Blogger Roundtable: NFL in London?

Will the NFL Have a London-based franchise by the end of the decade (2020)?  We gave our thoughts, so now it's your turn.  Answer our poll at the top of the blog and then leave a comment at the bottom of this post explaining why. 

In last week's edition of Blogger Roundtable, our newest Sports Business Society bloggers argued over who was the best commissioner in sports.  Two of the panelists chose Roger Goodell, citing among other factors, the National Football League's success in international markets (particularly London). 

Then on the September 17, SBS Skyped with alumnus Hussain Naqi, SVP of  Fan Engagement for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Naqi has been charged with marketing and branding the team in the UK.  Naqi was able to provide a great deal of incite into the potential NFL market, although he dismissed the possibility of his Jaguars making a permanent move across the Atlantic.


And now the possibility of a London-based franchise has received more media attention than ever before.  ESPN has launched a series of articles on the issue, including Greg Garber's "More Than Just A Nice Place To Visit".  Here's what Garber had to say:

The good news for the skeptics? Players, coaches and staff of the four teams get to jump on a plane afterward and return home. But what if they didn't? What if there were a franchise in London? What financial, logistical and competitive challenges would have to be overcome?  

It's time to start asking these questions, folks, because it's going to happen. Yes, with some serious thrust from commissioner Roger Goodell and a league with a powerful hunger to increase its revenue streams, it's quite likely there soon will be an NFL team in London.

In a separate piece on ESPN, Kristi Dosh examines a variety of legal concerns that arise from a full-time London team.  Tax laws, working visas, as well as competition and free movement labor laws could get in the way of the desires of the NFL's business and marketing brass.

But could legal or other logistical challenges (such as travel) really get in the way of the most powerful sports league in the history of the world?  Or will Roger Goodell and the NFL break down any barriers that stand in the way of their expansionary goals?  That was the question we asked our bloggers and E-Board members this time around:

Will the NFL have a London-based franchise by the end of the decade (2020)?

Adam Malz (Featured Blogger)- Yes

 Yes, I believe that the by the end of the decade an NFL franchise will call London home. This is going to happen eventually, regardless of whether fans or players think it is right. Owners and the League are pushing for it because of the fact that it opens up a brand new and tremendously large area of revenue, as the domestic market is peaking. There are still a lot of obstacles and kinks that will need to be worked out, which is why I’m thinking towards the end of the decade. But I think it is certainly in our near future.

Gabe Cassillo (SBS VP of Magazine)- NO

While the NFL has the ambition and no doubt the resources to make a move to the UK happen (eventually) I think it highly unlikely such a move would take place by the end of this decade. Fans often cite fairly trivial "issues" that would impact such a move. Travel, time differences, culture, lack of fan base, etc. In reality, the time frame seems too aggressive. For a league experiencing continual growth, I question whether the 32 owners would be in favor of taking the risk by adding a team based in London. If I was a betting man, yes, I agree that one day the NFL will have teams overseas. Do I think that day will be by 2020? Not at all.

John Zakour (Featured Blogger)- Yes

In both articles, Garber and Dosh discuss a litany of problems that an NFL team in London would face. Tax codes, food, jet lag, logistical issues, would all have to be ironed out. But they're just minor issues. If Goodell wills a NFL team in London, it will be so. Roger Goodell won't let these triflings stop him from realizing his dream of a truly international, intercontinental NFL. It wouldn't surprise me if we have a foreign Super Bowl in the near future, which would precede a London team. Goodell wants this, against all reason, and he will find a way to make it happen.

Jon Levitan (Featured Blogger)- Yes

The NFL will eventually put a team in London. The league almost always gets what it wants, and clearly wants to have a team.  With two games being played there this year, the only question is when a team will eventually be placed across the pond. I would say that a team will be there by 2020, and I would also guess that that team will be the Jaguars. The market of Jacksonville just isn’t big enough to support a franchise that isn’t firmly entrenched there. That much is already clear, by the fact that the Jags will play a game in London for the next four years, which will be far more lucrative for them than their normal home games. By the end of those four years, the team may very well have a solid following overseas, and hopefully a better product to put on display. Although the league may want to place an expansion team London, as Garber’s article showed, I think the Jaguars will lobby heavily to be relocated.

Jesse Sherman (SBS Director of  Operations) - NO

Word on the street is that an NFL team in London is imminent. We've seen some successful trips to Wembley in the past few years. But that being said, I don't see a London-based franchise emerging before 2020. The current NFL CBA runs through 2020 and some labor laws between the US and London differ significantly enough to raise doubt in my mind. I don't think it will happen.. yet.

