Bucs Playing In London Is For The Fans
April 14th, 2011
Joe can’t count the number of times he’s read comments from angry fans who threw empty beer bottles at their dog in rage over the way BSPN shafted the Bucs and the ugly fact the constant barking, howling and gnarling from the cur sounded remarkably like Chris Berman.
Joe always countered with “If the Bucs win, the attention will follow.”
Apparently, that didn’t happen in 2010.
Unless someone has lived in a cave for roughly the past decade or is a zombie, BSPN cares only about a few select teams/athletes. They slurp at the alter of Bill Belicheat and Tom Brady, genuflect at the feet of Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, wipe the nose of Opie Taylor Peyton Manning, sing the praises of the NFC East, unquestionably the most overrated division in football year after year.
Though the four-letter outfit’s baseball coverage is significantly worse and should be a model for all journalism schools on how not to cover a sport — it’s nothing short of shameful — its NFL coverage has also sunk in recent years and Joe can only think that the lone two groups of people who actually turn to BSPN for real news are ADD-afflicted adolescents and invalids who are incapable of operating a remote. It’s why Joe has long preached the gospel of the NFL Network for thinking football fans and men of all ages who actually possess a pair.
(To be fair, the four-letter is the gold standard for college football coverage and does a solid job on college basketball, which makes Joe wonder why the outfit can’t put forth the same effort and dynamite coverage of America’s most popular sport?)
Eash Sunday morning there is the depressing image of stoic if not burned out Ed Werder from Valley Ranch, Sal Pal from Lincoln Financial, never-blinking Rachel Nichols at Gillette Stadium.
How much did BSPN ignore the Bucs last year? When the Bucs and Saints met at The CITS with both teams fielding a winning record, the Mouse Outfit ordered its NFC South blogger who lives in the area to cover a non-NFC South game.
Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik even indirectly spoke about this months ago when he appeared with co-hosts of “The Blitz,” Adam Schein and Rich Gannon heard exclusively on Sirius NFL Radio, that he was pleased to see the Dixie Chicks and the Saints play on Monday Night Football because — Joe is paraphrasing here — TV networks seem to look the other way at the NFC South so any chance two teams from the division got some national exposure, it’s a good thing for the Bucs as well.
Armed with this information, based on multiple sources with direct pipelines to the powers that be at One Buc Palace, Joe learned that the Bucs have tried to go on the offensive in getting the word out that the team has a number of highly-marketable, exciting young players that football fans will gravitate to if they only knew about them.
This push to get the Bucs out in view of football fans everywhere is also part of the reason the Bucs were proactive in offering team access to be highlighted in “Hard Knocks” on HBO.
In short, the move to play in London was a savvy ploy by Team Glazer to ensure the Bucs had at least one nationally televised game. In fact, it will be an internationally televised game. Sure, the Bucs could get a prime time game on BSPN or NBC, but that is totally out of the hands of Team Glazer. The Bucs, to get on Monday Night Football or Football Night in America, are completely at the mercy of TV networks and quite frankly, those same networks haven’t been warm to the Bucs.
Playing in London is a smart end around BSPN and NBC to get the Bucs national and international TV exposure. It also doesn’t hurt that the Bucs are quickly becoming the team of choice for British football fans as there is a large contingent of Bucs fans there.
So for Bucs fans who griped, stomped their feet and nearly scared their pet pooch to death about the Bucs not being on national TV, you have your wish. It will just be in London and not at The CITS.
April 14th, 2011 at 8:31 am
I dont have a big problem with the Bucs pursuing these games, but I disagree that it gives much more exposure of the team anywhere other than the UK. The game is not in prime time over here, it comes on at 1pm, along side all the other games.
April 14th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Being in London doesn’t make the game nationally televised. Broncos-49ers wasn’t nationally televised either. But it was internationally televised – every international TV station carried the game.
April 14th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Is it a 4p.m. game Joe? Have you heard? I’m just glad it will be on TV here. i can only afford a couple of games a year and I would never go deal with all those BS Bears fans who’ve been living here for 20 years
April 14th, 2011 at 8:40 am
Dave C:
It’s a 1 p.m. game, which is Joe believes 6 p.m. London time. Markets that won’t be broadcasting local games will pick it up. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will likely broadcast as most of the time networks send the No. 1 announcing team to the game.
April 14th, 2011 at 8:58 am
Can’t the EUROPEAN’S just stick to soccer. Just leave the real sports to the Americans.
