LONDON (AP) — Cleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam says it’s a bit of a burden to play a game in London.
The NFL is staging a record-high seven games abroad this season, including the on Sunday in the English capital, in its aggressive push for international growth.
“I’ll be honest, if the commissioner was sitting here, I’d tell him, I would much rather play at home in Cleveland than travel all the way over to London,” Haslam said at a sports conference. “But hey, we’re team players. We want to do everything we can to boost the league and so we’re going to do our share.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell actually had sat at the same stage earlier in the day and to eventually hold 16 games internationally each season — creating a potential scenario in which each team would play a game abroad every season.
“It’s going to be a key part of our growth strategy,” Haslam acknowledged.
But he also described the team’s schedule of moving gear and flying overnight to land in London early Thursday.
“To move that much equipment, for that many people, that quickly, and then get it all back Sunday night because we have to start again on Monday — it’s a challenge,” he said. “But it’s also something you relish and something different.”
Team co-owner Dee Haslam added that “for our organization, it’s a lot of work,” but that it’s a “great opportunity” for the team and traveling for the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Browns play at Pittsburgh in Week 6.
The team has played only one other regular-season international game — a 33-16 loss to the Vikings in 2017 at Twickenham Stadium.
New stadium and ticket prices
The team provided some updates Thursday on its proposed .
AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company will be the construction managers and the groundbreaking is set for early next year, the Haslam Sports Group and the Browns announced. The goal is to start playing in their new 67,500-seat home in 2029.
“The average ticket will be over $200 plus food and beverage, so we want (fans) when (they come) to a game to have a great time and say, ‘You know, that was a lot but it was worth it, and I want to do it again,’” Jimmy Haslam said in London.
He added that they will bid to host games for the .
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