Jaguars will host the 49ers in London next year

NFL in London: Roger Goodell on the Vikings, Steelers and going international

The NFL is expanding its footprint in London, with the idea of growing a fan base there. Will a UK expansion team follow?

49ers vs. Jaguars in London does not surprise

The San Francisco 49ers will play the Jacksonville Jaguars in London's Wembley Stadium in 2013. As a home game for the Jaguars, the 49ers were one of a handful of opponents who fit the inter-conference, non-division opponent typical of the NFL International Series.

Jaguars will host 49ers in London in 2013

The team is expected to make the announcement on Thursday.

Jaguars Say London Games Are All About Jacksonville

Owner Shahid Khan and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell touted the local and international benefits of a deal that will make the Jacksonville Jaguars London's unofficial home team.

Jaguars Owner Talks Of 'Priceless Opportunity' To Play In London

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan is playing the news that the Jacksonville Jaguars will "host" four games in the United Kingdom over four years as a positive. In a press release from the NFL, Khan called the games a "priceless opportunity" to grow the Jaguars brand:

"Playing a home game in London over four seasons is consistent with our vision to introduce and grow the Jaguars brand globally, and we're appreciative of the support from the Jacksonville business community to make this a reality and winning proposition for everyone. This is a priceless opportunity to share the business, tourism and lifestyle story of Jacksonville with international audiences, and I know it will give the Jaguars a unique and powerful identity within the league and beyond."

So far, the assignment of regular season home games to international locations has been associated with losing host franchises, or teams with struggling home attendance. Both qualities could describe the Jaguars, who have finished .500 or worse their last four seasons and have previously struggled to sell out EverBank Field in previous years.

The St. Louis Rams will host the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium this season, as the Rams continue to try and negotiate for a new stadium in St. Louis and are a combined 15-65 in the last five seasons.

In its press release, the NFL pointed to sustained ratings growth and increased tickets sales as a sign that the U.K. is a growing NFL market. How or if that translates into support or revenue for the specific teams sent to sacrifice a true home game is yet to be determined.

For more on the NFL's decision to replace the Rams with the Jaguars in London, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Jaguars Confirm London Games From 2013-2016

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been chosen by Commissioner Roger Goodell to play one regular season game in London for four consecutive years beginning in 2013. The Jaguars replaced the St. Louis Rams, who withdrew themselves last week.

New Jaguars owner Shad Khan expressed excitement that his team was chosen to represent the Jacksonville area in London with this statement:

I am very proud to share the news that your Jacksonville Jaguars will be announced today as the featured home team in London as part of the NFL International Series.

Beginning in 2013, the Jaguars will play one of our regular season home games in Wembley Stadium through 2016 as part of the National Football League's effort to grow the NFL brand throughout the world. The Jaguars and the entire Jacksonville community will be a centerpiece in the NFL's efforts over these four seasons, and that's a very exciting and rewarding development for all of us. My ambition is to make the Jaguars one of the signature franchises in the NFL and to see Jacksonville realize its full potential as a destination for commerce, tourism and living. An annual home game in London over four years, supported by initiatives in Jacksonville and throughout the United Kingdom to further develop our following, will help us achieve these goals and much more.

I am honored to welcome NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to Jacksonville today to announce the news, and in the weeks to come the Jaguars will have more information for our fans, partners and friends in the community. I wanted you to hear the news from me directly, and I thank you for the consistent and impressive support you've given the Jaguars over the years. I know great things are ahead for the Jacksonville Jaguars!

For more on the NFL's decision to replace the Rams with the Jaguars in London, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Jaguars To Announce International Game, According To Report

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is going to announce that the Jacksonville Jaguars will play at least one international regular season game for four consecutive seasons starting in 2013. While the Jaguars are planning to play at least one of those games in London, not all of them could be there.

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney has mentioned in an interview with the BBC in June that Croke Park in Ireland, which is hosting this year's college football game between Navy and Notre Dame, is ready to host an NFL game there. In addition to that, the NFL has played a regular season game at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City back in 2005.

Obviously, new Jaguars owner Shad Khan wants to expand his team's brand internationally. Getting an opportunity to play games all of the world for four consecutive years could be a big step in that direction.

For more on the NFL's decision to replace the Rams with the Jaguars in London, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Minnesota Vikings 'Top Candidate' To Play In London, According To Report

The NFL has searched for a team to replace the St. Louis Rams as the team to fulfill the league's commitment to the United Kingdom through 2016.

It looks like the Minnesota Vikings could be the ones to fill that role.

Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press reports that London may be calling the Vikings as the next NFL headliner to play in Wembley Stadium in the next four years. The Vikings haven't played overseas in 18 years but are the top choice as of now to fulfill the role vacated by the Rams as they focus on their stadium deal in St. Louis.

"We've expressed an interest, and there's a process the league is following," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings' vice president of public affairs and stadium development before Minnesota's preseason game against Buffalo on Friday. "We'll see how it shakes out."

Here is what Murphy had to say about why the Vikings could be the right pick:

The Vikings are ideal candidates because they have a flexible lease at the Metrodome, where they rank 31st out of 32 teams in stadium revenue. The club is also talking to the University of Minnesota about playing at least one season, and perhaps a portion of another, at TCF Bank Stadium, where the Vikings will earn even less revenue after paying to upgrade the facility to NFL specifications.

Still hurdles to overcome but this could be a great opportunity for the Vikings to jump on and possibly energize their organization and fan base as it attempts to make changes moving forward. Meanwhile, it would aid the league in keeping its commitment to the UK and continue strengthening that relationship.

For more on the NFL's search to replace the Rams in London, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Jaguars Make Sense As Rams Replacement In London

The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to volunteer for the newly-vacated 2013 and 2014 regular season games in London since the St. Louis Rams pulled out of playing both of them.

NFL Working To Find A Replacement For The Rams, Potentially Adding A Second London Game

The NFL will move forward with its plans to showcase professional football in London without the St. Louis Rams, who announced on Monday that they would cancel regular season games planned for the UK in 2013 and 2014. NFL Vice President of International Chris Parsons told SB Nation on Monday afternoon:

"We appreciate the Rams support for our international growth strategy. We are currently working to add a second game in the UK, potentially for the 2013 season, in response to the growth in popularity of our sport. We hope to finalize these plans in the months ahead."

The Rams and the NFL reached an agreement in the spring of 2012 to play one of their home games in the London in each of the next three seasons. Other teams, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, have expressed interest in playing an international game.

That plan hit a snag when the St. Louis Commission and Visitors Commission pointed to a conflict with the team's lease on the Edward Jones Dome. An October 2012 game against the Patriots will go forward as planned, after the Rams and CVC reached an agreement to work around the issue with the lease.

For more on the Rams, visit Turf Show Times.

St. Louis Rams Cancel London Games For 2013, 2014

The St. Louis Rams were scheduled to play in London for each of the next three seasons, but the team has decided to cancel the trip in 2013 and 2014.

Rams, Patriots Will Meet In London During 2012 Season

The Rams are going to be "hosting" a game in London for the next three seasons. Up first is the Patriots, who they'll play on Oct. 28 of next season.