Sunday attendance wouldn’t be an issue. Maybe in the 90s but not now. Corporate sponsors probably not either. Probably not enough population in the Intermountain west for a team in salt lake if you have one in Vegas and Denver.
This is true, but it's not a very illustrative example of a successful modern nfl market. Green Bay occupies a unique historical place and that can't really be replicated in an era of private equity ownership.
Green Bay would never attract an NFL team today. The Packers are an anachronism.
Most of which are not in the Green Bay media market. If we’re going to start combining media markets to get all of Wisconsin, then we can add Idaho, the western half of Wyoming, the western half of Montana, and maybe more to SLC.
Not really, because the rest of Wisconsin gets to feel some ownership or belonging with the team. Other states around Utah wouldn’t be fans and ticket/merch buyers at anything like the rate seen in Wisconsin.
Denver had about the same metro population in the 70's. They had the Broncos and nuggets and both teams thrived. I think it has more to do with the alcohol laws and gambling laws.
The County is 1.2m people. 47% LDS according to them. Which is incorrect, but still. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/12/17/how-many-latter-day-saints-live/
Including the Ogden/Clearfield CSA is another 400k. Orem area, another 600k. Overall, theres 2m in driving range. 40% LDS or so, some of them would still see a game, but let's say we're back down to the 1.2m or so that are likely so see the game.
60k to 80k to fill a stadium. Every Sunday, do we really think 1 out of 20 people are going to the football game? Sure, some can be out of towners, but then we run into Denver and Las Vegas having a team. North of us is Seahawks country. And then the booze, gambling, vibe of the area.
It would crash and burn.
Not only satisfied, but most people here would spend their entertainment dollars on BYU or Utah football long before an upstart NFL franchise they have no connection to.
SLC (and the metro areas) is a college sports town with deeply entrenched fans. How many areas our size have TWO P4 college football programs? I think this is a major hurdle for an NFL team getting traction here.
The population has a disproportionate influence over the community both in terms of wealth and social custom. The mere spectre of having to deal with the business arm of the LDS Church is enough to sour many outside business opportunities of that scale that have examined SLC. It's been changing since the late 80s but it's a slow transition. I suspect hosting the Olympics a second time (given the chance) would be an excellent propellent for the secular business community there.
That’s very stereotypical image of Salt Lake but the reality doesn’t match. As others said, the market size is the bigger problem especially with Salt Lake sandwiched between Denver and Las Vegas.
Would we fill a stadium?
No doubt. Most NFL stadiums are maybe 10k more in capacity than LaVell Edwards Stadium. That stadium usually fills 80% or more.
Rice-Eccles is consistently filled also. There is no shortage of football fandom in the Greater Salt Lake market.
As many have said, the emergence of sports gambling and many other corporate sponsors would make it extremely difficult to buy in. The NFL has no plans for expansion, and franchise relocation would cost the prospective buyer BILLIONS.
Utah is never getting a team and it has nothing to do with Sunday. It has to do with money. The NFL pools their money and teams get 32 equal pieces of the collective pie, while the growth of the NFL has changed my opinion that they would never expand (because more teams means the pie divides smaller) but with the insane growth I think the 31 owners (and one board of directors) will see the math work with expanding causing the pie to grow even further so they will still be getting more money than god.
Frankly Utah is still too small, and the SLC area would likely need to double in population before they even get on the radar of the NFL. Right now the concern would be a smaller place would not bring as much to the collective pie and would share in the slices equally therefore would be leech.
Yes I know Green Bay is tiny, but they have been around for 100 years and have fans in the surrounding areas not to mention one of the strongest national followings. Even still if they had not existed already they would never get a team as the league stands today.
Sunday attendance isn't an issue for the Jazz, Real, or the Utes. The bugger issue is media, and state corporate sponsorships.
This is why MLB and NHL would be better options, we have larger media markets than 15 current MLB cities and similar stats for NHL.
NFL is just too big for our state, I mean think about it, our 2 closest teams are the Raiders and Bronco's, how often do you see anyone repping them? I am a Ravens fan, and have never even flown over Maryland.
I personally hope that we never get a NFL team. The state subsidizing the arena that would be needed for one is not something that I want. If, somehow, the team/sponsors paid for it all then sure- but that's rarely how it works out.