Matthew Hakimian (Featured Blogger)- Yes

One of Roger Goodell's main priorities since he came into power as the commissioner in 2006 has been to innovate the National Football League in all facets of the game, both on and off the field. We all know that he is one of the main proponents of an NFL team permanently relocating to London and it's looking more plausible each year. The most likely team to move to the UK would have to be the Jacksonville Jaguars as the team is scheduled to be featured in a game overseas through the 2016 season.  With one of the league's lowest fan bases, and faced with yearly difficulties with local television blackouts, it makes way too much sense to move the struggling Jags to London.

Will the NFL Have a London-based franchise by the end of the decade (2020)?  We gave our thoughts, so now it's your turn.  Answer our poll at the top of the blog and then leave a comment at the bottom of this post explaining why. 

Event Recap: Hussain Naqi ('97)

 

On Tuesday September 17th, Hussain Naqi ('97) was kind enough to speak to the Sports Business Society via Skype. Seventy-three club members attended the first event in SBS's Speaker Series.  A graduate of the Industrial and Labor Relations School, Hussain currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Fan Engagement for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In his role, Naqi is responsible for the Jaguars’ marketing and branding efforts, overseeing the Jaguars’ game day experience, and managing the Jaguars’ fan development efforts in the UK.

Prior to joining Jacksonville in 2012, Naqi served as Vice President of Business Planning and General Counsel at MetLife Stadium. Naqi has worked in sports since 1997; his resume includes stints with the National Football League, NCAA, Major League Baseball, and the New York Mets.

For a look back at all of the social media surrounding the event, check out our Storify post, which chronicles all of the Twitter activity surrounding the event.  The rest of the full recap is right here, after the jump.

The Skype call started with a conventional Q&A session, where Naqi discussed his career path, his current role with the Jaguars, and general sports business issues.  But then the event turned to Twitter, as our guest responded to the over 40 questions tweeted by our club members. Our club experienced tremendous growth in social media presence, with the #CornellSBS hashtag being used over 50 Times, and the twitter handle @CornellSBS gaining 35 New Followers.  We would like to thank Mr. Naqi, as well as our existing and new club members for directly making this happen. 

Naqi spoke of the challenges of working for the Jaguars, namely the small market size and the fact that the on-field product has not been particularly attractive of late. He emphasized that to overcome these challenges he and his team work to directly engage the fan. He stressed the importance of stripping away "any excuse [a fan] has for not coming to a game", such as the inability to watch other games, restricted access to the internet and their fantasy teams, or long lines for concessions.

On the topic of breaking into the sports industry, Naqi maintained that there are a multitude of different paths a prospective student can take, and that there are a wide-ranging array of skills needed in sports business. He offered this advice for any students interested in sports business: "Network and hustle as much as you can. Understand that it is a marathon and not a sprint”.

The Jaguars are heavily involved in London, where they will play one game a year, costing them a game in Jacksonville, for the next four years. When asked about reconciling the interests of the team in both Jacksonville and London, Naqi explained the key role transparency with each group of fans played. The Jaguars display that they care about the Jacksonville fans, but they acknowledge that the market has its limitations. The massive financial gains from playing games in Great Britain, where there are roughly two million fans of American Football, can offset some of those limitations the franchise endures by playing in a small market.

@cornellhkyfan Love the idea of the fantasy lounge, what inspired it and would you consider opening it to fans for away games? #CornellSBS
— Mark PuIaski (@mpulaski27) September 17, 2013

One of the challenges the Jaguars faced when the new ownership group took over was that the stadium was outdated in many facets.  Because the stadium is owned by the city, the team has been unable to modernize their facilities in the manner many NFL teams have done. Naqi saw an opportunity to convert an underutilized hospitality lounge in the stadium into a place for fans to get away from the heat, the lounge is air-conditioned, and check up on how their fantasy teams are doing. The lounge, which is open to any and all fans, is outfitted with high-density wifi, televisions, tablets, and "very comfortable recliners" .

@cornellhkyfan Headline from SI: "Orlando Television Station Issues Apology for Showing Jaguars Game" What was reax to this? #CornellSBS
— Josh Begleiter (@jmsaponar) September 17, 2013

Hussain explained that the Orlando CBS affiliate, which is obligated to show Jaguars game, had been mistakingly promoting the Broncos-Giants game being played at the same time. Once they realized that they had to show the Jaguars-Raiders game, they apologized for the confusion. Our guest was able to offer additional insight into the complex relationship between the NFL, teams, and television networks and their affiliates. 

@cornellhkyfan what did you think of the Seahawks idea of putting undercover police officers as 49ers fans? #CornellSBS
— Zohere Tabrez (@ztab100) September 17, 2013

Hussain explained this is actually a part of a league-wide program to expose unruly fans and increase safety for others.  This initiative plans to reduce safety concerns and offensive behavior in general, which is very much in line with the Jaguars' mindset of eliminating excuses for fans to not come to games.

