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      <h3>Euro 2008 - It's Why the NFL Will Never Be a Global Passion</h3>
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      <i>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;By: Gordon Bryan<br>
      Posted: 2008-07-21 05:35:03</i>
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      June 2008 saw Spain take victory in the European Soccer Championships. Late 2007 saw the first regular season game from the NFL take place outside the american continent, as Miami played New York Giants as Wembley Stadium in London, England...The tickets for the NFL game sold out quickly, and the NFL was so impressed it immediately set up next year's regular season game, and Commissioner Roger Goodall said he wanted the NFL to be a global passion, played all over the world.That will never happen and here's why...The Euros 2008 had 4 groups of 4 teams, that's 16 countries.But let's nor forget, those countries came through 2 years of qualifying from over 40 countries!<br>In each country, anyone can start a team and join their football association. There is nothing to stop them developing and going all the way to the top of their national game.This can never happen in the NFL. Quite apart from the US college system, the NFL is a business operated a franchise model. You can't just start a team, you have to buy a franchise! This ties you in to how the parent company chooses to run itself.It's why there will never be a World Cup in American football, and it doesn't help when the NFL calls the national champions World Champions!<br>This is seen as jaw dropping arrogance, and is yet another reason why it won't be played globally.The sport does have a following in many countries. I'm a fan myself, and the London game showed the popularity, but even when the NFL tried to expand abroad, NFL Europe was no more than a feeder series to the 'main' event - as such it would never take off at grass roots support level, and the idea was folded last season.So to sum up, while it may be watched in many countries, the Euro 2008 soccer championship showed just why the NFL will never be played as a global passion.Gordon Bryan is a writer and sports fan from the UK. He loves the fact that he earns money online by just writing about sport, and can show you how to do *exactly* the same at his site: http://www.gordonbryan.com/sport
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