One of our readers in one of those European countries that we can’t really tell apart has sent us a link from the NFL’s official U.K. site regarding the long-term possibilities for NFL football in England.

In an interview with Reuters, NFL V.P. Mark Waller says that England eventually could have four regular-season games per year.

To make it happen, however, the regular season would have to be extended by one full week.  This would allow the NFL to play 16 total games per year at neutral sites without forcing any teams to give up one of their eight regular-season homes games.  (However, because a move to 17 regular-season games would likely be accompanied by a reduction in the preseason from four games to three, half of the teams would play only one home preseason game each year, cutting in half the windfall that comes from forcing folks who want to buy tickets to the eight “real” games to also purchase the tickets for phony games that cost the owners far less to produce because the players get paid far less money to participate in them.)

So what of the other 12 games neutral-site games?  The NFL would have great flexibility in that regard.  One or two could be sent to Mexico.  One or two could be exported to Canada.

And, as we’ve previously suggested, several games could be played each year at neutral sites in the United States that have the facilities for big-time football but no local NFL teams.

Alternatively, the Los Angeles problem could be solved via a slate of eight neutral-site games played each year in a new or existing venue there.  In our view, that approach might be even more intriguing and compelling than giving L.A. its own team. 

But expanding the regular season will require the consent of the union, and it’s likely an issue that will be on the table if/when the league and the NFLPA decide to engage in meaningful talks aimed at extending a CBA that is on course for an uncapped season in 2010, a chaotic “last capped year” in 2009, and expiration in 2011. 

For 2008, the Saints and the Chargers will play in London.  Ticket demand reportedly is very high.  Even so, we still think that the Saints shouldn’t have been asked to give up a home game in 2008, given that New Orleans gave up eight of them only three years ago.