London is a long way from the Dawg Pound, but the Browns will have a home game there next season.
The NFL announced Tuesday morning the Browns will play a regular-season game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7 or 8 (Oct. 22 or 29) at London’s Twickenham Stadium. It’ll be the Browns’ first regular-season game outside of the U.S.
Because the Browns will be the home team during their trip to the British capital, only seven regular-season games will be played next year in Cleveland.
The NFL selects which teams it wants to play a home game in London and asks the clubs to oblige for the good of the league’s International Series. In October 2015, NFL owners voted 32-0 to extend the series and give the league the ability to play international regular-season games through 2025. All 32 teams are expected to participate in the series.
“The NFL is commendably dedicated to developing football at all levels within the United States and throughout the globe, and we share in that commitment to help make our game as great as possible and the opportunities to bring it to more people, both within our community and in other regions,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a news release. “We appreciate the opportunity provided by the league selecting our team to join the many others who have represented their cities and the league internationally, as well as the unique experience it will give to our great fans who will join us in London and those who live overseas.”
The league began playing regular-season games in London in 2007. It’ll hold a record four games there next year after playing three contests in London in each season since 2014.
The other London matchups for 2017 are as follows:
• Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars in Weeks 3 or 4 (Sept. 24 or Oct. 1) at Wembley Stadium
• New Orleans Saints at Miami Dolphins in Weeks 3 or 4 (Sept. 24 or Oct. 1) at Wembley Stadium
• Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams in Weeks 7 or 8 (Oct. 22 or 29) at Twickenham Stadium
With four games in the U.K. next year, the league will have held 21 games there in 11 seasons with 27 of the 32 teams playing at least once in either London or Mexico and 12 different clubs hosting a game outside of the U.S.
The Browns have played three preseason games out of the country. They faced the New York Jets in Montreal in 1988, the Philadelphia Eagles in London in 1989 and the New England Patriots in Toronto in 1993.
They fell to the Eagles 17-13 in the exhibition opener on Aug. 6, 1989, at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Browns season-ticket holders will receive the option to purchase tickets to the London game through a special presale. More information will be provided following the release of the full schedule in April.
“We are excited to represent our team, our city and our fans in London,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said in the release. “This will be a great opportunity for our players to compete in a new environment and to benefit from the experience of playing in a game that receives as much attention as these international games.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.