April 14th, 2011 at 9:06 am
UK games are always played at 1pm eastern. Technically, it is 5pm in the UK, because by then they have started daylight savings time (they change time a week before us-usually it is a 5 hour difference, but is a 4 hour difference the week of the game.)
April 14th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Ruh-roh.
April 14th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Joe,
As a huge Bucs fan living in London I couldn’t have been happier at the news. I think the bucs returning to london breaks down to the fact that the glazers are the big dogs here in england and having their NFL team stink up wembley two years ago musta hurt. They want to bring the team back and show them off whilst we are playing good, plus they can generate a lot of money from that one game alone. If we beat the bears (which I think we can/should/will), it won’t matter that we lost a home game.
April 14th, 2011 at 9:33 am
James Pearls:
That’s looking at the big picture. W’s.
April 14th, 2011 at 9:49 am
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin’ hands, sayin’ “How do you do?”
They’re really saying “I love you”
My heart aches for the Glazer boys for providing this wonderful opportunity. Naturally, their motivations are entirely magnanimous.
April 14th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Gosh Joe you’re starting to read like the Optimist – STOP IT!
April 14th, 2011 at 10:03 am
Marc that’s a shallow statement. We need all of the exposure that we can goet and honestly what bigger stage that the world to beat a slodi team in the Bears?
April 14th, 2011 at 10:04 am
Architek:
Guessing you are using an iPhone? 🙂
April 14th, 2011 at 10:21 am
Architek I just don’t goet it…why are the Bears slodi?
April 14th, 2011 at 10:25 am
Customs official: Anything to declare?
Cousin Avi: Yeah. Don’t go to England.
April 14th, 2011 at 10:45 am
Nice flip-flop, Joe. Yesterday it was about money. Today it’s about the fans inability to like Josh Freeman…
“Armed with this information, based on multiple sources with direct pipelines to the powers that be at One Buc Palace, Joe learned that the Bucs have tried to go on the offensive in getting the word out that the team has a number of highly-marketable, exciting young players that football fans will gravitate to if they only knew about them.”
Really? You need “multiple sources and direct pipelines” to know a sports franchise wants fans to get exciting about their young players? And this mundane fact changed your mind about why the Glazers push for a London game?
I was fully expecting this article to end with ‘xoxo’.
April 14th, 2011 at 11:17 am
Theodore:
The cynic in Joe — and many others — thought (initially) the London game was a cashgrab. Nothing more.
Then after speaking with some people including those who have an office at One Buc Palace, Joe found the London game was just a part of a larger plan, which Joe detailed in this post.
This was something new to Joe. You know, news?
April 14th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Joe
Yeah, funny how 24 hours will bring a NEW DAY!!
April 14th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Marc – you’re a d*uche. Yes, that’s clearly it. Americans are so superior to everyone else. Give me a break. That’s why American schools are ranked 18th aong industrialized nations 18th!! The most powerful nation in the world and our schooling is ranked that low. I am a red blooded American and love my country, but more and more I see Americans growing more and more with delusions of grandeur. (You may want to look that up Marc) It amazes me how great people think they are when they are embarrassingly myopic and self serving. Most Americans can’t even find Egypt on a map, yet they think they are superior to everyone else in the world. Pathetic. Oh and lastly. As far as them not being manly enough for football? Why is it that all of today’s badass actions stars in movies are NOT American? Jason Statham. Russell Crowe. Daniel Craig, etc. Because America has been dumbed down and turned into a bunch of Twilight inspired p*ssies. Try thinking before talking down to someone. I’ve talked to a bunch of those British Bucs fans and they share the same passion and love we do. What makes you so great? Especially when you are clueless. God bless American and GO BUCS!
April 14th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
@Marc
Thanks for your contribution to a grown-up discussion. I don’t believe for a minute you believe that, and think you were being intentionally inflammatory.
You are what some Brit’s would call a “silly sausage”!
Not me though. I would call you a prick.
April 14th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
or a bell-end
April 14th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
I don’t care that we play over there, but it should be considered an away game. We already had a home game there a couple years ago. Its a joke.
