After flirting with London for six years, Roger Goodell sounds increasingly serious about making the relationship permanent.
The NFL commissioner said Tuesday the league likely will play as many as three regular-season games in London in the next few years with an eye — despite the awkward logistics — toward putting a team there full-time.
“Our thought is, it’s going to be London’s team,” Goodell said at an NYU hospitality conference in Midtown. “It’ll be the London Whatevers playing the New York Giants. The logistics we can work out because we only play once a week. We can deal with that. What we really want to understand is, can the market support a franchise long term there? The more we see, the more we like it.”
The Jaguars already are scheduled to play host to a game at London’s Wembley Stadium each of the next four seasons, with the Vikings and Steelers playing a second game there this year. It’s the first year the NFL is playing two games in London, and both games sold out in minutes.
That seemingly insatiable desire for NFL football has sparked the league’s increased interest in holding more games and potentially moving a team there.
“The thing that’s amazing to us is, every time we give them more, they say to us, ‘Give us even more than that,’ ’’ Goodell told The Post. “The two games is incredibly successful. If we could do three, it would be incredibly successful. It’s clear to me there’s a strong fan base over there.”
Goodell told The Post Jacksonville would be the league’s top candidate to play host to two games per year if the NFL goes to a three-game package, though it would be the Jaguars’ choice.
“If we go to three London games, what we’ll likely do is ask Jacksonville to potentially play two or ask three different teams to host,” Goodell said. “That’s one issue we’re debating.”
Goodell wouldn’t put a timetable on placing an actual franchise in London, though his excitement at the prospect was palpable during his 30-minute stage chat with Giants co-owner Jonathan Tisch and after the event.
“That’s what we’re working towards,” Goodell said when asked if he could see a permanent franchise in London. “If we continue the growth of these games, I do see this.”
Goodell also said the NFL is interested in expanding its list of London host stadiums in the wake of that city’s post-Olympic construction boom, most likely through teams in the English Premier League.
“There are more stadium alternatives over there, post-Olympics,” Goodell told The Post. “They’ve done a lot of good things with they call their ‘football’ stadiums.”
Goodell also addressed the increasing effort of rap star Jay-Z to become a major player in the NFL as an agent and marketing representative, having already signed up Giants wideout Victor Cruz and Jets quarterback Geno Smith despite a lingering controversy over his NFL Players Association certification.
“It doesn’t surprise me when great entertainers and great businessmen want to get involved with our business,” Goodell told The Post. “It obviously has to be through the proper channels — I guess the NFLPA is sorting through the whole issue of whether he’s an agent or not — but it’s something where we welcome his participation.”