Murphy: Packers Would Love To Play In London
Mark Murphy tells Forbes that the Packers would "love" to play a game in London - provided its an away game.
By PackerAaron
Buried at the end of this excellent article by Jeff Bercovici about how the Packers have become, to quote the headline, a "financial juggernaut" comes a bit of a revelation. The Packers would "love" to participate in the NFL's annual game over in London.
From Bercovici:
Rabid as Wisconsin’s Cheeseheads may be (and here the author of this article discloses that he is one of them), there is still a limit on how much money the Packers can wring out of the region. So Murphy’s looking elsewhere: “People who aren’t necessarily aligned with a specific team are naturally drawn to the Packers” by their history and blue-collar ethos. “We’re a lot of people’s second-favorite team.”
To reach potential fans he’s launching a virtual network for team-affiliated bars called Packers Everywhere. The idea was a brainchild of the digital marketing agency Blue State Digital, where Murphy’s daughter once worked. MillerCoors, the team’s number one sponsor, is “excited about being associated with this,” says Murphy.
Looking even farther afield, he says the Packers would love to gain exposure to potential European fans by playing one of their games in London, as two NFL teams do every year—although only if it counts as an away game, Murphy hastens to add.
I'll bet he hastened to add...
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Comments (11)
September 08, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Ladies & Gentleman, I give you the Wembley Leap.
September 08, 2011 at 01:10 pm
I would be ecstatic if the Packers played here in the UK - but as a Packers fan for 28 years, I could hardly be a new convert! Certainly not going to see da Bears this year ... ;-)
September 08, 2011 at 01:39 pm
I moved from London to be closer to the team!
September 08, 2011 at 02:01 pm
The Packers are well supported over here in the UK. Love the Pack. There's a bunch of us getting together to watch the game tonight. Supported them since 94 and always will even if the UK does one day get a franchise as has been mentioned, Packers all the way. Would love to see them at Wembley, would prefer a pilgrimage to Lambeau but there we go! Do the biz tonight boys! Rodgers to show Brees what an elite QB looks like! Go Pack Go! Superbowl repeat starts here!
September 08, 2011 at 02:10 pm
Not a fan of the London game. But if it must happen, I hope it only takes away an away game. Let the dallases and new yorks if the league lose home games. Leave small market teams alone.
September 08, 2011 at 02:26 pm
From a selfish point of view it would be great to see the Packers in London-can see why home based fans are not keen though...
September 08, 2011 at 02:47 pm
Bullshit on so many levels this London game. Look, if you want the NFL grow over there Rog create a team or two so it actually makes a little sense traveling all the way over there and ruining the regular schedules that coaches cherish. Not to mention some poor team has to have that count as 1 of their 8 "HOME GAMES" yeah, some home field advantage... we'll see how Mark likes it when one of our "HOME GAMES" is in fucking London. We'll see how he likes the profits from the concessions and seat sales, we'll see how it compares to game-day at Lambeau. Just Bullshit. Rant Fini.
GBP 4 LIFE
September 08, 2011 at 04:48 pm
Aaalllll riiighhtttyy.
September 08, 2011 at 04:51 pm
Profound.
September 08, 2011 at 05:13 pm
Was that an Ace Ventura reference?
September 09, 2011 at 12:46 am
Murphy did say if it was a "road game", so it's not like we're giving up a home game.
Whatever expands the brand, I'm all for