The luster is off the NFL's big London announcement.
We know a lot of Seahawks fans are excited about their European Vacation, but what about the players? How do they feel about the league forcing London down their throats?
The Cleveland Browns played there back in October. Here's what receiver Kenny Britt said about the trip.
"I hated everything about it. I hated the flight. I hated us being there so long. I hated the flight back. I hated the food."
A little harsh, but he's not alone. Since the league started playing games in London in 2007, animosity has been on the rise among players. They don't like the long trips and the unfamiliar surroundings that come with the London games.
The Baltimore Ravens played there back in September, and head coach John Harbaugh was not impressed. He said, "Maybe I'll get in trouble for saying this - don't plan on going over there anytime soon."
Those are comments from teams who played in London once. What happens when the NFL puts a franchise in London permanently? The league has plans to have a team in place by 2021.
Since the start of this experiment, all but one of the NFL games in London have sold out. Keep in mind, that fan base gets to see various teams. They're seeing six different teams in those three games.
Stretch that number to eight games and insert this year's Browns or the 2008 Lions -- winless teams who were fortunate to have loyal fan bases. How would ticket sales go then?
What happens when the London franchise starts drafting players? How willing would some of the top rookies be to sign with the London franchise for four years?
Rookies aside, how tough would it be to attract free agents to move to London? Some players have said in the past that they'd retire before signing to play in London.
Bottom line, there are a ton of questions surrounding the NFL's attempt to put a permanent franchise in London. That said, I'm sure some players would enjoy the trip overseas. The week itself could provide for some sightseeing and a few tours. Heck, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been over there so much they could practically guide those tours.
By the way, the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, and Houston Texans are the three remaining teams who have yet to play in London. They're like the three kids in class who have their heads down, hoping the teacher doesn't call on them. They may have been saved by the school bell this time, but next year when class resumes, those three will already know the answer when the teacher calls on them: London.
