Wicked Aaaay? American Football Flies North Again

Not since 2013 has the NFL been to the land of that funny round bacon.

Canada has NHL, MLB, and NBA teams. Their Canadian Football League teams play a style of football modeled after American Football. They are the closest, friendliest neighbor we have. Shoot, these folks inspired the cartoon wonder that is Dudley Do-right, and his valiant, trusty steed, Horse (I didn’t name him). No border walls being built along our North. So one would think that an NFL PreSeason or regular season game would be a constant, annual event. Yet we are into the 6th year since an NFL game has been played in the Land of “The Great One” and Mounted Police(RCMP).

2019 NFL Preseason Football

Enter the Packers, and an In-Limbo Raiders team. They will square off likely in week 3 of the preseason on August 23rd in Winnipeg at the home of the CFL’s Blue Bombers. The Raiders are sort of in-limbo in Oakland waiting for their new digs to be completed in Las Vegas. They will reportedly save a half a million dollars in rent at their temporary Oakland home field (which they share with the A’s of MLB) by playing the game in Winnipeg. Obviously, it was originally scheduled as a Raiders home game.

In Closing

To me, it’s surprising that it’s been so long since the NFL has been North to play.  It stands to wonder if the interest in Canada is very strong.  Because certainly, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Britain gets a game or two every year because they want it badly, and they sell out every time. One would think that if the case was the same in Canada, that the NFL would have expanded there years ago, as other professional sports leagues have done. Money talks and all else plays there every handful of years. Which is the case. Enjoy your preseason game Canada. At least it’s saving the Raiders a half a million in rent. Here’s to you in making it a sell out, and showing overwhelming interest, or not

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