Dolphins decision to play Jets in London all business | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Dolphins decision to play Jets in London all business

Daytona Fin

Daytona Fin

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Why in the new world did Dolphins owner Steve Ross agree to play the first intradivisional game ever in London next season?

Before answering all that, let's understand the actual issue the team confronted once it volunteered to play a "home" game in London in 2015. Because the involved details allow a better understanding of why they'll play the Jets there in October.

Here's the deal: The league allows teams to exempt three home opponents from the London trip. Any three. It was easy for the Dolphins to cut down to four, team insiders decided: New England, Dallas and both New York teams, the Giants and Jets.

All good games. All big opponents for differing reasons. But the underlying question went beyond a simple case of strategic scheduling, the way it all worked out.

The issue was this: Is football or marketing the top priority?
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Again, every NFL team has the same rule of exempting three opponents as the "home" team in London. So far, none of the 15 teams have played a divisional opponent there. It's easy to see why.

The homefield means too much in these divisional games. They affect playoff chances, which tilts seasons. Football, you see, is the No. 1 priority inside these teams.

For the Dolphins, New England was the first opponent to be exempt from the London trip. It was an easy choice. It is an AFC East opponent and a team that annually sells out Sun Life Stadium. The team's business and football minds agreed.

The other three teams on the list presented the real issue. Dallas is a big, popular team that would be a certain sell-out. What's more, the Cowboys hadn't played in Sun Life since 2007, so it would be a bonus for season-ticket holders.
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Finally, there were the Jets. A top rival. A division opponent. But a team that plays here every season. And a team that sells a good number of tickets but typically doesn't sell out. The average crowd is 67,292 in the past five seasons.

This is, in part, why owners like Dallas' Jerry Jones and New England's Robert Kraft refuse to surrender a home game to play in London. In fact, 22 teams have yet to volunteer one of their games for London.

The Dolphins volunteered this time to fulfill a criteria of the Super Bowl bid, a source said. The renovations to the stadium are part of the problem as, "it's hard to build with a game every week,'' the team source said.

Let's be real, too: Many fans will pick just the way the team did in this. Getting a rare chance to watch the Cowboys and Giants in person would trump the annual visit by the Jets.

But if you're coaching the team? Joe Philbin refused to answer the question on Thursday, but common sense says he'd rather play the division opponent at home and a non-division opponent on the road.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-dave-hyde-commentary-1107-20141106-column.html
 
Here's the key quote, the one that summarizes it for me:

Here's a story: Once, in the midst of offseason, I ran into long-time Dolphins assistant Mike Westhoff at a charity event. He was just coming from a full day watching film. Why then?

"Every half-yard matters,'' he said.

That's what this team has to realize. Every half-yard. Every decision. It all matters. And football has to be the main priority in a way it wasn't again in this case.
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Ross never disappoints my low expectations. Not ever. He continues to be someone far more interested in hosting Super Bowls than playing in them.

He doesn't get it. He's never gotten it. And he never will get it.
 
Well we have lost to them the last two tines in Miami.
Ross doing what he needs to do to break the streak.

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk
 
No surprise here. Makes absolute sense. It's a smart move and he's getting the pre-req out of the way and early with a team that knows how to make the trip and win. Nothing wrong with Ross fulfilling a requirement here to host a Super Bowl after he payed for these renovations with his own pocket. Good for him. Hopefully we make that Super Bowl a winning home game in our favor.
 
I don't at all agree with this line of thinking. But OTOH I'm not the one who spent over a $billion for the team, probably around $200 mil a year to run it and committed $400mil to renovate its stadium. So what can ya do? :idk:
 
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