@cornellhkyfan How much of an impact do fan polls have on administrative decisions in the Jaguars front office? #cornellsbs
— Josh Goldstein (@JoshGoldstein) September 17, 2013

Hussain stressed that the Jaguars do in fact conduct quite a bit of research into their fan base, but also stressed the importance of differing levels of validity this research can have. For example, Hussain brought up the rally held by fans in the stadium parking lot this past Monday advocating for the team to sign Tim Tebow. While it was heavily reported by the national media, the rally only drew 16 fans, indicating that there wasn't nearly as much fan interest in Tebow as the national media wishes there was.

For a look back at all of the social media surrounding the event, check out our Storify post, which chronicles all of the Twitter activity surrounding the event.

As always, ILRSBS extends its thanks to alumni like Hussain Naqi who take time to share their experiences with our members. The information and insight people like Hussain provide to our group is unique and indispensable, and we hope that this is the first of many great events with him.

Event Preview: Three Questions with Hussain Naqi ('97)

On Tuesday, September 17^th, the Cornell Sports Business Society will be Skype chatting with Hussain Naqi ’97. Naqi is the Senior Vice President of Fan Engagement for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In his role, Naqi is responsible for the Jaguars’ marketing and branding efforts, overseeing the Jaguars’ game day experience, and managing the Jaguars’ fan development and marketing efforts in the UK.

Prior to joining Jacksonville in 2012, Naqi served as Vice President of Business Planning and General Counsel at MetLife Stadium. Naqi has worked in sports since 1997; his resume includes stints with the National Football League, NCAA, Major League Baseball, and the New York Mets.

In preparation for our event with Hussain, we conducted a 3Q interview that would help preview the content that will be covered on Tuesday.

Q1: As SVP of Fan Engagement, you have one of the more unique titles in sports. What would you consider to be your favorite part about your role, and what poses as the biggest challenge for you?

“The thing I love most about my job is that I’m a huge sports fan. My job gives me the opportunity to provide experiences that I, myself, would want to consume as a fan. I love that I can affect change that reaches fans. Whether that’s having Wi-Fi capability, checking fantasy scores, or even making sure our people are friendly to fans when they enter the building, it is my job to give Jaguars fans a product and experience that brings them to our stadium.

Obviously, it goes both ways. We have 3,000 workers on game day –  ticket takers, ushers, cleaning staff – and making sure that each and every one of them to take pride and ownership in what they do is tough. It’s on us to guide all of those behaviors. But when they’re only working for us 40 hours per year, it can be a challenge to get complete buy-in.”


Q2: While the on-field product has room to grow (perhaps putting it lightly?) your front office has done a commendable job of engaging fans through in-stadium innovation. Besides the widely discussed Fantasy Football Lounge, what are some other initiatives being implemented by the Jaguars to enhance the experience at EverBank Field and drive attendance?

“It’s a struggle out there for all teams, not only us. We’re all competing with Sunday Ticket, Red Zone Channel, affordable flat screen TVs, and the ability to walk up to your fridge and grab a beer without waiting in line to pay $8.

It’s critical for us to address the reasons why people may not go to games.

Obviously we can talk about the fantasy football lounge, but this organization really prides itself in being innovative in all areas of the fan experience. We’re implementing a lean operation for all concessions that--in the three games we’ve used it--has cut our concession line waiting time by 25%. That may not sound like much, but to not stand in long lines, to get fresh food, and to use a clean bathroom is essential to the experience.

We have one of the oldest NFL stadiums, and we need to identify every possible reason that a fan may not come to our stadium. Given our recent on-field performance and Jacksonville’s climate, it is essential that we stay ahead of the curve to address these issues. Whether it’s the fantasy football lounge, shorter lines at concession, or deploying 120 feet of air-conditioned benches for fans to use, the imperative is for our group to be innovative and ahead of the curve everyday.”


Q3: This will be your first (of what we hope is many) speaker event with the Sports Business Society. What new perspective do you hope students will learn after our Skype session?

1. I was in your shoes not that long ago, interested in a career in sports and wondering how to get in. I am happy to share the story of my career path and show you how to get where you want to go.


2. I hope to broaden the focus of what you think it means to be ‘working in sports.’ There’s more to it than simply working for a franchise.


3. I want to show the logic behind what the Jaguars are doing. We have an incredibly bright ownership group, and I hope I can provide context for you to see how successful our team is despite what the record may indicate.

BONUS: What do you miss most about your days at Cornell?

That one’s the easiest question yet: Cornell Hockey. No question.
(follow Hussain on Twitter @CornellHkyFan)

The passion, and the tradition born out of that passion, is the reason I love college sports. There’s nothing like hearing the crowd erupt at Lynah Rink when we scored a goal. I had so many nights at Lynah; I miss it dearly.

Oh, and deep dish pizza from The Nines is dangerously good.


Remember, Hussain will be Skype chatting with the Cornell Sports Business Society Tuesday, September 17^th. Please join us in Ives 105 at 4:30. For more information, check out the event on Facebook.

We hope you can make it!