"What time would you prefer a game to be played here?" asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at a sold-out fan event in Frankfurt.
Most hands were raised in favour of an 8pm Sunday evening prime-time slot under the cinematic lights of European stadia, be it Germany or beyond. One fan seized the opportunity to request a Saturday night game, citing the extra non-working day during which to recover from Pilsner-enthused merriment. Goodell chuckled, nodding in appreciation to the logic before playing down the prospect of meddling with College Football's traditional home.
In years gone by it might have been deemed a playful ploy to butter up the local crowd, but there was legitimacy to his reconnaissance.