It appears that an 18 game schedule is going to happen, altough it may not be until next year. Rosters will be expanded, second bye week, and more player benefits is what I'm hearing. Injuries are the major concern but, players get more for two more weeks of work. That's a hard thing to pass up. Owners are saying that fans want it and a shortened pre-season. However, fans I've spoken with seem to be split on this issue. Opinions?
I still think instead of adding two games they should have 8 teams from each conference make the playoffs...just makes sense to me.
GMJohnson - spot on! Bad. And stupid from both a quality of product and historical records standpoint.
Bad, IMO, it sucks. All fans wanted was not to have to pay high prices for 4 pre season games. Crap, cut the pre season down to three games and cut the rate of admission for them and everyone would be happy. Nooooooooooo, Goodell took that to mean the fans wanted two extra games. Complete BS. And, do not make people buy tickets for multiple games in preseason just to purchase a ticket for a particular regular season game. Its all greed by the owners, pure and simple and Goodynutz is their whipping boy speaker child.
IMO it will have little overall effect just like the jump from 12 to 14 and the jump from 14 to 16. I know most here aren't old enough to remember those, but the same arguments were in play then. I think that the NFL could max out at 20 games without it impacting the event nature of each week's games. Obviously rosters will have to be impacted but if they went to 18 games and dropped two preseason games, within 5 years 80% of the fan base will have forgotten that it was any different in the past or have any opinion that it was better 5 years ago.
most players cant make it through 16 games without getting hurt, moving it to 18 is ridiculous. I actually want some kind of rule where players are only allowed to play 16 games in the regular season in an 18 game season. Imagine the strategy involved if the Colts were forced to sit Peyton Manning two games, or Saints had to sit Drew Brees. I understand it's completely infeasible but we're going to start seeing fake injuries anyway, might as well make it a rule.
Some playoff teams play more than 18 games. Correct me if I'm wrong but, I cannot recall many playoff injuries other than Cutler. Why is that?
I hope they know what they are doing. I don't think they do. I don't know much about this CBA stuff but this is way out of hand.
There aren't really many markets left... NFL would never go to Vegas, so what does that leave? LA? Portland? Maybe Salt Lake City? That's pushing it... As it is, you have a bunch of franchises on the brink of moving (Buffalo, Minnesota, Jacksonville...) I don't think one American sports league could sustain 36 teams. You can't go to places like Oklahoma or Alabama either, because the college teams would be more popular than the pro ones lol... I think it's stuck at 32. Expanding to Alaska/Hawai'i isn't realistic, either.
I'm not sure how an extra two games is bad for the fans. How can anyone complain about getting to watch two extra Dolphins games? I think the idea is foolish that two extra games is going to devastate the league with injuries. Just look at the teams who make it two games into the playoffs. Do they suddenly have a rash of injuries?
It also doesn't make sense for teams to miss the playoffs when theyre 11-5 or 10-6 and division winners get in when they only have 7 to 9 wins.
LA could support two teams. Portland is a possibility. Then there is Toronto and Mexico City. Plus with Oklahoma and Alabama, Arizona has worked just fine and it has a more popular College team. Texas could probably support another team as well. Football is big there.
Eating chocolate is awesome. Though at a certain point too much chocolate gets you scik. The question is, is it the same with football? part of the reason watching football is awesome is the fact that the amount of games is less. Each game feels like life or death. (I know not that serious) Adding another game takes that away
I have a forum friend over on phinphanatic who asked if there are two bye's, would that mean more games in England, which is a great question. The comish is intent on bringing our football to the world, and this gives him a MUCH better chance of doing so. I could see six games, or more, being played in the UK, Germany, and Mexico to start. I am very curious as to how this will unfold, and if it has any part in the CBA discussions.
One thing we tend to forget is that current players now work out 11 months of the year, as opposed to days gone by. Although players are bigger, stronger, and faster, they are all in great shape to somewhat withstand the beating their bodies are taking. Expanding the rosters, active players, and two byes would appear to solve the problems. We may even get to see players we would have never known about before. Add in the extra money and benefits for two more weeks does not seem to a deterrent for players.
