Owners want 18 games, players don't

[PromoTheRobot]

The players take enough of a beating in 16 games. But the NFL needs more games for TV. What to do?

 

1) Reduce the pre-season to 2 games and maybe a scrimmage.

2) Add a second bye week.

3) Add Tuesday and/or Wednesday night games.

4) Have teams coming off a bye play those games.

5) Add 1 more playoff team per conference, from 6 to 7.

6) Add an extra week to the playoffs by having the 6th and 7th seed play a play-in game to the wild card round.

 

The result: Regular season is 18 weeks, playoffs are 6 weeks, pre-season is two weeks. More games for TV. Two new nights of NFL football. An extra week to the most exciting part of the season: the playoffs. Players actually play fewer games instead of more, but season is longer. Win win win!

 

Discuss.

 

PTR

[Estro]

I'm not a big fan of an 18 game schedule. I think a 16 game season with the playoffs is grueling enough as it is. Adding another 2 games will take it's toll on players health and you'll see a lot more injuries over the course of the season. This will dilute the talent across the league. There has been talk of teams needing to increase the 53 man roster so this will further dilute the talent across the league. I believe rosters will increase to 57-58 players if they do agree to an 18 game schedule.

 

I thought a 17 game regular season, with each team playing one neutral game site was an interesting idea. It also falls in line with Goodell's outlook for increasing a global audience, assuming most of the neutral game sites could be internationally hosted games. All in all I'm not a big fan of the games in London etc., but we already lose 1 per year to Toronto so why not have the other 31 teams go through the same thing. In the end I think the 17 game regular season will be the compromise.

Edited August 26, 2010 by Estro

[DANCOCK]

actually thats a good idea.. id be psyched for that.

[boyst]

I remember part of the Unions argument was that they would only be getting paid contracts for 16 games vs 18 games and they would want to be paid for the extra 2 regular season games. While I see their point, that it increases the risk to get injured I am in favor at the moment. That could change, but I definately want to reduce preseason games down to no more than 3. While I understand that teams need the time to evaluate young talent I do not think it has to come in preseason. I think the NFL should put together better opportunities to yield scrimmages. I do not remember the last time I saw the Bills and Browns scrimmage being an event but it always seemed fun. To put together a couple teams to just practice seems as important as preseason.

[Alaska Darin]

If the NFL wants more TV, add a couple of more bye weeks. People still watch football, even when their team isn't playing. The added benefit is players are probably healthier at the end of the year and everyone gets to recharge their batteries a couple more times.

[Griswold]

If the NFL wants more TV, add a couple of more bye weeks. People still watch football, even when their team isn't playing. The added benefit is players are probably healthier at the end of the year and everyone gets to recharge their batteries a couple more times.

 

Agree with the added bye weeks mnetioned by you and PTR.

 

NFL economics will soon require 18 games to float financially --- but player bodies can barely make it through 16. The added bye weeks is a good compromise solution.

 

I personally would look forward to watching the final regular season games in mid-January.

[JasoninMT]

I'm with the players on this one. To be honest, I'd drop a preseason game and add 2 teams to the playoffs. Keep the Regular season 16 games. They'll make much more money on the extra playoff games than they do on the PS... And the players will be healthier.

 

I think this is a bargaining ploy by owners, they're going to drop the 18 game thing as a concession to players in order to get them to agreement on the new CBA.

[Grimace]

Adding an extra bye week per team would be a good way for the NFL to stretch the season, while offering the players extra time to get healthy and play a better game. The big winner would be the fans, not the owners or players, which makes me skeptical of it happening.

 

Giving more teams an outside chance at the playoffs is an entertaining idea that appeals to the underdog mentality, but it would have more consequences than adding one more fun game to watch. The top seeds would be sitting and gaining rust for an additional week, while the 6 seed team takes an extra beating.

 

Also, if expanding to 7 teams per conference, why not just take 8? Even numbers make simpler brackets.

 

Adding more single-game nights during the week is not something I want to see. They get put on national channels, and local markets don't get to watch them. I don't just mean Thursday night games - I don't have cable anymore and don't get to watch Monday Night Football either. Besides, if there's football on that many nights of the week for a longer season, the part of peoples' lives that doesn't revolve around football will disintegrate. I don't need more encouragement to watch tv and drink.

[Arkady Renko]

For all those proposing an extra bye week, the NFL actually tried that in the 1990s. For whatever reason, the players actually seemed to dislike it. I recall Troy Aikman complaining on ESPN about how it messed with their momentum.

