WTF are the Steelers playing in London?

[wise_rita]

Sept 29, 2013 18:34:43 GMT -5 bronxgirl said:

My main takeaway from this thread is that I really want to go to London.

My main takeaway is some people are BSC.

My original question (what's the big deal?) has been answered though.

[stealthmom]

Sept 29, 2013 18:03:52 GMT -5 expatpumpkin said:

Sept 29, 2013 17:55:51 GMT -5 @letshike said:

Not this time. I think the Vikings usually sell out and steelers definitely do.

It's all about money and wanting to expand to London. I hate that idea.

I hate to break it to you, but it IS ALL ABOUT MONEY.  The NFL is a BUSINESS.  

Honestly, this is why I just can't be a huge fan of pro football.  It's like worshipping a corporation just because of the city where it happens to be based.  It just seems so contrived.  I don't get it.

On the other hand, I do get college football fans.  Rooting for your alma mater?  Makes sense.  Rooting for the corporate team in your town?  With players who don't care where they play - they just follow the money?  I don't get it.

Okay, I was with you until this. 

You're saying the NCAA isn't all about making money and is superior to the NFL?  That all the schools and everybody is just in it for the love of the game?  And all the fans, they're all alumni?  Those schools aren't trying to get other fans outside of alumni, yanno, to sell tickets and shit and make money?  NO!  Of course not!

That's hilarious. delusional, but hilarious.

But yes, let's keep talking about how superior college football is to the NFL b/c it's SO different!

[zitiqueen]

Sept 30, 2013 3:34:28 GMT -5 stealthmom said:

Sept 29, 2013 18:03:52 GMT -5 expatpumpkin said:

I hate to break it to you, but it IS ALL ABOUT MONEY.  The NFL is a BUSINESS.  

Honestly, this is why I just can't be a huge fan of pro football.  It's like worshipping a corporation just because of the city where it happens to be based.  It just seems so contrived.  I don't get it.

On the other hand, I do get college football fans.  Rooting for your alma mater?  Makes sense.  Rooting for the corporate team in your town?  With players who don't care where they play - they just follow the money?  I don't get it.

Okay, I was with you until this. 

You're saying the NCAA isn't all about making money and is superior to the NFL?  That all the schools and everybody is just in it for the love of the game?  And all the fans, they're all alumni?  Those schools aren't trying to get other fans outside of alumni, yanno, to sell tickets and shit and make money?  NO!  Of course not!

That's hilarious. delusional, but hilarious.

But yes, let's keep talking about how superior college football is to the NFL b/c it's SO different!

Of course the NCAA is just in it for the love of the game! Nearly 99% of jersey sales go back to the players whose names are on them, right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I love all the pearl-clutching about a for-profit company trying to *gasp* make money. All of you who are bitching about the NFL only doing this for the money are turning over your paychecks to charity, right? Because money is teh EVOL! *spits* All of you who have your retirement funds wrapped up in the stock market are perfectly okay with those stocks losing money, because BOO MAKING MONEY IS BAD, right? How dare a company try to make money!

[expatpumpkin]

Sept 30, 2013 6:50:59 GMT -5 zitiqueen said:

Sept 30, 2013 3:34:28 GMT -5 stealthmom said:

Okay, I was with you until this. 

You're saying the NCAA isn't all about making money and is superior to the NFL?  That all the schools and everybody is just in it for the love of the game?  And all the fans, they're all alumni?  Those schools aren't trying to get other fans outside of alumni, yanno, to sell tickets and shit and make money?  NO!  Of course not!

That's hilarious. delusional, but hilarious.

But yes, let's keep talking about how superior college football is to the NFL b/c it's SO different!

Of course the NCAA is just in it for the love of the game! Nearly 99% of jersey sales go back to the players whose names are on them, right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I love all the pearl-clutching about a for-profit company trying to *gasp* make money. All of you who are bitching about the NFL only doing this for the money are turning over your paychecks to charity, right? Because money is teh EVOL! *spits* All of you who have your retirement funds wrapped up in the stock market are perfectly okay with those stocks losing money, because BOO MAKING MONEY IS BAD, right? How dare a company try to make money!

To be clear, I totally understand that the NCAA is also a money-generating operation and that football rakes in $$$ for universities.  My point is that at least with college football the fan can have more of a personal connection with the team:  we lived in the same dorms, ate in the same cafeteria, sang the same college anthem, our moms/dads/aunts/uncles/siblings perhaps also went there, etc.  

