Roger Goodell Makes Bold Suggestion About The NFL's Future In Europe

Is the NFL planning mass expansion in Europe?

The league plays a ton of games in London, and fans are about a month out from the first ever game in Germany.

It's not a secret the NFL wants to expand its footprint around the globe, but it now sounds like multiple permanent teams in Europe might be a real possibility.

Roger Goodell might have some bold plans for NFL teams in Europe.

"I think there’s no question that London could support not just one franchise, I think two franchises — I really believe that," Goodell said prior to the NFL game in London this past weekend between the Giants and Packers, according to Front Office Sports.

However, putting multiple teams in London doesn't sound like the end goal at all.

The NFL looks to expand to Europe. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

"We’re trying to see, could you have multiple locations in Europe where you could have an NFL franchise, because it would be easier as a division," Goodell further elaborated.

No timeline was given for when fans could see multiple teams go to Europe, but clearly, the league has taken some kind of look at it.

Why is adding an entire division in Europe easier than one team?

The biggest question fans are going to want answered is why adding multiple teams in Europe instead of just a team or two in London is a smart business decision.

The answer, while maybe not simple, is pretty obvious. The league doesn't want one team flying back to the states half of the season. It becomes much simpler for everyone if there are a handful of teams in Europe all close to each other.

Will the NFL attempt to put multiple teams in Europe? (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

You could put a pair of teams in London, a team in Berlin and maybe a team in Paris, and the flights would be more than doable. A flight from Berlin to Paris is less than two hours. It's roughly the same as flying from Washington D.C. to Detroit.

Multiple teams will also accelerate expanding the fanbase in Europe compared to just one. There are a lot of advantages to opting for a division over a single franchise in London.

Roger Goodell is looking at expansion in Europe. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

Now, does this mean the league is close to making such a move? Of course not. It'll probably be decades and it's also very likely it never happens at all. Still, it's exciting to know the NFL is looking at a variety of options for expansion overseas.