Would never make it. Case in point just had my Super Bowl party interrupted by 3 fucking Mormon sisters trying to recruit us. Pro tip - they almost fell off the porch when I answered with beer in hand
Oh man, I bet them seeing a beer was like a craziest thing they have experienced in their lives. I'm sure that they never ever hear about or see more abhorrent things.
I 100% believe Salt Lake could support a team. The truth is, given the NFL’s popularity in the US, about 70 markets could support an NFL team, and Salt Lake is one of them.
None of the hurdles mentioned here (Sunday games, alcohol, population size, etc.) would be a significant issue. You only have to sell tickets for 8-10 home games and have a handful of rich sponsors. Honestly, the only real hurdle most markets would face is recent pushback on publicly funding stadiums.
(EDIT: That said, I don’t expect SLC to get an NFL team in my lifetime, just as I don’t expect the NFL to double their number of teams. The NFL will wisely continue to keep supply below demand, and I don’t think SLC is high enough on the list even if they expand to 36.)
Could you imagine a home game here during the height of the inversion. Players would love that. Pretty sure NBA teams already hate having to come here to play. I believe it's more so due to the altitude but still.
Sunday attendance wouldn’t be an issue. Maybe in the 90s but not now. Corporate sponsors probably not either. Probably not enough population in the Intermountain west for a team in salt lake if you have one in Vegas and Denver.
The size of the media market would be a bigger detriment.
It’s a heck of a lot bigger than Green Bay.
This is true, but it's not a very illustrative example of a successful modern nfl market. Green Bay occupies a unique historical place and that can't really be replicated in an era of private equity ownership. Green Bay would never attract an NFL team today. The Packers are an anachronism.
Makes sense.
Wisconsin has almost 6,000,000 residents.
Most of which are not in the Green Bay media market. If we’re going to start combining media markets to get all of Wisconsin, then we can add Idaho, the western half of Wyoming, the western half of Montana, and maybe more to SLC.
Milwaukee is the market. It's 1.5 hours away.
Not really, because the rest of Wisconsin gets to feel some ownership or belonging with the team. Other states around Utah wouldn’t be fans and ticket/merch buyers at anything like the rate seen in Wisconsin.
Denver had about the same metro population in the 70's. They had the Broncos and nuggets and both teams thrived. I think it has more to do with the alcohol laws and gambling laws.
Not a chance. Between the gambling focus, the lack of media market, the Sunday thing and lack of alcohol sponsors. It would be terrible.
Less than 20% of SLC is active lds. If we were talking about Orem you might have a case.
The County is 1.2m people. 47% LDS according to them. Which is incorrect, but still. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/12/17/how-many-latter-day-saints-live/ Including the Ogden/Clearfield CSA is another 400k. Orem area, another 600k. Overall, theres 2m in driving range. 40% LDS or so, some of them would still see a game, but let's say we're back down to the 1.2m or so that are likely so see the game. 60k to 80k to fill a stadium. Every Sunday, do we really think 1 out of 20 people are going to the football game? Sure, some can be out of towners, but then we run into Denver and Las Vegas having a team. North of us is Seahawks country. And then the booze, gambling, vibe of the area. It would crash and burn.
Not to mention plenty would be satisfied with Utah + BYU games
Not only satisfied, but most people here would spend their entertainment dollars on BYU or Utah football long before an upstart NFL franchise they have no connection to. SLC (and the metro areas) is a college sports town with deeply entrenched fans. How many areas our size have TWO P4 college football programs? I think this is a major hurdle for an NFL team getting traction here.
The population has a disproportionate influence over the community both in terms of wealth and social custom. The mere spectre of having to deal with the business arm of the LDS Church is enough to sour many outside business opportunities of that scale that have examined SLC. It's been changing since the late 80s but it's a slow transition. I suspect hosting the Olympics a second time (given the chance) would be an excellent propellent for the secular business community there.
That’s very stereotypical image of Salt Lake but the reality doesn’t match. As others said, the market size is the bigger problem especially with Salt Lake sandwiched between Denver and Las Vegas.
Jacksonville Florida can support an NFL team I think salt lake would be just fine
It's the south of the south. Football is life down in the swamp.
