Your Thoughts on an 18 game NFL Schedule?

[Jimbo]

While I like the idea of 18 and 2 instead of 16 and 4...

An 18 game schedule and injuries are intertwined. There are already so many players out it's a joke, and adding two more regular season games would make it even worse. Imagine if there were still three games left in the regular season? You'd like the playoffs to be played by starters, not whoever is left standing.

YES, injuries are part of the game...but an 18 game schedule makes them that much MORE a part of the game.

Just throwing this out there...something to make you go hmmm...I heard or read it somewhere over the weekend. WHAT IF they went to a 17 game schedule...and each team plays one neutral site game? Huh? What now ma? What now?

There is already a game in London, which should be a neutral site game anyway...not fair a team loses a home game for that. So what if we add 15 more neutral site games?

More games in Europe...Paris, Berlin, Rome, perhaps? Play a game at the Nou Camp in Barcelona...wow! Maybe even Moscow! Estadio Azteca in Mexico City would be a natural...the Maracana in Rio would be insane, if logistically possible. What about San Juan?

Tokyo...China...and of course Canada! Let those Canuckleheads see some REAL football! (gentle poke at Iceberg!). But seriously, there is already a game in Toronto...Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver...there are lots of possibilities.

Then they can also play a game or three in Los Angeles. Test the market there. Perhaps a game at Bryant-Denny stadium, Jordan-Hare, or Used-to-be-Happy Valley.

Just throwing locations against the wall...not sure how many of them would stick, but the concept of one more game at a neutral site is something the NFL should DEFINITELY be considering.


Sandra

As for the playing a neutral game out of the country , I'll pass, I think it's a DUMB idea to go to London or where ever in the first place ... Two teams are taxed much more than the rest and it starts BEFORE the season even starts AND it counts.

IF they want to play an exhibition game elsewhere, fine ....
I don't like it, but I'm not making the call.


As for the 17 game schedule, that will only lead to the 18 games schedule.

 

[Jimbo]

What about the idea of playing the neutral game exclusively at famed college stadiums? You'd have the lore, nostalgia and ambiance of the college scene and could bring the game to parts of the world who only know college ball. And since College Football is basically a minor league to the NFL, it would be the perfect way to way to bridge the game between the two levels.

Can you imagine NFL games at The Horseshoe, The Big House, Notre Dame Stadium, LA Memorial Coliseum, Bronco Stadium (Boise State), The Carrier Dome, Autzen Stadium (Oregon), Camp Randall or Tiger Stadium?! Wow!!!!!!!!!!

IF there must be Neutral site games, I like this idea better.
There would be an awful lot of empty seats though, no Pro teams are selling 100,00+ tickets.

Btw, Boise State's field is OFF limits.
Even the Colleges now have a rule against odd colored fields.

 

[Jimbo]

I love that idea. The NFL needs to SERIOUSLY expand their horizons overseas, but games at college stadiums are a cool idea too.


Sandra

No they don't, this is an AMERICAN game, lets KEEP it here.

They try to force Soccer down our throats as kids and adults to some degree...
It doesn't work.
Why would OUR Football work elsewhere when the rest of the world longs for Soccer.

 

[Jimbo]

You forgot the banks & all federal workers/U.S. Military.

US Military ?

What, they call a truce for a day if they are at war ?

 

[cosmo_kramer]

The Super Bowl belongs on a Saturday evening. But, as long as ratings records continue to be broken it won't be moved....

 

[HD MM]

The Super Bowl belongs on a Saturday evening. But, as long as ratings records continue to be broken it won't be moved....

I like the idea of a Super Bowl Saturday. It's always such a downer at a party when you know you have to work the next day.

 

[stmcld]

If they went to an 18 game schedule I would like the last 2 weeks to be adjustable. In other words, pit teams against teams that will have meaning for playoff spots, draft spots, or the college neutral sites as someone mentioned that doesn't have the NFL close. I know if might be difficult logistically but I am sure it could be done.

 

[SandraC]

As for the playing a neutral game out of the country , I'll pass, I think it's a DUMB idea to go to London or where ever in the first place ... Two teams are taxed much more than the rest and it starts BEFORE the season even starts AND it counts.

Well, I totally disagree, but that's what makes the world wonderful.

With the bye week, the logistics of most of the trips can we worked out. Not sure about going to Rio or Tokyo (Sydney would be nice too!), but most of the trips are easily doable.

