The Jets aren’t a bad NFL team—they’re just stuck in a (really massive) rut. The figures aren’t promising. Looking at all-time NFL records, the Jets linger in 27th place of 32 teams despite the fact that some of the ranked franchises haven’t yet tallied five hundred total games. With the margins so slim, the Jets should easily be listed higher.
Alas. The past few years have seen the Jets spiral further into historic lows under Robert Saleh. Though fans refuse to give up hope and pundits cautiously break down the team’s off-season in a new positive light each year, the current NFL betting odds list the Bills and Patriots as favorites in the AFC East.
With the Jets once again expected to miss out on playoffs, some fans are concocting hopeful and imaginative futures for their favorite team. But with the Giants’ success helping them gain more NY fans, is there a possibility that the Jets could become the NFL’s first London franchise?
The odds, once again, aren’t in the Jets’ favor… but that could change. Recently, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned he’d like to launch an NFL team in London by 2025. With no clear candidate for the big move, there’s still time for the Jets to make a push for a move across the Atlantic.
A Comeback in NY May Never Come
No fan wants their team to move cities—just look at the recent Rams move from St. Louis to LA, or the subsequent Raiders move from Oakland to Vegas. Overwhelmingly, fans feel slighted by the move, while franchise owners look to capitalize on a new fan base.
Still, Jets fans have to face the reality that the team may either be cursed, undergoing a long streak of bad luck, or may need a total overhaul if it hopes to survive.
Proximity to NY
New York and London aren’t close. In fact, they’re about 3,500 miles apart, which translates to a seven-hour flight that costs around $500. Still, this doesn’t sound totally unfamiliar for most Americans. The distance from New York to LA is about 2,800 miles, which translates to a six-hour flight that costs about the same as a flight to London.
The point here is that a move isn’t entirely unfeasible. For fans, it would mean an exceptional journey to catch a home game, but for the franchise itself, the move is possible. And for those watching at home, the time difference would still be comparable to a West Coast game.
A Brand-New Market
The Jets are facing a cyclic issue; the less a team wins, the less money it has. The less money a team has, the less power it has to sign on strong players that could potentially take the franchise to new heights. In New York, the Jets’ pocketbooks are languishing.
A move to London would likely see a change in ownership, as the cost of moving would be astronomical. This isn’t just in terms of infrastructure, but also in terms of legalities, as moving to another country would mean an overhaul of internal infrastructure in order to meet English standards.
But with a brand new market in London, new owners would likely see a huge influx of revenue related to broadcasting deals, season tickets, and merchandising.
Forging Into the Future
The thought of letting the Giants claim New York is enough to send most Jets fans into a rage. It’s been a long battle, and the sharing of MetLife Stadium hasn’t lifted tensions between the teams. But, could fans handle letting the Giants take New York in lieu of becoming the NFL’s greatest pioneers in London?
The answer still might be no from some. However, it’s undeniable that if the Jets could revitalize their team in London, they’d be positioning themselves at the latest frontier in the NFL, which is international expansion. There are few changes that could shift the Jets’ future overnight as a move across the pond, as well as put them in close proximity to future markets.
