Thread: Bucs To Play Patriots In London 'Home' Game Next Year

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/dec/01/bucs-play-patriots-london-home-game-vs-patriots-ne/news-breaking/

[size=14pt]Bucs To Play Patriots In London 'Home' Game Next Year[/size]
By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 1, 2008

TAMPA - The Bucs are going overseas. And they're taking the Patriots with them.

The Bucs and Patriots have been chosen by the NFL to play a regular-season game in London next year on Oct. 25. It is a Bucs home game, but it will be played at Wembley Stadium at 1 p.m. EST.

"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization is extremely excited and honored to be chosen to participate in the NFL International Series,' Bucs executive vice president Joel Glazer said. "We look forward to being part of the NFL's global outreach and playing our great game in front of Buccaneers fans overseas.'

At least 300 such Bucs fans live in and around London and have been part of a booster club that has been in existence for 24 years. The game will come as the Bucs' booster club in the United Kingdom celebrates its 25th anniversary, club president Paul Stewart said.

"This is fantastic news for Buccaneers fans here in the U.K.,' Stewart told The Tampa Tribune. "Next year will be the 25th anniversary of the Bucs' U.K. booster club, and what better way to celebrate than to see the Bucs playing on this side of the Atlantic. I think all 300 members of the club will be clamouring for tickets in the next few hours."

Makes sense.
Malcom Glazer and his family (owners of Tampa Bay) also own Manchester United in the English Premier League, so he's willing to give up a home date for all of the potential tie-ins.
And the Patriots (a big draw) go over there, pay their dues, but then don't have to give up a home game to do so.


Interesting, however, that the NFC was the "home" team in 2008 and will be again in 2009.

=Z=

LOL - I beat you to it by mere seconds...

Eh, merge mine in - this has a better link in it.
http://www.purplepride.org/forums/index.php?topic=49302.msg871459;topicseen#new

Here's the NFL's story:

http://www.nfluk.com/news/buccaneersandpatriotscoming%20to%20london_011208.h tml

=Z=

"NodakPaul" wrote:

LOL - I beat you to it by mere seconds...

Eh, merge mine in - this has a better link in it.
http://www.purplepride.org/forums/index.php?topic=49302.msg871459;topicseen#new

Hehehehe - I bet we were both cutting-and-pasting at the same time, trying to make sure we got the "scoop" out there first!

:^)

=Z=

"Zeus" wrote:

Here's the NFL's story:

http://www.nfluk.com/news/buccaneersandpatriotscoming%20to%20london_011208.h tml

And here's the ticket info, for our international fans:

http://www.nfluk.com/ticket-information.html

=Z=

Hope this game is as good as last years was, the Saints-Chargers shootout was awesome and got wembley buzzing!

It'll be pretty cool seeing Randy Moss live as well, never seen him in purple.

Then problem is the amount of older gentlemen in these two teams, the jet lag may kill them lol