Roger Goodell's International Expansion Is Not About Growing The Game, It's About Making The NFL More Money Even If It Screws Their Most Loyal Fans

All day Monday, there were reports that the NFL would be playing a record eight International games in 2026. 

Then, on Monday night, at his annual Dog and Pony Show Q&A, commissioner Roger Goodell announced that there would actually be nine international games this season. Yay! 

“It’s the ambition we have to be a global sport, but it’s also the demand we’re having,” Goodell said. “We’re hearing from cities all over the world that want to host these games and that really want to get more American football. That’s one of the things we’re really focused on.”

“I’ve said many times 16 games, so that every team is playing a regular season game every season,” Goodell said. “I think that’s an important mark for us to go for. I think we’re well on our way, with the desire we have from our side, but also the desire for people to have this in their communities, and some of the greatest cities in the world are asking to do this.”

Giphy Images.

Sorry, I am not an International Game fan. For a bunch of reasons. One being you're taking away a home game from the most loyal fans you have, your season ticket holders. The crazy amount of time and money required to support a team by attending every game is underappreciated. 

NFL Season Ticket holders already pay the regular-season price for preseason games as part of their packages, which is stupid, by the way. Even if you reduce the price of the season ticket by 10% in the years you play internationally (Saints are doing that this year), the math is still pretty fuzzy. 

For your fans planning to watch at home, you're telling them to tune into games at times that can be pretty inconvenient. 

Then, of course, there's the shitty fields the players have to play on. 

My favorite player tore his ACL on a soccer pitch! Awesome!!!

If the NFL never played another International game, that would be fine with me. But worse than the games themselves is Goodell's lying about it. It's not about growing the game or high demand from cities across the world - it's about money!

The NFL has bled the American fan dry when it comes to its game. To make more cash, they need these international contests. The Jaguars, thanks to a long-term deal with London, reportedly make $35-$50 million PER GAME across the pond.  

Patriots owner Robert Kraft admitted revenue was key last week during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston. 

“I want to tell you guys that we’re going to push like the dickens now to make international (games) more important with us,” Kraft told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand. "Every team will go to 18 (regular season games) and two (preseason games) and eliminate one of the preseason games, and every team every year will play one game overseas."

"Part of the reason is so we can continue to grow the cap and keep our labor happy."

Bingo! Money! 

It sure as shit isn't about player safety or helping players become "ambassadors." 

Now that it laugh out loud funny. 

Former Broncos lineman Tyler Polumbus doesn't seem to be a fan of the plan  - I'm guessing a majority of NFL players agree with him. If the NFL really wanted to "grow the game," they'd set up minor-league NFL sites across the globe and build it that way. But it's not about that; it's the amount of extra revenue exporting these NFL games means for the owners. 

At this rate, it's not a 0% chance we see a Super Bowl played in a country other than the United States in our lifetime. Can you imagine how much the NFL could pocket on that? Sounds crazy, but there is some number that would make it 'worth it' for Goodell and his owners. 

I get it, these games aren't going anywhere. Sounds like every team will play at least one International Game in the near future. But stop pretending they're anything but a fresh revenue stream for the NFL and its owners.