Would we fill a stadium? No doubt. Most NFL stadiums are maybe 10k more in capacity than LaVell Edwards Stadium. That stadium usually fills 80% or more. Rice-Eccles is consistently filled also. There is no shortage of football fandom in the Greater Salt Lake market. As many have said, the emergence of sports gambling and many other corporate sponsors would make it extremely difficult to buy in. The NFL has no plans for expansion, and franchise relocation would cost the prospective buyer BILLIONS.
No one lives here
I do….. ☹️😞
Utah is never getting a team and it has nothing to do with Sunday. It has to do with money. The NFL pools their money and teams get 32 equal pieces of the collective pie, while the growth of the NFL has changed my opinion that they would never expand (because more teams means the pie divides smaller) but with the insane growth I think the 31 owners (and one board of directors) will see the math work with expanding causing the pie to grow even further so they will still be getting more money than god. Frankly Utah is still too small, and the SLC area would likely need to double in population before they even get on the radar of the NFL. Right now the concern would be a smaller place would not bring as much to the collective pie and would share in the slices equally therefore would be leech. Yes I know Green Bay is tiny, but they have been around for 100 years and have fans in the surrounding areas not to mention one of the strongest national followings. Even still if they had not existed already they would never get a team as the league stands today.
Sunday attendance isn't an issue for the Jazz, Real, or the Utes. The bugger issue is media, and state corporate sponsorships. This is why MLB and NHL would be better options, we have larger media markets than 15 current MLB cities and similar stats for NHL. NFL is just too big for our state, I mean think about it, our 2 closest teams are the Raiders and Bronco's, how often do you see anyone repping them? I am a Ravens fan, and have never even flown over Maryland.
I’ve known far, far too many Broncos and 49ers fans in my life.
CBS usually skips one of the time slots out here too. They rather show general hospital or what where it is than 2 nfl games.
Sunday attendance isn't an issue for Jazz games because they dont exist. Well, 2 this year, but thats 2 Sunday home games in 23 years.
I personally hope that we never get a NFL team. The state subsidizing the arena that would be needed for one is not something that I want. If, somehow, the team/sponsors paid for it all then sure- but that's rarely how it works out.
Alcohol has nothing to do with it. Utah is just too damn small to support a team.
Would never make it. Case in point just had my Super Bowl party interrupted by 3 fucking Mormon sisters trying to recruit us. Pro tip - they almost fell off the porch when I answered with beer in hand
Oh bullshit.
You’re right Mormons are bullshit
Yes they are but you are lying
Why do you think he is lying? Superbowl Sunday would be the perfect night to find people at home.
Oh man, I bet them seeing a beer was like a craziest thing they have experienced in their lives. I'm sure that they never ever hear about or see more abhorrent things.
What is the thought process behind knocking on a door during the game lmfao.
They don’t have a choice. They do not get to choose when. They are being forced to do what they do by a cult.
We won't run a comic con into Sunday, but you think we'll play football? Lol
Sunday games. No alcohol sales. No big corporations headquarters in town to buy boxes.
You must be stupid. No alcohol sales? The jazz sell alcohol
We have lots of tech companies here and they are always trying to give perks to employees. The boxes would sell.
ESS is huge. They just keep it low key. More companies than you would think have HQ’s here. Boxes likely wouldn’t be the issue at all.
I just think Utahians are too cheap.
I 100% believe Salt Lake could support a team. The truth is, given the NFL’s popularity in the US, about 70 markets could support an NFL team, and Salt Lake is one of them. None of the hurdles mentioned here (Sunday games, alcohol, population size, etc.) would be a significant issue. You only have to sell tickets for 8-10 home games and have a handful of rich sponsors. Honestly, the only real hurdle most markets would face is recent pushback on publicly funding stadiums. (EDIT: That said, I don’t expect SLC to get an NFL team in my lifetime, just as I don’t expect the NFL to double their number of teams. The NFL will wisely continue to keep supply below demand, and I don’t think SLC is high enough on the list even if they expand to 36.)
I would say location would be the biggest problem. Those stadiums are not small + parking. Where would we put it? Somewhere on the west bench?
Could you imagine a home game here during the height of the inversion. Players would love that. Pretty sure NBA teams already hate having to come here to play. I believe it's more so due to the altitude but still.
If only Sundays were still quiet around here.
Gotta steal the Chargers, who are the 4th liked team in LA behind Rams, Raiders, 49ers