Coronavirus: Jaguars are big winners with 2020 NFL international games to be scrapped
The 2020 NFL schedule is due out this week, and don't expect to see any international games due to the coronavirus.
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When the 2020 NFL regular-season schedule is released this week – likely Wednesday or Thursday – there are not expected to be any international games on the slate as was previously planned because of the coronavirus. Not a huge shock, really, that the league doesn't want its players, etc., traveling internationally. That news was first reported by The Daily Mail in London.
This is a nice break for the Jacksonville Jaguars especially, as well as the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals. The Jaguars were going to lose two "home" games by playing them at Wembley Stadium in London. The league didn't say which teams were going to be the opponents but that it wouldn't be the Pittsburgh Steelers or Chicago Bears.
Jacksonville still has the lowest season win total of any team at William Hill sportsbook of 4.5, with the Over a -130 favorite. Needless to say, adding two true home games over neutral-site affairs is a big advantage. Playing at home is generally considered by oddsmakers to be worth about three points on the spread.
Miami and Atlanta were to each host a game at the home of London soccer team Tottenham, which will lose out on about $5 million in revenue. The Dolphins reportedly were going to face New England and the Falcons to play Denver.
Arizona was scheduled to host a game in Mexico City, most likely against the San Francisco 49ers. When cities are awarded a Super Bowl these days, part of the "repayment" is losing a home game to play internationally. Arizona hosts the Super Bowl following the 2022 season, while Miami did last year and Atlanta the year before.
MLB's two-game London Series between the Cubs and Cardinals set for mid-June already had been canceled because of COVID-19.