Packers In London Next Year? Don’t Bet On It

There has long been talk of the Green Bay Packers playing a game in London. Team president Mark Murphy claims the Packers want to play in London.

He also says the team won’t give up a home game to do so.

Of course they won’t. The fanbase would riot.

And from a team standpoint, there’s too much money at stake.

There is now a rumor the mythical London game might be closer than expected. Close, as in next season.

The Los Angeles Rams are on the Packers’ 2018 schedule. The Rams also have an agreement to play one game in London through 2019. Putting two and two together, that could be the game.

This speculation comes from Demovsky, who appears to be basing it solely on this statement.

NFL UK managing director Alistair Kirkwood told ESPN that the league is looking to bring the final six teams who have not played in London yet overseas in 2018. The Packers are one of those six teams.

I’ll tell you what. That would REALLY suck for the large contingent of Packers fans in Southern California.

Even though the Rams are now good, they still can’t sell out the Los Angeles Coliseum. You can bet your ass they’d sell it out if the Packers were in town.

And such is the conundrum. Much like when there was speculation that the Packers would play Jacksonville — who also has a London commitment — there last season, the home team typically wants nothing to do with it.

Why?

The Packers bring in fans, regardless of the location. That means more revenue. So why give up one of the most attractive games on your home schedule?

The Jaguars wouldn’t do it. Why would the Rams?

No, my guess is the league will eventually have to force a team to play the Packers in London. They’ll probably have to compensate that team in some way to do it, as well.