Whether football is a worthy cause for a university or a massive misdirection of resources is quite another subject, but least SOME of the profits are going to fund scholarships, etc. rather than merely lining the pockets of gazillionaires.

ETA:  No pearl-clutching from me on the NFL making money.  It's a business, that's the goal.  Which is why I can't understand fans being upset about a game in London because "it just feels like it's all about the money."  IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

[zitiqueen]

Sept 30, 2013 7:17:11 GMT -5 expatpumpkin said:

To be clear, I totally understand that the NCAA is also a money-generating operation and that football rakes in $$$ for universities.  My point is that at least with college football the fan can have more of a personal connection with the team:  we lived in the same dorms, ate in the same cafeteria, sang the same college anthem, our moms/dads/aunts/uncles/siblings perhaps also went there, etc.  

I guarantee the most rabid Michigan fans have never even been to Ann Arbor (or set foot on a college campus, be it university or community), let alone lived in the same dorms or eaten in the same cafeteria!

[Deleted]

I couldn't care less where they play. I just want my Steelers to stop sucking ass and start winning!

[Jalapeñomel]

Sept 30, 2013 7:17:11 GMT -5 expatpumpkin said:

Sept 30, 2013 6:50:59 GMT -5 zitiqueen said:

Of course the NCAA is just in it for the love of the game! Nearly 99% of jersey sales go back to the players whose names are on them, right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I love all the pearl-clutching about a for-profit company trying to *gasp* make money. All of you who are bitching about the NFL only doing this for the money are turning over your paychecks to charity, right? Because money is teh EVOL! *spits* All of you who have your retirement funds wrapped up in the stock market are perfectly okay with those stocks losing money, because BOO MAKING MONEY IS BAD, right? How dare a company try to make money!

To be clear, I totally understand that the NCAA is also a money-generating operation and that football rakes in $$$ for universities.  My point is that at least with college football the fan can have more of a personal connection with the team:  we lived in the same dorms, ate in the same cafeteria, sang the same college anthem, our moms/dads/aunts/uncles/siblings perhaps also went there, etc.  

Whether football is a worthy cause for a university or a massive misdirection of resources is quite another subject, but least SOME of the profits are going to fund scholarships, etc. rather than merely lining the pockets of gazillionaires.

ETA:  No pearl-clutching from me on the NFL making money.  It's a business, that's the goal.  Which is why I can't understand fans being upset about a game in London because "it just feels like it's all about the money."  IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

My DH is a die hard Hawkeyes can but never went to the school, has no family that went to the school, no connection to the school at all except that he was born and raise in Iowa (where coincidentally there is no pro football team).

[mrsukyankee]

Sept 29, 2013 17:13:39 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

People take their (American) football really seriously, just like football (soccer) in Europe.

People would fucking flip out if Arsenal had to use one of their home games to play in the US.

Actually they have had to play overseas as one of their home matches so it's not that huge a stretch...

[Jalapeñomel]

Sept 30, 2013 11:41:14 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

Sept 29, 2013 17:13:39 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

People take their (American) football really seriously, just like football (soccer) in Europe.

People would fucking flip out if Arsenal had to use one of their home games to play in the US.

Actually they have had to play overseas as one of their home matches so it's not that huge a stretch...

As far as I know, all the overseas matches have been exhibition games, not home games. 

[thebuddhagouda]

Sept 30, 2013 7:17:11 GMT -5 expatpumpkin said:

To be clear, I totally understand that the NCAA is also a money-generating operation and that football rakes in $$$ for universities.  My point is that at least with college football the fan can have more of a personal connection with the team:  we lived in the same dorms, ate in the same cafeteria, sang the same college anthem, our moms/dads/aunts/uncles/siblings perhaps also went there, etc.  

You realize NFL teams can have that same level of connection. I'm a hardcore fan of a team that is half the continent away from me. I don't get to go to games, but my entire family (for many generations) have been fans of this team. My grandfather worked at the stadium. I was quite literally born into this, and I have a much deeper connection and level of fanaticism for my NFL team than I ever will for the University I attended.

I still love college football because I mainly just love football and sports of all kinds. 

I also think the London game is a smart move for the league but the loss of a home game and the messed up schedule DOES have potential to bite a team in the butt at the end of the season if they're one win or loss away from getting in the playoffs.