Goodell, Owners Signal 18-Game NFL Season Is Coming—Eventually

[BleedGopher]

Per Eric:

An 18-game NFL regular season was not a major topic at this week’s annual meeting, but it’s increasingly looking like a foregone conclusion that team owners will pursue it—and perhaps soon.

Much of this week’s agenda involved pursuing growth in some fashion, whether it be flag football, international play, or media rights. The season itself looks quite likely to ultimately become part of that wave.

“Certainly it’s in the future,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “I know the potential. But there are several things that I can see in the future that are potential. I also know that … things can take time.”

League commissioner Roger Goodell was more measured in his comments late Tuesday on the 18-game season, but he also pointed to that being a topic of rising interest around the league.

“We continue to analyze and discuss this,” Goodell said. “We are thinking about a lot of things in the context of our season structure.”

The commissioner’s remarks on the potential season expansion followed a busy Tuesday morning with the adoption—and tabling—of several proposed rule changes.

Despite these sentiments, getting that 18th game will require a deal with the NFL Players Association, which has been increasingly opposed to the idea, largely due to health and safety concerns. At February’s Super Bowl LIX, union executive director Lloyd Howell said, “When I have talked to players over the last two seasons, no one wants to play an 18th game.”

The expanded regular season is also fundamentally intertwined with the near-certainty that the NFL will opt out of its current domestic media rights deals in 2029. Having more inventory to sell would strengthen a negotiating position that is already unrivaled in U.S. television.

“I’m more optimistic about how it grows here than I was when I first came into the NFL in 1989, and any period in between. I see a lot of positive growth,” Jones said about the league’s future media rights.

Goodell Signals 18-Game NFL Season Is Coming—Eventually

It’s increasingly looking like a foregone conclusion that NFL team owners will pursue an 18-game regular season—and perhaps soon.

frontofficesports.com

Skol Vikes!!

 

[Ope3]

An 18-game NFL regular season was not a major topic at this week’s annual meeting, but it’s increasingly looking like a foregone conclusion that team owners will pursue it—and perhaps soon.

It was a foregone conclusion literally the minute they announced going from a 16 to 17 game schedule.

The answer to all questions is....MONEY$$$$.

 

[atsgopher]

An 18-game NFL regular season was not a major topic at this week’s annual meeting, but it’s increasingly looking like a foregone conclusion that team owners will pursue it—and perhaps soon.

It was a foregone conclusion literally the minute they announced going from a 16 to 17 game schedule.

The answer to all questions is....MONEY$$$$.

It seemed to me to be a good balance at 16. Not sure its improving.

Pairing down the preseason was right though.

Perhaps, tgey should have stayed in the same window. Got rid of 4th preseason, then used that time to accomodate the playoff schedule.

That would be more game driven ,instead of total revenue driving.

 

[Ope3]

It seemed to me to be a good balance at 16. Not sure its improving.

Pairing down the preseason was right though.

Perhaps, tgey should have stayed in the same window. Got rid of 4th preseason, then used that time to accomodate the playoff schedule.

That would be more game driven ,instead of total revenue driving.

I don't think it was or will be an improvement at all. But I still watched.

 

[GopherGrit]

Wonder if they can do a thing of something like:
- go to 18 regular season games, but
- no player may play in more than 17 regular season games

TV, league, and fans get their increase while players technically don't take an extra game of wear and tear on the body.

 

[TNGophfan]

They will go to 18 (give players more money to agree), reduce pre-season to 2 games and add a 2nd bye week. Just my opinion.

 

[Slim Tubby]

They will go to 18 (give players more money to agree), reduce pre-season to 2 games and add a 2nd bye week. Just my opinion.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is exactly what the end result will be. The value of backup QBs will skyrocket.

 

[Ope3]

Wonder if they can do a thing of something like:
- go to 18 regular season games, but
- no player may play in more than 17 regular season games

TV, league, and fans get their increase while players technically don't take an extra game of wear and tear on the body.

That seems like a non-starter. Would screw up Fantasy Football, wagering, would be a nightmare to try to schedule the off week for a 53-57 man roster, mess up TV ratings for games when stars are not playing...

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

If they go to 18 games, these things will probably happen:

2 bye weeks &
Expand the roster by 5-10 players

 

[Ope3]

If they go to 18 games, these things will probably happen:

2 bye weeks &
Expand the roster by 5-10 players

I think it would be more like a roster increase of 2-3 players.

Increasing 5-10 would be like increasing it 9-19%, for only a 6% increase games.

 

[howeda7]

If they do that, they should just forget pre-season games altogether. They're already a joke and there's no chance anyone of consequence will ever play in them again. Just keep the prices on season tickets the same, if you're worried about gate revenue.

 

[Slim Tubby]

I think it would be more like a roster increase of 2-3 players.

Increasing 5-10 would be like increasing it 9-19%, for only a 6% increase games.

I'm pretty confident the PA would demand improvement to their pension and medical plans after retirement, too.

 

[GopherGrit]

That seems like a non-starter. Would screw up Fantasy Football, wagering, would be a nightmare to try to schedule the off week for a 53-57 man roster, mess up TV ratings for games when stars are not playing...

I'm talking about one or two different players sit out games at different weeks of the season. (That wouldn't be strictly enforced ... teams could do it however they wanted, which is where strategy could play in.)

Teams also already often take the last game of the season off, if they have nothing to gain.

Fantasy already deals with players who sit weeks out with injury. Taking a week off would have to be announced by Thur or something like that.

Lastly, it would not be a thing where every player has to take a special week off, regardless of what happens any other week. If a player has to sit out a week for an injury, then the week sitout is met. As well for any other reason.

So you might be right anyway, but it doesn't seem like the reasons you bring up are any obstacles at all.

 

[GopherGrit]

If they do that, they should just forget pre-season games altogether. They're already a joke and there's no chance anyone of consequence will ever play in them again. Just keep the prices on season tickets the same, if you're worried about gate revenue.

Won't happen.

The preseason is also for TV crews (camera, equipment, control room, talent) to work the kinks out before the prime time, for stadium crews to get things in order again, etc.

One preseason home game per team is probably enough though

 

[Slim Tubby]

Won't happen.

The preseason is also for TV crews (camera, equipment, control room, talent) to work the kinks out before the prime time, for stadium crews to get things in order again, etc.

One preseason home game per team is probably enough though

I think you're both right. I'd be stunned if they got rid of all preseason games but all you'll ever see are players trying to make a team's Practice Squad.

As for Fantasy, I've been playing for 33 years and we're all accustomed to managing our rosters right up until game times on Thursday nights and the Sunday noon games. Leagues will probably have to expand their rosters by 2-3 spots to accommodate, though. I'm all for a 30 game schedule.

 

[howeda7]

Won't happen.

The preseason is also for TV crews (camera, equipment, control room, talent) to work the kinks out before the prime time, for stadium crews to get things in order again, etc.

One preseason home game per team is probably enough though

Eh. The Twins don't play any games in Target Field before opening day except the year it opened. And the TV crews would be fine and most of the crews that work preseason aren't the same ones doing regular season anyway.

They already have a Saturday night practice under the lights they sell tickets to. They could move that to main stadium and televise it. It would be more interesting than a game.