The NFL says it could expand with multiple teams — and you won't like where they're going

The NFL has already expanded to broadcasting on paid services, and when it expands the league, games might be physically out of reach for fans too.

Prior to the Thursday night game between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions on Amazon Prime, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell revealed that the league's global reach could expand into time zones American fans won't be happy about.

'We're looking at how we continue to grow our media exposure globally.'

Is it the return of NFL Europe? Not exactly, but Goodell said the other side of the ocean is the most likely target for any league expansion that may happen.

"I think if we continue to grow, continue to get the kind of reaction, I do think a franchise will be international at some point in time," Goodell stated, per Fox News.

"I think Europe is the most likely [place], for a lot of reasons. One, the length of time we've been playing there. But also, the scheduling is going to be a lot easier."

The NFL's European league existed in different forms from 1991 until 2007 with teams in countries like Germany and Spain.

Now the NFL is playing almost 10 games this season on foreign soil, including a game last week in Melbourne, Australia. However, Goodell did reveal that Australia is likely too far.

"Australia might create a few complications for us," the commissioner admitted.

Furthermore, adding just one team to the 32-franchise league would likely throw things off — leagues don't typically like to have odd-numbered teams for ease of conferences or games played — and Goodell said he believed more than one expansion team is possible.

"I also believe we could have more than one team, which I think, ultimately, the support is there," Goodell said, according to Fox News. "Two more teams."

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In an interview with CNBC, Goodell said, however, 34 teams is "not first on our list," and the league hasn't "really spent any time studying it."

Do players like it?

During that discussion, Goodell was asked if he thought players enjoyed participating in international games, to which he claimed they do take pride in carrying "the mantle" for the league and becoming ambassadors for the sport.

"[They're] helping to expand the game on a global basis," Goodell said, adding that players are expanding their own brands at the same time. "I think they see the opportunity."

Former NFL coach and Super Bowl winner Jon Gruden recently rained on the expansion parade, telling a fan that he thinks the game should be grown in America first.

In fact, Gruden yelled at the fan who was supportive of international play, saying, "If you want to grow the game, grow it in the United States. We got a lot of kids that aren't playing football. So let's play games where we need to grow the game in our country. And let's start and end with that."

In a response that was as hilarious as it was passionate, Gruden mocked the idea that it was more difficult to travel and play games across the United States generations ago than it is to play internationally today.

"I didn't see Red Grange playing in Australia. And I never saw Ray Nitschke play in London! OK?! So take that and stick that in your pipe," Gruden heckled.

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NFL Europe, 2007 in Hamburg, Germany. Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images

In terms of when an expansion might happen, Goodell's contract ends in 2030, so it is conceivable he would want to see the global expansion by that time.

He told CNBC that it is "very possible" to have an international team "someday," but he purposely did not put a timeframe on it.

"We're looking at how we grow the number of games. We're looking at how we continue to grow our media exposure globally," he said.

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