NFL owner wants to take the Super Bowl out of America
Few events are more American than the Super Bowl, but the big game will be moved overseas if one NFL owner has his way.
Last week, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan made an offer to buy London’s iconic Wembley Stadium. The BBC put the bid at $1.26 billion ($837 million for the stadium and $419 million for Wembley’s hospitality business).
The stadium, considered England’s premier soccer field, has hosted 18 NFL international games, and the Jaguars have played there five times.
Khan tried to reassure Jacksonville fans who fear the purchase is a step toward making Wembley the Jags’ full-time home.
He said in a statement that buying the stadium would “protect the Jaguars’ position in London at a time when other NFL teams are understandably becoming more interested in this great city. … And the stronger the Jaguars are in London, the more stable and promising the Jaguars’ future will be in Jacksonville.”
While Khan denies he plans to relocate his NFL team to Wembley, he’s open about his wish to move the Super Bowl there.
“Wembley is a great stadium and you want to get it configured to hold Super Bowl and World Cup finals,” he told the BBC on Monday.
Many American fans don’t like the idea of a Super Bowl in London.
NO! Its an American event, keep it that way please.
— Dave Janssen (@FiremanDave29) May 1, 2018
If they have the SuperBowl in England I will not watch it.
— Susan Dodd (@princesstazz) May 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/CenterD65/status/991312886252306432
https://twitter.com/FlyEaglesFly225/status/991334350754021377
He can want that all he wants, but even as a Brit I think that's a ridiculous idea
— TouchdownTips (@TouchdownTips) May 1, 2018
Khan, who also owns the soccer club Fulham, said his purchase of Wembley, if approved, would give the Football Association of England “a pool of money of about £600m that can be invested into the core mission of the FA, which is English football and their ultimate goal of winning a World Cup.”
“Our role would be to provide a world-class venue,” he said.
When the BBC mentioned that some FA council members were opposed to the deal, Khan said, “If you love English football, you want this deal to go ahead.”
But what if you love American football and want its premier event to stay in this country?
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