http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-...o-city-in-2016
The NFL's International Series is expected to head south of the border next season. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Raiders' home game against the Texans in 2016 will likely be played in Mexico City.
The fact that the Raiders agreed to move a home game outside the country isn't that shocking. The team currently doesn't have a stadium lease in Oakland, which means they technically don't even have a home stadium right now, so giving up a home game isn't exactly a surprising move for the Raiders.
On the NFL's end, putting a game in Mexico makes a lot of sense. The last time the league held a game in Mexico City, it was a huge hit. The 49ers and Cardinals played in Mexico in 2005, and the two teams ended up setting an all-time NFL attendance record of 103,467. That regular-season record stood until 2009, when the Cowboys and Giants drew 105,121 people to a game in Dallas.
On Houston's end, the Texans had been hoping to be a part of the NFL's return to Mexico. During the 2015 season, Texans president Jamey Rootes visited Mexico City and after the trip, he immediately expressed an interest in having the Texans play a game there.
"We've always expressed that we have an interest in participating internationally as a road team (and), we've made it clear that we were most interested in doing that in Mexico," Rootes said. "It's an amazing opportunity for teams and the league. Mexico City is a logical choice for a team like the Texans. We'd be a great ambassador for the league."
If the game in Mexico City happens, don't be surprised if the NFL eventually moves a regular season game to Germany.
Back in May, Mark Waller, the executive vice president of NFL international, said that the league was hoping to put a regular season game in both Mexico and Germany by 2017.
The NFL's International Series is expected to head south of the border next season. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Raiders' home game against the Texans in 2016 will likely be played in Mexico City.
The fact that the Raiders agreed to move a home game outside the country isn't that shocking. The team currently doesn't have a stadium lease in Oakland, which means they technically don't even have a home stadium right now, so giving up a home game isn't exactly a surprising move for the Raiders.
On the NFL's end, putting a game in Mexico makes a lot of sense. The last time the league held a game in Mexico City, it was a huge hit. The 49ers and Cardinals played in Mexico in 2005, and the two teams ended up setting an all-time NFL attendance record of 103,467. That regular-season record stood until 2009, when the Cowboys and Giants drew 105,121 people to a game in Dallas.
On Houston's end, the Texans had been hoping to be a part of the NFL's return to Mexico. During the 2015 season, Texans president Jamey Rootes visited Mexico City and after the trip, he immediately expressed an interest in having the Texans play a game there.
"We've always expressed that we have an interest in participating internationally as a road team (and), we've made it clear that we were most interested in doing that in Mexico," Rootes said. "It's an amazing opportunity for teams and the league. Mexico City is a logical choice for a team like the Texans. We'd be a great ambassador for the league."
If the game in Mexico City happens, don't be surprised if the NFL eventually moves a regular season game to Germany.
Back in May, Mark Waller, the executive vice president of NFL international, said that the league was hoping to put a regular season game in both Mexico and Germany by 2017.