April 14th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Great move by the Glazers! This team desparately needs exposure, and the sports “fans” here, are as bandwagon as they come. The Rays are a perfect example. What more must ownership do to fill the stadium? of course, an outdoor stadium would do wonders, IMO. Most Florida “fans” are not from here and only support when team is winning. I’ve been in Florida for 15 yrs and became a diehard fan of the bucs and rays the moment I got here. originally from Ct, so was a Pats fan, then to Dallas and was a huge ‘boys fan, but no more. i live here now and support the home team, REGARDLESS. BTW, not talking all Bucs fans but a large majority, because of transient nature of population.
lastly, GREAT work Joe….we had many “arguments” early on, but you’ve come a long way.
April 14th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Awesome post Buc N’ A 🙂
@Joe, Are you sure this game will be nationally televised? I was sure of it until some poster here pointed out that 49ers-Broncos game wasn’t nationally televised.
April 14th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
Jonny:
Those London games are considered nationally televised but since it is a 1 p.m. game, it likely will not be seen in quite a few NFL markets only because road/home markets of games will have priority. But if you live in Bugtussel, Neb. or Iguana, N.M. or Frostbite, Alaska, you will get the game. The network’s No. 1 broadcast crew always works nationally televised games.
April 14th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
I’m just upset they took away another of our home games. I see it as a total slap in the face to Season Ticket holders. It really sucks. They should not only refund our money, but cover our parking fees for the season, or least a trade off. C’mon Man!!!
April 14th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
@BigMac,
I feel for you bro! It is unfair to good fans like you who actually, you know, go to the games. Problem is, they need about 30,000 more people like you, and for whatever reason, it’s just not happening. As a businessman myself, I totally understand the Glazers wanting a home game in London, but it totally sucks for the real fans like yourself. If it was an away game, I’d be jumping for joy!
If the game in London is just for exposure, I think it is irrelevant. Exposure will come with winning year in and year out, and having multiple perennial pro-bowlers. That hasn’t happened in a while. However, I feel very confident that is about to change. Although I am completely guessing on this and I’m sure Joe will correct me if I am wrong, I doubt the London games get very high USA ratings anyway. The big cities have their own teams, so they won’t even gets the Bucs game. To most people, it’s just another game and they could care less that it is played in England.
April 14th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Hawaiian Buc:
Correct. That’s because the London games are a 1 p.m. kickoff, just like all but three or four of the other teams. So the markets that game gets piped into are not even secondary markets. You’re talking Pierre, N.D., Helena, Mont., Anchorage, Alaska, Reno, Nev. et al.
However, that game gets an international audience which the NFL covets dearly.
April 14th, 2011 at 10:50 pm
Yeah, that’s kind of what I figured. I know 2 years ago, the Bucs game in London was not on TV in Hawaii (of course I got Sunday Ticket so it doesn’t really matter). I get the international market thing, but I don’t like the fact that WE have to give up another home game to benefit the NFL. Two times in three years is ridiculous IMO. I just don’t see much to gain for the Bucs.
April 14th, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Hawaiian Buc:
I didn’t know DirecTV was available in the islands. Thought it was just the Americas.
Joe learns something new each day. 🙂
April 14th, 2011 at 11:22 pm
Hey, watch it with that Americas thing Joe, lol. If you take us away, the flag is going to look really funny with only 49 stars!!! Yes, we do have DirecTV, but our dishes (that’s right dishes, as in 2 dishes) are 4.5 feet wide each, such a beautiful addition to any home! I got DirecTV with the sole purpose of Sunday Ticket and NFL Network (Cable customers in Hawaii don’t get the greatest station ever), and it hasn’t disappointed.
April 14th, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Hawaiian Buc:
Hawaii is under the boot of Time Warner, right? Four-feet wide? Clearly you guys use different birds. I know in the (continental) Americas, the bird(s) used to beam DirecTV signals are hovering over south Texas.
April 15th, 2011 at 12:32 am
Joe:
Yep, good ‘ol Time Warner. It is horrible! I can’t imagine not having NFL Network. Yeah, we get the same signal from over Texas, but that’s a looooooong way away (if you’ve ever made the 8 hour flight, you would know just how long), so I guess that’s why we need the obnoxiously large satellites.
April 15th, 2011 at 8:55 am
This London game is far from being a “national game”.
Here’s the coverage for the last 3 seasons:
http://the506.com/nflmaps/2008-08-CBS.html
http://the506.com/nflmaps/2009/07-CBS.html
http://the506.com/sports/?tag=2010-week-8
Only thing that’s good about it is that it pretty much guarantees a bye week in the middle of the season.
April 15th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Your righ,t I am sorry UK_Buc. I just wish they would send another team.