The NFL would like to play a game in China to open up the 2018 season, but hasn’t officially announced anything. Part of the reason why nothing has been made official? Air pollution, and how the league will handle it.
The air quality in China is also what could stop the whole thing from happening entirely.
According to Sports Business Daily, eleven months ago Commissioner Roger Goodell stated how they wanted to open the 2018 season in China. But the big reason why no official announcement has been made is because of the air quality in the country.
The NFL hasn’t come up with a solution to solve the pollution problem. Even if the game is played indoors, there still is the issue of air leaking inside or the players being exposed to the air for the days leading up to the game. From there, players’ health could be impacted.
Air pollution was also a major issue leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. To ease international concerns for their athletes, China shut down coal plants and seed clouds. No official agreement has been made between the league and China to have the same plants and clouds shutdown for an NFL game.
Mark Walter is an NFL Executive Vice President and he said a decision might not come until the owners meeting in May of this year, just a year and a couple months before the game would take place.
With the NFL playing games consistently in London and it appears Mexico as well, China would be an important country for the NFL to visit next. The NBA has strengthened its influence in China with three academies being opened there. MLB, meanwhile, has always played a role in China, and the country will play in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
While the NFL is growing in popularity in China, a game in China would take its influence in the country to a whole new level.
It's Monday morning in #Shanghai and the fans are out to cheer on #SB51 #Patriots #Falcons pic.twitter.com/SlHhfojgkv
— NFL China (@NFL_China) February 6, 2017
