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+---- Thread: *Expansions on the Horizon? (/showthread.php?tid=43387)
*Expansions on the Horizon? - KlausGoatCasinos - 02-05-2023
Expansions on the horizon for the ISFL and DSFL?
Written by Trent McTrent for Gridiron Gazette
As season 39 comes to a close for the ISFL and its complementary developmental league, with trophies held high by Yellowknife and Kansas City, the question on everybody's minds is of course that of the future. Prospects from College football and the DSFL look towards the teams that will possibly be their futures, while the rest of us look in from the outside. Since the shift from a national to an international focus over the last decades, the ISFL has seen enormous success in the British, German, Canadian, Australian, South African, and Mexican markets and continues to match or outperform in some instances the NFL in viewership, jersey sales, and ticket sales both 'at home' here in the United States, and abroad. With continued success of course comes expansion, leading our analysts to the question: Where will the ISFL expand to next?
There are two main criteria our analysts use over here at Gridiron for looking at possible expansion regions: Does the region have the market for it? Is the region underrepresented in their options for supporting a 'local' team?
1. Amsterdam
As European broadcasts of ISFL and DSFL games have expanded, so too have fans shown their team allegiance with jersey sales skyrocketing. Over in Amsterdam, those numbers unsurprisingly flow mostly into jerseys for players from Orange County's Otters as well as the Berlin Fire Salamanders. Representing their neighbors in central Europe as well as the color Orange for their own royal family, the only thing we believe could top their numbers would be a team of their own. The ISFL has continuously indicated their approval to further expand into more international markets, and our team cannot think of a better first choice than here. The historic love of soccer translated well for added sports excitement over in Germany and with many options for marketing from the Delft blue artistry to the historic naval prowess, Gridiron Gazette sees Amsterdam as a 'no-brainer'.
2. Acadia (The Atlantic Northeast)
It is no secret that the people of New England are sports fans, with unrivaled devotion to teams such as the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins. Ask any New Englander whether they want a new avenue with which to win championships, and they'll agree before you can blink. Certainly, as the popularity of the ISFL only continues to increase, adding a team to represent the Northeast, especially when the closest team to them geographically is historic rivals in New York, seems like a good move. The only question: At a time where efforts to grow the "I" of the ISFL continue, why leave out Canada? A team representing the Northeast peninsula would be setting up shop in an enormous sports market, with possible stadium options in Bar Harbor, Halifax, Montreal, Hartford, Burlington, and Provincetown.
3. Mexico City
If we're expanding north, why not south? As much as Canada needs another team to add options to the many games throughout North America, so too does Mexico. And the home of multiple International NFL games in the past decades is a perfect contender. As football and the ISFL continue to expand into new territories, Mexico City is second to none as a great option. Much like Amsterdam, as the capital city of the country Mexico City has the infrastructure and enthusiasm to turn those ISFL jersey sales from around the league into a home for a great new franchise.
4. Auckland
New Zealand is unmatched when it comes to rugby success, boasting what many consider to be the most successful sports team of all time with their national rugby team. With the expansion of the DSFL to Australia, the translation of rugby enthusiasm to football enthusiasm has met with a success that left many previous skeptics pleasantly surprised. Indeed, it seems all that's missing from the little corner of the world that so many cartographers seem to forget, is an ISFL team. While recent marketing reports from the region show sales of Buccaneers merchandise growing steadily, it is the belief of our team that due to the separate nature of the ISFL and its developmental league, the franchise here would not have to worry about cutting into its Bondi Beach counterpart.
5. Casablanca
Right near the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, would serve well as an ever-growing market for sports teams. With the International market only just recently expanding to the continent of Africa this past season, the time is right to jump on further opportunities. Alongside new infrastructure for the national soccer team and a large stadium not far from the city center, and technology from London allowing for the quick transformation from soccer stadium to football stadium, the Atlantic sun would do well to beam down upon a gleaming football flying through the air for the cheering fans in Morocco.
6. Athens
It is all I can do to promise our loyal readers that I am not intentionally choosing cities and regions that start with the letter 'A'. Shall we do Corinth instead? The point is: Greece. The historic country home to some of the oldest continuously settled cities in Europe, and has a storied past of the Gridiron to boot. No, not with football itself, but with the ancient Phalanxes of Greece, two rows of warriors in formation, lines slamming into each other head on with the intention of breaking the other's formation, so that their path to victory can begin. And not to mention, the roster of mythical creatures on which to base the team's name is almost endless.
Indeed, the possibilities are endless when it comes to ISFL expansion. Those infinite possibilities are held back only by the finite nature of our favorite sports league's ability to fund new franchises. So of course the questions remain. Where would you like to see the next ISFL expansion team land? What team names, color schemes, and mascots for our proposed teams do you think would shine in the ISFL? What about for the regions you wish to see that we missed out on? There are certainly many more we have in store for our next analysis.
This has been Trent McTrent with Gridiron Gazette. Stay simulated, sports fans.
RE: Expansions on the Horizon? - Raven - 02-06-2023
Nice, as a Dutchie who hates Amsterdam, but loves seeing the Netherland represented I feel conflicted
RE: Expansions on the Horizon? - OrbitingDeath - 02-06-2023
Go Amsterdam!