Bengals Across the Pond

For the past few years, the National Football League has been attempting to expand the game of American football from a sport contested primarily in the United States into a worldwide attraction. There have been reports that the NFL is looking to expand the league by adding international teams to the mix with London, England, being a prime candidate as a potential host city for a new franchise. While a London-based NFL team has not come to fruition yet, London has been the host city for a number of regular season NFL games. Many teams have boarded planes and taken the spectacle that is the NFL to American football fans who live “across the pond.” Next season, my beloved Cincinnati Bengals will be one of the teams who call London “home” for a Sunday, as they will be the home team in a game against the Washington Redskins on October 30, 2016, at Wembley Stadium.

While it is cool that Bengals fans in London will get to see the team play live and in person, I am personally not a fan of it. I probably sound selfish, but I do not like the situation for two main reasons. One of these reasons is that since the Bengals have been named as the home team, they will only play seven games at Paul Brown Stadium during the 2016 regular season as opposed to the normal eight games. This means that Bengals fans in Cincinnati will have one less chance to see their Bengals play live and in person unless they plan a trip to London. Also, Wembley Stadium is not Paul Brown Stadium and as a result, there will be no home field advantage for the

Bengals as they will essentially play at a neutral site. I do not like this at all as home field advantage is a very cherished element of NFL games and the fact that Bengals will be robbed of that does not sit well with me.

Those are the two main reasons why I do not like that the Bengals will be playing a home game next year in London. I have never been a fan of NFL games being played in London, and the fact that the Bengals are playing in London next year has only fueled my dislike for it even more. However, I am happy for the Bengals fans that live in London, as they will get to see their favorite team play in person. While I was at work last week, I was listening to a sports talk show on the radio, and the host of the show interviewed a Bengals fan who was born, raised, and still lives in London. The fan was thrilled about the Bengals game in London next season and the more I listened to him, the less bitter I was about the situation. The fan was genuinely excited about getting to watch the Bengals play at Wembley Stadium. If there are more fans like that in London, than I guess I can deal with not getting to watch the Bengals play at Paul Brown Stadium on October 30, 2016.

In conclusion, I do not like that the Bengals will host the Redskins in London next season. There will only be seven games played at Paul Brown Stadium during the 2016 regular season instead of eight, and Wembley Stadium will not provide home field advantage for the Bengals. However, I am happy for all the Bengals fans who live in London and hope they enjoy the game. I will just have to set my alarm for the early morning hours on Sunday, October 30, so that I can cheer on my Bengals as they play at Wembley Stadium.

Who Dey!