So many things... More local TV blackouts which I guess if a team is performing poorly is good for the local stations to show other games. Bad for the fans because great seasons will be longer, but poor ones will be looooooooooonger. More head coaches getting fired during the year. Fringe players will have longer careers. Regulars will likely have shorter ones mostly due to the grind but others to injury. TV profits should help but merchandising will remain flat. I'm against it personally because I feel the season is long enough and the overall quality will be reduced.
I'd rather them add to the Playoffs, Wild Cards have been very successful, so those 9-7/10-6 teams that get left out [while crappy West teams make it] get a shot. And they get their extra games.
My thoughts exactly. My biggest fear is that players will adjust to the 18 game schedule by taking more plays off, more games off, giving us a watered down product, especially towards the end of the year. One idea would be to go 18 games with no preseason games at all, 2-3 bye weeks, and 8 playoff teams per conference. That's 20-21 weeks of regular season football, as opposed to 17. And 15 playoff games instead of 11. The only issue would be that the start of the regular season would have to begin in mid-late August as opposed to Labor Day weekend, which I dont think the NFL wants to do.
I can see Portland and LA, and there's a lot of potential for teams in Canada im more than sure 2 major cities in Canada would have no issues with starting a football team.
I'd say they definitely need to expand the playoff field if they go with the 18 game schedule. Plus on top of that more games will keep more teams mathematically alive for longer in the season. Preserving players will become a crucial aspect of coaching in the future. Much like baseball managers have to manage their players carefully to keep them healthy for postseason pushes. We'll definitely start to see starters inactive from time to time throughout the season for that extra rest.
doable. desirable? I have no strong feelings one way or the other, just want the 2011 season to start without incident.
I'm telling you right now, fans will have to agonize through even MORE games of benchers when playoff teams are so far ahead and suck teams are so far behind. It will be like the preseason all over again during the regular season. If your team is so far ahead and has a playoff spot locked in why even risk your top players playing in the last who knows how many games. Truthfully if it was about the product on the field they would play LESS games in order to give MORE teams a chance for the post season. That's not the case, it's about MONEY which equals MORE games.
What does everyone else think of more International games? My friend from the UK says they really want more. Same appears true in Canada, Mexico, and Germany. The game expands into somewhat virgin territory but, the travel and losing a home game have to enter in.
I don't know any fans who would object to expanding the season to 18 games. More games to watch ....I think only the players would hate this...unless they get paid more.
This... Would make the 18 game schedule more exciting as it would keep more teams in it until the end of the season. Also, every team plays the wildcard round. Never thought having 2 division winners get a bye week and 2 division winners a week off was legit. A lot of the time #1 or #2 seeds get a bye week b/c they got the "soft" schedule that year. Look at the Falcons this year, got to play against the NFC west and Carolina twice this year. 4 extra playoff games = $$$
An 18 game season means the national divorce rate will increase by 11%. Remind me to buy shares in Anheuser-Bush b/c that s#!t's gonna go up too. I'd also want some hot dog shares, but I think Sanchez has those locked down tight.
I liked NFL Europe. Some good football and it gave a lot of players a chance to play the game. NFL said it was just not working though. Thats what is strange now having games in Europe again. If they did not attend the games when they were positioned there, whats the reason people will attend them now ? Do not want to see anymore games in Mexico, do not care what town it is in. Its bad enough The State of Arizona is about to pass a bill that guns will be permitted in University of Phoenix stadium during Cardinals games, do not want to see fans beheaded in Mexico for cheering for the wrong team. Canada gets on Buffalo game a year and has a hard time filling the stadium up. Keep it here, where it belongs.
Not touching that with a 10 inch pole. Sorry, I meant foot. No, that's Ryan. A 10 yard pole is what I meant to say.
I just feel like we are beeing jerked around. I mean damn how long have they had to get this done and there on there second extension........ I mean really
Who doesn't want to see 6,000 yards 70 Tds passing or 2,500 rushing yards or 25+ sacks and 200+ tackles?