Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

On Tuesday the NBA announced they will be changing the format of the NBA Rookie Challenge All-Star Game.  Previously the game featured the NBA’s best rookies vs. sophomores as a precursor to the main All-Star game with the West going up against the East.  The game will now be called the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge with Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal picking the teams.  The NHL did something similar for their All-Star game held on the same weekend as the NFL Pro Bowl.  As we all have read, the Pro Bowl game has been chastised by fans, players and even Roger Goodell:

“We’re either going to have to improve the quality of what we’re doing in the Pro Bowl or consider other changes or even considering eliminating the game if that’s the kind of quality game we’re going to provide,” Goodell said.

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Apparently the NFL is considering having some teams play games on a regular basis in London. The NFL is working on its global marketing here and says they will evaluate whether or not they will eventually have a team in London. The 49ers last played in London last season and have also played pre season games in Mexico. I have no problem with the NFL doing everything they can to promote the game globally. But I want no parts of my 49ers being one of those teams playing in London on a regular basis.

The problem is the system is flawed, when the 49ers last played in London it put the team at a real disadvantage. The team had a road game in Carolina vs. the Panthers the previous week and then had to travel to London the following. What were the 49ers rewarded for doing the NFL a solid and agreeing to play a regular season game overseas? One less home game that’s what, wow thanks commisher!Home field advantage cannot be ignored but that’s not what’s really flawed in this whole thing. NFL teams based on the west coast have historically had trouble traveling to the east coast of the United States, especially if it’s a 1 pm EST game. Traveling to London is a much tougher adjustment, even more so for a warm weather team like the 49ers who are used to sunny California, London is more like a colder Seattle.

If the NFL moves forward with this plan and has more regular season games in London there is only one way to do it.
PAGE 2: HOW THE NFL CAN MAKE IT’S OVERSEAS PLANS FAIR TO ALL 32 TEAMS
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