Comments on: Bears to Travel Back to London?

By: sven

sven — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:46:04 +0000

Team names that people sometimes can cite here are quite the same, except “49 E-R-S” comes more often, because it’s such a head-scratching name.

By: Bill

Bill — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 06:02:07 +0000

It’s just as Dave says. The NFL really took off in England in the 80s. For that reason, the most popular teams over here are still the Raiders, Redskins and Dolphins and of course the Bears.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:36:02 +0000

I’ll be absolutely gutted if the game doesn’t happen. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone like me to go and see the Bears. I’m really hoping the owners and the players get things sorted. As is so often in popular sport though, when things like this happen the people that suffer the most are the fans.

@Sven – The Bears are so popular in the UK because when the NFL became popular, the Bears were THE team. We only got a 60 minute highlite programme from the week before but it seemed every week McMahon or the Fridge or Ditka were on doing something and most weeks the Bears would win…..for a football/soccer equivalent they were like Man United are now..

@ Roy – I have to say your being incredibly harsh on both the owners and the players. Can you not feel the pain of realising you can’t afford a Ferrari this weekend and will instead have to settle for a high performance Porsche.

To the million and billionaires of the NFL, I feel your pain….

By: Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:11:20 +0000

Interesting theory Sven-the world is becoming much smaller, right? What we’re doing right here proves that! If Bill (above) stops by I know he’ll be able to comment. It’s my understanding that it has most to do with games starting to be broadcast in the mid-80′s in London then the Bears’ visit to play Dallas.

By: sven

sven — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:36:28 +0000

According to nfl.com, the Chicago Bears are the most popular NFL team in the UK, so I was wondering: could that be because of the huge Polish population in London or is that too far-fetched?

By: Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:15:21 +0000

Ah, of course. How mad will you UK guys be if you lose your opportunity to see the Bears due to the stupid labor dispute? It was announced today that if the dispute isn’t over by 8/1, the London trip is off. I’m really mad about the Bears’ greed so honestly at this point I don’t care. But for your sakes I sure hope you get the game.

By: Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:13:19 +0000

Excited for you Bill, Dave, Sven. I guess we can all just hope this happens, which will require a season taking place. It’s a shame that the overall greed being shown by the owners and players is dampening my interest.

By: bill dowse

bill dowse — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 07:19:39 +0000

Can’t wait. Joseph’s excited too. He was only four when we came over so he didn’t really appreciate the game.

I feel a bit for the Bucs fans – they played here in 2009.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:52:47 +0000

@Roy

Yeah I’m in the UK.

It’s funny as me and a few friends had talked about going to the NFL London game regardless of who played a few months ago…Last weekend we all met up to watch the Sunderland v WBA game (soccer for my American cousins) and the subject came up in conversation and I said to them all that I had read on Bears.com that Larry Meyer had said he had heard Ireland would be getting the international game this year with London missing out.

A few days later I read this. I really can’t describe how pleased I am. The Bears started proper NFL interest in the UK in the mid 80′s and should have been the first team to play at the new Wembley.

I really can’t wait for this.

By: Roy Taylor

Roy Taylor — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:03:40 +0000

I was thinking of Sven, of course, when I wrote this. Also my buddy Bill from London who was over here for a game in 2004. He’s going to be excited as hell. PERNO, I didn’t even think of how this screws you, that is really a shame. My neighbor across the street is from Tampa and a huge Bucs fan. It’s a shame that the Bears last played the Bucs at home in 2008 and I got to know him just after that. Looking forward to the next time Tampa plays up here too. Dave, are you in the UK? Thanks for checking in here guys, even though I’ve been largely silent lately.