Craig Carton Claims Jets ‘Secretly Transferring the Franchise’

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New York Jets owner Woody Johnson on September 26, 2021.

In case you missed it, the New York Jets were one of six NFL franchises that were given “access to self-promote and grow their respective fan bases in the UK,” according to Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports.

The Jets also posted the news on social media on December 15.

“As part of the NFL’s International Home Marketing Area initiative, we were awarded the international marketing rights to Great Britain,” says the franchise’s official Twitter account.

Together with Gang Green, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings received exclusive “home access” to Great Britain when the NFL split up various foreign countries as part of its expansion.

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Craig Carton’s bold prediction

Shortly after this groundbreaking story came to light, WFAN radio personality Craig Carton of Carton & Roberts voiced a frightening thought that immediately crossed my mind while reading the UK news.

Listen to the full conversation from Carton & Roberts here.

“There’s a lot of cooking today,” Carton began, “of course the Steph Curry last night, the Travis Hunter stuff and the New York Jets, which are making their very first step in secretly moving the franchise to England.”

Co-host Evan Roberts questioned his partner’s bold claim that only made Carton double up and replied, “What do you think he’s doing?”

Carton explained, “Big surprise, there’s Woody [Johnson] lived the four years when he was ambassador to England, right? So play this through – you’re Woody Johnson, the fan base doesn’t like you, you’re deaf to their needs and wants and emotions, right? … You don’t need the Jets for your bottom line because you make all your money from Johnson & Johnson, right? So the New York Jets as a whole aren’t an important part of your financial empire – it’s an expensive one, it’s a successful one, but when you have the Jets you don’t have the Jets, Jets win, Jets lose – at the end of the day comes your fortune not therefore … So if you are that guy, and you realize from conversations that the NFL owners have had, that have built and built and built, that one day it will continue to be European expansion – it won’t happen tomorrow but one day – the NFL wasn’t hiding from that either, they want a team in London … I think whether we like it or not, it makes more sense [that] they will relocate an existing franchise. “

Roberts suggested the Jaguars instead, but Carton countered that their owner, Shad Khan, claimed he would never move his team out of Jacksonville permanently.

It’s not all bad, however, the popular NYC host explained the silver lining.

“So you take a team that we’re more angry than happy with, and you tell the Jets fans – listen, we’re moving the Jets to England, we’re giving you a brand new [expansion] Team, it doesn’t get worse. The jets haven’t won anything in 50 years, we hate the owner, we share a stadium with the New York Giants, we’re the little brother! We now have a chance, a new franchise – and we keep the naming rights, the New York Jets, by the way – and we’ve got the new stadium up somewhere in the five boroughs and we’re all happy about it. the [original] Jets go to London, they change their name like the Browns when they became the Ravens, and five years later nobody cares about their asses, ”he sketched.

At that point, Roberts (a die-hard Jets fan) actually began to agree with Carton that he may have “sold” him.

Sounds a bit tempting:

• Not a Johnson property.
• A new stadium in Queens.
• And the same Jets name.

Unfortunately, the list would travel to the UK with one of the team’s fan favorites. That may not mean much to some, but for those who believe in rebuilding Joe Douglas, alluring prospects like Zach Wilson, Elijah Moore, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Bryce Hall, and Michael Carter among others would disappear.

And as Roberts later pointed out – knowing the luck of the Jets, Johnson would take the team right to the cusp of the epic turn we have all been waiting for.

“It’s so transparent to me,” stressed Carton, “Woody Johnson would like to change his home address back to London.”

Like I said, it’s a scary thought, but it’s also one that a lot of fans are likely to be thinking.

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“Second Home” Details

Commenting on the deal, Jets President Hymie Elhai said, “International marketing is clearly a tremendous growth opportunity for both the NFL and the Jets. We are excited to bring our players and coaches and their personalities to the UK. Through base programs, unique market activations and strategic partnerships, we look forward to building on our fan base in the UK and look forward to building long-term relationships. “

To be clear, a lot of teams have international houses all over the world, and that’s how everything has developed so far.

The NFL has awarded teams to international home markets. As part of a long-term strategic effort to build their global brands while driving the international growth of NFL fans, the teams had to apply for exclusive marketing rights for areas around the world. Here’s how it collapses: pic.twitter.com/hWXuL72wYG

– Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 15, 2021

Reynolds (of Sky Sports) further stated, “Under the International HMA program, clubs have access to international markets for at least five years, during which time a club has the right to engage in activities in that international market in accordance with what they can do in their domestic HMA. This includes personal and digital marketing, corporate sponsorship sales, fan events and activations, merchandise sales, and co-marketing relationships with other sports and entertainment offerings in the market. “

Right now, that initiative seems like nothing more than an NFL and owners financial opportunity grabbing money, but Carton is making some eerily valid points.

Johnson already has strong ties to London. So would it really shock anyone if they one day left town to become the first UK-based franchise to make NFL history?

Not us, but let me be clear – if it ever did, such a departure would be unforgivable. This loyal fan base definitely deserves better.

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