Given the league's recent focus on the first word in its name -- International -- I'd consider it a good idea to move the Ultimus from the home stadium of the higher seed, to a neutral venue overseas, particularly if the location was somewhere the league's profile could be dramatically expanded by hosting such a major event.
This would rule out places like London or Berlin, since the presence of an ISFL (or in London's case, ISFL-affiliate) team sort of precludes the opportunity for expanding the fanbase. Similarly, Tijuana -- and by extension, probably all of Mexico -- is out. Europe is a reasonable target in general though, with the sport enjoying a lot of popularity in the North and West of the continent in particular. Places like Amsterdam, Hamburg, or even Birmingham have been home to storied teams in the past, and would likely welcome the return of gridiron football. But, I would argue that a better option would be Asia. Specifically, Japan.
Weebery among the league's fanbase aside, there are several Japanese nationals playing in the league, which means interest is already likely to be there. Japan -- and the whole of East Asia, really -- is a market untapped by the ISFL's largest competitor (you know, the *other* football league) which presents massive opportunity for growth. In addition, Tokyo is huge, so the market potential is immense. The city is also primed to host an Olympic games, which shows the infrastructure and organisational frameworks required for a major sporting event are already in place. Narita airport is also highly accessible, meaning home based fans wouldn't necessarily find it difficult to attend.
The venue is a bit trickier, but the National Stadium, in Shinjuku fits the bill, with a slight makeover required on the field. Its location is also beneficial, since Shinjuku station is the largest and busiest terminal on the Tokyo metro network, making it the most accessible, and again, most suited for a large influx of people. There is also an opportunity for the Ultimus to coincide with Japan's National Foundng Day celebrations. Promotional material could easily draw on anime imagery common to Japanese campaigns -- like that seen for the Rugby World Cup in 2019, for example -- potentially drawing in new fans from an otherwise untapped market.
This would rule out places like London or Berlin, since the presence of an ISFL (or in London's case, ISFL-affiliate) team sort of precludes the opportunity for expanding the fanbase. Similarly, Tijuana -- and by extension, probably all of Mexico -- is out. Europe is a reasonable target in general though, with the sport enjoying a lot of popularity in the North and West of the continent in particular. Places like Amsterdam, Hamburg, or even Birmingham have been home to storied teams in the past, and would likely welcome the return of gridiron football. But, I would argue that a better option would be Asia. Specifically, Japan.
Weebery among the league's fanbase aside, there are several Japanese nationals playing in the league, which means interest is already likely to be there. Japan -- and the whole of East Asia, really -- is a market untapped by the ISFL's largest competitor (you know, the *other* football league) which presents massive opportunity for growth. In addition, Tokyo is huge, so the market potential is immense. The city is also primed to host an Olympic games, which shows the infrastructure and organisational frameworks required for a major sporting event are already in place. Narita airport is also highly accessible, meaning home based fans wouldn't necessarily find it difficult to attend.
The venue is a bit trickier, but the National Stadium, in Shinjuku fits the bill, with a slight makeover required on the field. Its location is also beneficial, since Shinjuku station is the largest and busiest terminal on the Tokyo metro network, making it the most accessible, and again, most suited for a large influx of people. There is also an opportunity for the Ultimus to coincide with Japan's National Foundng Day celebrations. Promotional material could easily draw on anime imagery common to Japanese campaigns -- like that seen for the Rugby World Cup in 2019, for example -- potentially drawing in new fans from an otherwise untapped market.
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