Report: NFL owners pitch 18-game schedule

[Punching Bag]

40 minutes ago, bargepole said:

A view from across the pond ..

 

To observers in England, the NFL season seems far too short, lasting just over 5 months. Just as we're getting into the excitement of who will qualify for the playoffs, then the playoff games, the Superbowl is upon us in early February, and it's all over until the following September. Surely there can't be, or shouldn't be, that much difference in quality between the first and second choice players for any given position, and with careful management and squad rotation, an 18-game season with each player playing a maximum of 16 games is easily achievable.

 

For comparison purposes, the Rugby season is 8+ months long, with 22 scheduled league games, and the top 4 teams entering the playoffs. Then there's also the European Cup competition, with a minimum of 6 pool games, then playoffs for the top 8 teams. And some players will also be selected for their International sides, so can easily end up playing 30+ games in a season - and these guys have to stay on the field for a full 80 minutes of action in each game. The NFL millionaire players don't realise what an easy life they have.

 

I think you fail to understand how NFL is a specialist game.  There is a big difference between #1 place kicker and #2 place kicker who is usually the punter and vice versus.  Long snapper rarely plays any other position and while they have a backup the player probably gets snaps only a few times a year.   Likewise for many positions their is depth but not enough depth for 2/18 of team to take week off and then you would have players complaining about missing incentives (i.e. player gets incentives for sacks and opposition team is starting Nathan Peterson as backup while starter is taking break while player with incentives is forced to take break).  Yes it is a lot easier for teams not in playoffs to have players take games off at end of year but you still cannot have too many off.   Plus the fans who already complain when #3 QB is starting a preseason game and preseason list price is same as game price.

 

The only way 18 game schedule works is with:

• Reduced number of preseason games with more scrimmages and contact practices allowed.
• Extra bye weeks so more recovery time
• Expanded roster with more slots used for backups
• Incentive to NFLPA like additional pay for players maybe based on number of plays active and maybe more playoff games in which players get paid more 

[nucci]

1 hour ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...allegedly, don't current player salaries include 4 pre-season games?...and how many of the top echelon players even come close to playing 4 GAMES much less 4 QUARTERS?....anybody think that the NFLPA lets Owners skate versus demanding 18/16 of players' salaries?...and the asinine proposal of capping players' season at 16 games is ludicrous.....sitting out key players in the home stretch because you're finally in the hunt?.....

Players don't get paid until after week 1 games...salaries do not include preseason

[Punching Bag]

4 minutes ago, nucci said:

Players don't get paid until after week 1 games...salaries do not include preseason

or post-season.

[bbb]

8 hours ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

One thing I think would be cool if they did add a week, is do what MLB did with interleague, and create inter-conference rivalries. Jets/Giants Ravens/Redskins 49ers/Raiders Rams/Chargers Texans/Cowboys etc. Living in Houston, Texans fans try too hard to have a rivalry with the Cowboys. But if they got rid of the annual preseason game against them, and turned it into a legitimate game every season, it might just happen. Crazy that we have two stadiums shared by teams that only play each other once every four years.

 

The Bills already have this with the Lions!  

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Report: Expanded NFL Playoffs More Likely Than Switch to 18-Game Season

Paul Kasabian August 28, 2019

 

The NFL schedule has consisted of 16 regular-season games and four preseason contests since 1978, with the current 12-team postseason structure existing for the past 29 years.

 

That structure may change, however, after a report from Mark Maske of the Washington Post revealed that owners are pushing an expanded postseason or an expanded regular season in lieu of dropping one or two preseason contests during current collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the NFLPA.

 

"Amid mounting criticism of an uncompelling exhibition-season product with sparsely attended stadiums and star players being withheld from games to avoid injury, there is increasing conviction within the NFL to shorten the preseason.

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2851463-report-expanded-nfl-playoffs-more-likely-than-switch-to-18-game-season

 

[ddaryl]

19 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

My point is that more games simply means more football, which your average fan wants IMO.

 

The reason why people contribute at this forum, for example, in the height of the off-season, is because they want more football and can't take it!  They want to be involved with the sport any way they can.  It's also why fans watch these meaningless pre-season games, myself included. 

 

I would love to have the real season start a week earlier and end a week later than normal.  More football.

 

I understand being annoyed by the greed of the owners and the constant desire to grow/change the game, but that is a rather abstract philosophical point, whereas a few more football games just means 2 more Sundays a year I get to excited about Bills football.

 

 

 

 

Point was I don't want more regular season football.. .I just want playoffs. That's more than enough football for me... I'm more than ok with the slow periods and down time. 

 

 

[Cripple Creek]

17 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

The only way 18 game schedule works is with:

• Reduced number of preseason games with more scrimmages and contact practices allowed.
• Extra bye weeks so more recovery time
• Expanded roster with more slots used for backups
• Incentive to NFLPA like additional pay for players maybe based on number of plays active and maybe more playoff games in which players get paid more 

All of those items will be collectively bargained.  Your first point isn’t practical. There will be, IMO, mandated cross team scrimmages that will take the place of 2 preseason games. But, there will not be more hitting, less potentially.

 

Your last point already exists in terms of performance bonuses, which for some include X% of plays.

 

It is going to happen. Two greedy entities are going to figure out how to get more dollars for themselves (and hence each other).  Extra bye week, limiting players to 16 regular season games will add so much intrigue and excitement to the league. I cannot wait.

[nucci]

4 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

All of those items will be collectively bargained.  Your first point isn’t practical. There will be, IMO, mandated cross team scrimmages that will take the place of 2 preseason games. But, there will not be more hitting, less potentially.

 

Your last point already exists in terms of performance bonuses, which for some include X% of plays.

 

It is going to happen. Two greedy entities are going to figure out how to get more dollars for themselves (and hence each other).  Extra bye week, limiting players to 16 regular season games will add so much intrigue and excitement to the league. I cannot wait.

Players won't be limited to less games than a full schedule

[Cripple Creek]

Just now, nucci said:

Players won't be limited to less games than a full schedule

It’s a great way for owners to get their buy in and it will be great for the game.

[billsfan89]

Just add a second bye week for each team if you want to add an extra week to the season. I think that a second bye week would also be better for players health as they get some time to not play through lingering injuries and get two mental breaks during a season. 

 

But 18 games would make the season an increased act of attrition even if you added some 16 game cap to it (which is stupid.) The NFL should focus on ways to improve their product as opposed to over exposing it some more.