49ers playing home game in London

Originally posted by KRS-1:
Got to love the fans who are pissed that they are losing a home game. If you were a 9er fan living in England you wouldn't be complaining. It's a costly trip for them to come over here to see the 9ers play. I can understand from a season ticket holders perspective that they are losing a game, but it's only 1 game, not an annual thing.

FWIW I'm happy for you guys over in England (and Europe). Hope you come out in droves for the game and enjoy it!

Certainly will!! And you're right, I've spent thousands and thousands of $$ in coming over the the 'Stick 4 times so it's nice to have one game here instead. I promise we'll all do you proud.

Originally posted by Lifer:

Originally posted by Icelandic49er:

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by Lifer:
How does the NFL choose the teams for these games? What is the process?

The 49ers just played an international game a couple years ago. Most of the teams in the league have never played an international game. How is it that we're double dipping (AND giving up a home game to boot)?

Answer: Low revenue team with a long losing streak and a decrepit stadium. The 49ers will be the league's whipping boy until we get a new stadium and start winning.

or it could mean that the Niners are loved in other countries as well

yes sir, the most popular NFL team outside the US

Is this based on actual data, or a straw poll at your local bar? I'd like to believe it's true, but the evidence I've found so far indicates that the Patriots and the Cowboys are the most popular teams in Europe generally, and the UK in particular.

I'd say we're number 1 if you "normalise" the win/loss aspect. In other words, we're currently still one of the top 5 popular team i'd say, but not number 1. However if you take into account how much we've sucked recently and how much the Patriots have been winning the last 10 years, we're much much better supported. Put it this way, if all teams were averaging 8-8 every season, I think the 49ers would be the most popular UK team. Reason being a combo of die-hard fans from the 80's and 90's, plus fact San Francisco is such a popular holiday destination for Brits.

Originally posted by kray28:
Stupid and yet another shaft of the 49ers by the Goodell regime. Niners sold out all their home games this season as well.

It should be an away game for both teams. How hard is that to work out for the geniuses that make NFL schedules? Niners got similarly shafted four seasons ago when they had to play "home game" in Mexico City.

Two things:
1) 49ers were away team in Mexico, Cardinals were home team. So you're already an idiot that doesn't know his facts.

2) Can you explain to me how they could do the "both teams are away" to me? By definition the number of home teams and away teams must be equal. So if this was an away team for both SF and Denver, another game in the NFL schedule would have to be a "home" game for both teams. How do you manage that? Play Jets v Giants in NY? But then who gets to bring all their fanbase? It's not mathematically possible. So you're an idiot twice.

Originally posted by Stuuk:
For all you guys planning on coming over, the best airport to fly into is Heathrow.

To be honest i'm pretty sure that its the only airport that actually has direct flights from SFO.

The 4 big airlines, AA, United, BA and Virgin Atlantic all have a number of direct daily flights. Also the American ones will have connecting flights from SFO to Chicago and New York etc and then onto London, havent checked but this might workout cheaper if your on a budget.

Also I know that AA, BA and Virgin all currently have sales on until 26th January so you might be able to save a bit if you book now.

When i've been to SF before i've always used Virgin, but I would imagine all are ok.

Flight time ranges with a max of 13 Hours but my experience has usually been quicker than that. Nearly all flights to the UK are in the evening so you will arrive the following morning with the time difference. I have a bit of experience with this particular route so if you have any questions about this, places to stay or London itself please let me know and I will do my best to help/make enquiries on your behalf.

I'm hoping we can get a 49erswebzone gathering!

I'm on Twitter: Stupac3uk

Man it's great to have global Niner fans. Thank you Stuuk for offering to help us yanks out. I do plan on making the trip to Wembley for our match up against that donkeys and will most likely plan at least a weeks stay so I will be looking for advice in the near future. Setting up a Webzone tailgate ala Candlestick Park should be number one priority.