For 25 years, the Concorde slashed travel time from the United States to Europe. Nearly 25 years ago, the Concorde was permanently grounded.
With efforts underway to resurrect supersonic travel, the NFL is quietly monitoring the situation, reports Andrew Beaton of the Wall Street Journal.
Currently, Boom Supersonic and other countries are working on a potential return of passenger flights that can fly faster than the speed of sound. The technology could return as soon as 2029.
By cutting the flight time over the ocean in half (the Concorde allowed Phil Collins to play in both London and Philadelphia during the two-city Live Aid benefit) , the NFL would have one less impediment to the possibility of putting a team or two (or four) in Europe.
Beaton notes that, although the NFL has no “firm plans” to put teams in European countries, the league has “been keeping a close eye on the momentum behind commercial supersonic flights.”
The issue of supersonic flight is something that first hit our radar screen last June. And while the decision to go truly international brings with it many other challenges (tax rates, exchange rates, governmental fluctuations, willingness of players to leave their families behind for multi-week American road trips, eagerness of players to even live and work outside of America), greatly reducing travel time would make the whole thing a little easier.
Even if/when ultrafast planes return, there’s an issue of size. The traveling party for European games consists of roughly 200 people. Boom Supersonic’s plane, the Overture, is expected to carry only 60 to 80 people.
For now, the NFL is content to stage variety-pack games in a smattering of foreign countries. The goal is to get to 16 per year. But if the NFL is truly intent on making the sport global, the best way to do it is to make the teams global.
Previously, the Commissioner has dangled the possibility of a four-team European division. The most sensible outcome would be two in London and two elsewhere (Germany or Spain or France, for instance).
Where would the teams come from? Most assume it would be relocation. The better option would be expansion. And if the league is going to expand with a four-team European division, why not also add a four-team Asian division?
Here’s the biggest reason to not do that. There aren’t enough quarterbacks to fill out 40 NFL depth charts.
