On Thursday, the NFL announced its 2018 International Series with three more games to be played in London next year. They are:
- Seattle Seahawks vs. Oakland Raiders — Tottenham Stadium (Oct. 14)
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars — Wembley Stadium (Oct. 21/28)
- Tennessee Titans vs. Los Angeles Chargers — Wembley Stadium (Oct. 21/28)
So for the third straight year, the Lions will not have to travel across the pond for a game next season.
In 2014 and 2015, the Lions played in London in back-to-back years, winning the first against the Atlanta Falcons and dropping the second in an ugly game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The games were met with mixed reactions from Lions fans. On one hand, Detroit managed to expand their fanbase to a group of people in England—especially since they got in early on the International Series. On the other hand, the travel and accomodations can be a nuisance to the team, and games tend to be played at an inconvenient time for fans here in the States.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Do you want the Lions to play in London in the future?
My answer: Nope.
While it’s nice to see the Lions grow their fanbase beyond the United States—and several of them reached out to me on Thursday—I selfishly do not like games being played at 6:30 a.m. PT. Additionally, I’m sure trying to get everything in order—travel accommodations, player passports, etc—can be a big distraction for the team and their entire staff.
Overall, I think the bad slightly outweighs the good, especially when it comes to my personal comfort level, and ultimately that’s the most important thing to me.
Your turn.