[Mr. WEO]

I'm with the players on this one. To be honest, I'd drop a preseason game and add 2 teams to the playoffs. Keep the Regular season 16 games. They'll make much more money on the extra playoff games than they do on the PS... And the players will be healthier.

 

I think this is a bargaining ploy by owners, they're going to drop the 18 game thing as a concession to players in order to get them to agreement on the new CBA.

The players are not paid per game, so technically, aren't they already being paid to play in PS games? In fact, they are paid for every game--whether they play or not. Perhaps if they want extra money for extra games, they would like to miss a check for games they miss?

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

I would love to see bye weeks were say the entire AFC East and NFC South are off that week. The next week they ALL play other teams coming off bye so all AFC east teams could play each other or all the AFC east play NFC south if that rotation is in place. This way teams coming off a bye are also playing teams who had a bye week. You could do this twice in the season starting week 6 rotating through all 4 conferences and than again. If they think they want 18 games they MUST expand the active roster.

[truth on hold]

- Keep 16 Game Regular Season

- Lose One Pre-Season Game

- Lose the Bye Week

- Keep Playoff System

- Lose GOODELL'S GREED

[dhg]

As it is now, if you include the preseason, you are at 20 games anyway.

 

Reduce the preseason to 2 games.

 

Expand the roster to 60 and no more game day inactives. I have never understood why they have game day inactives anyway.

 

Keep 1 bye week.

 

Expand the playoff teams in each conference.

[K Gun Special]

The players are not paid per game, so technically, aren't they already being paid to play in PS games? In fact, they are paid for every game--whether they play or not. Perhaps if they want extra money for extra games, they would like to miss a check for games they miss?

 

They are paid per game during the regular season if they are on the roster, regardless of whether they are playing.

 

as for preseason - they get some $$ but not a game check.

[Mr. WEO]

They are paid per game during the regular season if they are on the roster, regardless of whether they are playing.

 

as for preseason - they get some $$ but not a game check.

Well if they are on the roster and they get paid for every game whether they are present or not, it's not really like getting paid per game. Functionally they are paid for the season. If they want to be be truly paid per game (or extra games), they should be suited up and on the active roster.

[bluenews]

More games is going to cut into the offseason!!

[Beerball]

Moneymoneymoney.........MONEY

 

That's what it's going to come down to.

 

Rosters will be expanded (more players making MONEY)

 

Revenue will be increased and shared with the players (MONEY)

 

Healthcare for retired players will be expanded beyond the current 5 year limit (benefits=MONEY)

 

 

I'm sure there will be other concessions, but the 18 game schedule will (IMO) come to pass.

[K Gun Special]

Well if they are on the roster and they get paid for every game whether they are present or not, it's not really like getting paid per game. Functionally they are paid for the season. If they want to be be truly paid per game (or extra games), they should be suited up and on the active roster.

 

 

They get game checks, guys who are hurt and not playing still get game checks. But functionally they are only paid during the regular season.

 

Their point is their contract is divided by 16 and paid that way. The numbers are negotiated on 16 games. You want more games pay us for the 2 extra games we are playing

[Rob's House]

Sometimes more is less. The league already increased the season up from 14 games, which at one point was determined an appropriate season length. 16 is a stretch as is, and eliminating 2 preseason games doesn't do much for the health of your starters because they don't see but so much preseason action.

 

Plus, if you're an established team the extra 2 preseason games are a waste. If you're in the position the Bills are right now, that's valuable time to practice plays and evaluate players.

[tbonestake]

The players take enough of a beating in 16 games. But the NFL needs more games for TV. What to do?

 

1) Reduce the pre-season to 2 games and maybe a scrimmage.

2) Add a second bye week.

3) Add Tuesday and/or Wednesday night games.

4) Have teams coming off a bye play those games.

5) Add 1 more playoff team per conference, from 6 to 7.

6) Add an extra week to the playoffs by having the 6th and 7th seed play a play-in game to the wild card round.

 

The result: Regular season is 18 weeks, playoffs are 6 weeks, pre-season is two weeks. More games for TV. Two new nights of NFL football. An extra week to the most exciting part of the season: the playoffs. Players actually play fewer games instead of more, but season is longer. Win win win!

 

Discuss.

 

PTR

 

 

More football =

 

PROMO FOR COMMISSIONER!