As much of a multi-billion dollar industry the NFL is, I'm surprised at how much international money they leave on the table. When we were in Italy, France, Spain and Croatia a few years ago for three weeks, I think I saw a grand total of one person wearing an NFL shirt...a Steeler uniform in Rome. Probably some dude from Pittsburgh.

You see Yankee hats and shirts a LOT, some Red Sox and Dodgers too, and a little NBA stuff. But almost nothing from the biggest American sport by far.

The NFL is missing out on an incredible amount of potential overseas revenue, and bringing more games to London, Paris, etc., would get American football back into the consciousness over there.

No, football will never replace soccer in the rest of the world. But that doesn't mean the NFL should avoid such a huge market completely.


Sandra

 

[Mets82]

I like the idea of having nfl games at college stadiums but I think the games should stay in the US. As far as Presidents Day being a day off, dont schools or at least some schools have that day off? I mean people call in sick anyway the day after the Super Bowl, so what would be the difference?

 

[cosmo_kramer]

As for the playing a neutral game out of the country , I'll pass, I think it's a DUMB idea to go to London or where ever in the first place ... Two teams are taxed much more than the rest and it starts BEFORE the season even starts AND it counts.

This year's London game between the Bears & Bucs was during week 7 of the NFL schedule...

 

[meStevo]

If they went to an 18 game schedule I would like the last 2 weeks to be adjustable. In other words, pit teams against teams that will have meaning for playoff spots, draft spots, or the college neutral sites as someone mentioned that doesn't have the NFL close. I know if might be difficult logistically but I am sure it could be done.

The current format is fine, division games to end the season, thanks in large part to that new scheduling setup there are only 3 meaningless games this weekend (Redskins-Eagles, Bears-Vikings, Seahawks-Cardinals). If there were 3 more games to play instead of 1, those 3 would quite meaningful as well.

 

[meStevo]

Fwiw, H2H hits happen on EVERY play on the O and D lines ..... Hmmm, they don't say anything about that ...

Concussions happen on every play here.

Wait, what? You might need to look up what a concussion is.

 

[Teehar]

No to an 18 game regular season!The current format works fine the only reason for adding 2 more regular season games is for the NFL to make more money.Lord knows they are strapped for cash as it is.

 

[Juan]

These hits started when espn came on air and they made sportcenter best hits or monets and now every start tries to make espn.espn needs to stop showing hits like that and agree nfl needs to make stronger penalties for hits like those.if you hit a guy and hes out for the season then maybe you should be out for the season without pay for causing that injury imo

darrell Stingray got paralyzed in the 1970's..long b4 ESPN

 

[meStevo]

No to an 18 game regular season!The current format works fine the only reason for adding 2 more regular season games is for the NFL to make more money.Lord knows they are strapped for cash as it is.

By a narrow margin, players receive at least 47% of all revenue.

 

[stmcld]

No to an 18 game regular season!The current format works fine the only reason for adding 2 more regular season games is for the NFL to make more money.Lord knows they are strapped for cash as it is.

What about the stadium workers? I would imagine 2 more games would make them a little bit more money.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

These hits started when espn came on air and they made sportcenter best hits or monets and now every start tries to make espn.espn needs to stop showing hits like that and agree nfl needs to make stronger penalties for hits like those.if you hit a guy and hes out for the season then maybe you should be out for the season without pay for causing that injury imo

ESPN covers the league well and IMO is not glorifying the hits. What about NFL Films, an arm of the league?? They used to market videos of the big hits...

 

[Teehar]

What about the stadium workers? I would imagine 2 more games would make them a little bit more money.

Not one penny more.They would cut 2 preseason games to add to the regular season.So the total amount of games will still be the same.

 

[meStevo]

Not one penny more.They would cut 2 preseason games to add to the regular season.So the total amount of games will still be the same.

I'd be surprised if as many vendors are open for preseason games to service smaller crowds.

 

[nrich239]

There would be an awful lot of empty seats though, no Pro teams are selling 100,00+ tickets.

I completely disagree.
Philly Eagles stadium holds close to 70k with standing room and the season always sells out.
Make it a neutral site game that's against a division rival (NY, DAL) and you could easily fill 100k seats.


The new cowboys stadium seats 80k and expands to over 110k with standing room.