March 29th, 2016 at 10:35 am
“…However, playing a real game in China feels like a nightmare on players of any team. Nothing like two entire days of international travel to mess up a body for a while…”
Not sure that would be any different than playing games on Thursday night, right? And I definitely agree with an earlier point you made. These overseas games are going to expand in connection with an 18 game schedule. Fans will not miss their 8 home games – so they won’t be going nuts over this. And the NFL gets more exposure and $$$$$$. Its becoming very clear
March 29th, 2016 at 10:48 am
Ding, ding, ding.
However, Joe’s going to safely guess (never been to China) that an 18-hour flight into a different day will screw up your body clock and stamina a little more than, say, a three-hour flight to New York on a short week.
March 29th, 2016 at 10:50 am
We still need a minor league for guys who can play, but, just aren’t cut out for college.
March 29th, 2016 at 11:17 am
@Mr Glazer
It was a yes or no question. Somehow managed to answer yes but no. Maybe?
If they expand to an 18 game season to avoid missing a home game, I’ll just be upset I don’t get 9 home games. Can’t help it.
March 29th, 2016 at 11:20 am
LWD that’s an idea I’ve never pondered before. I will be from now on.
March 29th, 2016 at 11:25 am
I’m talkin bout dag you got me thinking. I can literally come up with 5 or 6 names right off the top that left and went to school on a ship only to come back home because they weren’t cut out for college. I’m talkin bout ballin a$$ cats to man.
March 29th, 2016 at 11:51 am
Joe,
You are correct those long flights take a lot out of a person. I was always exhausted after my flights to and from the Middle East and my company as a rule gave people the day off after flying that long distance so they could sleep and adjust. This applies even flying business class, there is something about it that just drains you.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
That’s exactly why fans absolutely hate these international games. They are ALWAYS terrible. Worse play than the Thursday night games. And if London is that bad, the extra 10 hours to China will be immensely worse.
But the NFL doesn’t care about the quality of play, just as long as there is another market to sell NFL products to, who cares if the actual games suck? It’s just like the officiating- it’s been so bad the last 2 seasons, yet the same crappy refs remain employed year after year.
Football is far and away my favorite sport to watch, but it’s become increasingly difficult to enjoy as much as I used to with all the bad rule changes and poor officiating. Thursday night games have been a joke, and now these international games will only be worse. But nothing will change because the NFL just keeps bringing in more money.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:20 pm
I disagree NFL teams play regular games outside of US even though I live in Tokyo and enjoyed the Bucs’ preseason game in 2003.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:25 pm
you have to give the team a bye the week after – and for china, maybe a thursday night game the week before.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Screw them all, the new world order and new world order football.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
DallasBuc Says
“What has Goodell done to improve this sport for the fans or players?”
I am no fan of the man…and I think he’s ruining the overall game with rules…but to say he’s done nothing good is a stretch.
He negotiated the CBA. He got rid of the blackout rules. He made improvements to roster rules. “Some” of the on field rules have been good ones. He’s made access to games much more convenient for fans. He’s modernized playbook and communications methods.
I hate that I am even making a case for the good things he’s done because I can’t stand him…but he has done “some” good.
His bad just outweighs it for me.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:42 pm
Given the economy in China, I don’t see how the NFL expects to sell many tickets. While their government is good at creating the illusion of industrial growth…they have entire cities that are empty…built to make people think they are thriving with new construction and industry.
Most of the people live in poverty. They cannot afford NFL tickets.
March 29th, 2016 at 2:48 pm
If we were talking about exhibition games, I’d say yes. There is ZERO reason to playing a regular season game in ANY country other than the US.
National-Football-League NOT INTER-national…it’s all about $$$ and greed. Grow the sport HERE! How many markets would love an NFL franchise (hello St. Louis!).
March 29th, 2016 at 5:16 pm
Wouldn’t he then be Asia’s QB or East Asia’s QB? His nick name isn’t the largest city in the US, New York’s QB it’s America’s QB.
March 29th, 2016 at 8:03 pm
Bonzai- even when you agree with me you have to find ways to reflexively disagree with me! You give Goodell way too much credit for things that were going to happen regardless of who was commissioner that transpired while he happened to be commissioner. You are the most argumentative child I have to deal with on here. It’s alright tho, keeps it mildly interesting when there is absolutely nothing interesting going on.
March 29th, 2016 at 8:15 pm
@DallasBuc
You just like to shovel blame on people. No one is 100% bad. You say those things would have happened eventually anyway…maybe so. But it doesn’t change the FACT that he ushered those changes in. He was the one in the position.
If someone does an overall bad job, you (and others here) like to blame absolutely everything bad on that person. Meanwhile, you give credit for the good things to persons not deserving of it…because it suits the hate agenda.
You say the “things that were going to happen regardless of who was commissioner”…well, then that would include the bad things as well. Or are you going to pick and choose what to exclude from your theory?
March 29th, 2016 at 9:54 pm
China owns 1.2 trillion of US debt roughly 15% of the total, about the same amount as the Japanese. The 15 is the same as your football IQ Firethecannons.
March 30th, 2016 at 7:51 am
I think it would be pretty cool to see our bucs play in China town. So what if it messes there scedule up a bit, they get payed MILLIONS of dollars to play the greatest gamE on earth! Get over it. I don’t feel bad for them.
They should scedule a bye week for the two teams that go over the the following week and that should fix all the problems.