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September 23, 2006

China confirmation?

Hey all --

Got a release today from the Patriots about a pre-game press conference they'll be holding tomorrow with team owner Bob Kraft, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NBC Sports chariman Dick Ebersol. According to the release, the trio will be making an "important international announcement."

It may well be confirmation of a story the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune reported and we relayed almost a month ago -- that the Patriots and another team, reported to be the Seahawks, will play a preseason game in China next year. It would be the first NFL game in the world's most populated country.

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who stepped down earlier this month, said this year that the league was targeting China as a new fan base. A game there next year could serve as the beginning of the one-year countdown to the 2008 Summer Olympics, which will be centered in Beijing -- and broadcast on Ebersol's NBC.

Interestingly, the Patriots were the first NFL team to have a Chinese-language team website.

The NFL has held preseason games in other countries since 1986, though there was not one this year.

We will of course be there and give you the news as soon as we know what it is.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:48 PM | Permalink