Since the topic of an expanded schedule came up in another thread, I thought it could be discussed here.
Hard to believe but the CBA is expiring in a few short years after 2020.
While an expanded schedule is likely to be on the table, some say the NFLPA will never be amenable to an expanded schedule. I tend to never say never on such things, as money motivates. Television ratings are on the decline and neither side is going to like it if profits and contracts follow suit.
With that said, the NFL needs to address player safety concerns and find more time off for players during the season. So here would be my proposal:
1) Cut the pre-season from 4-5 weeks to 3-4. Training camp opens the same time as always.
2) Regular season contains 17 games, with the additional odd game being a neutral field game that every team plays annually at London/Mexico City/etc against a rival team inside the conference, but outside your division. (This keeps uniformity for every team in final conference/division records).
3) Additonal bye week is built into the season. Regular season starts one week earlier than now and ends one week later.
4) Super Bowl continues to be played first weekend in February. Off week between conference championships and Super Bowl is eliminated.
5) Pro Bowl and all festivities are eliminated. Pro Bowlers are still named, but with no alternates.
This solves multiple problems with the current program and multiple benefits:
- The pre-season being shortened has long been a request of players.
- The neutral game will be extremely helpful in promoting the game outside the U.S. Every team will get the opportunity and thus fans outside the U.S will have the opportunity to see teams they never have. In addition, teams will no longer receive an unfair advantage with a road game that isn't really a road game, or a disadvantage of a home game that isn't really a home game.
- Obviously, this creates a 19 week schedule instead of the current 17, which is considerably more revenue for the league. The additional bye week more than makes up for the single additional game in the schedule in terms of rest and injury recovery.
- No one really cares about the Pro Bowl anyway, and with how watered down its become with any injured players or Super Bowl participants sitting out, eliminating the game helps keep Pro Bowl recognition to deserving recipients and not 2nd or 3rd alternates.
Fire away...
Hard to believe but the CBA is expiring in a few short years after 2020.
While an expanded schedule is likely to be on the table, some say the NFLPA will never be amenable to an expanded schedule. I tend to never say never on such things, as money motivates. Television ratings are on the decline and neither side is going to like it if profits and contracts follow suit.
With that said, the NFL needs to address player safety concerns and find more time off for players during the season. So here would be my proposal:
1) Cut the pre-season from 4-5 weeks to 3-4. Training camp opens the same time as always.
2) Regular season contains 17 games, with the additional odd game being a neutral field game that every team plays annually at London/Mexico City/etc against a rival team inside the conference, but outside your division. (This keeps uniformity for every team in final conference/division records).
3) Additonal bye week is built into the season. Regular season starts one week earlier than now and ends one week later.
4) Super Bowl continues to be played first weekend in February. Off week between conference championships and Super Bowl is eliminated.
5) Pro Bowl and all festivities are eliminated. Pro Bowlers are still named, but with no alternates.
This solves multiple problems with the current program and multiple benefits:
- The pre-season being shortened has long been a request of players.
- The neutral game will be extremely helpful in promoting the game outside the U.S. Every team will get the opportunity and thus fans outside the U.S will have the opportunity to see teams they never have. In addition, teams will no longer receive an unfair advantage with a road game that isn't really a road game, or a disadvantage of a home game that isn't really a home game.
- Obviously, this creates a 19 week schedule instead of the current 17, which is considerably more revenue for the league. The additional bye week more than makes up for the single additional game in the schedule in terms of rest and injury recovery.
- No one really cares about the Pro Bowl anyway, and with how watered down its become with any injured players or Super Bowl participants sitting out, eliminating the game helps keep Pro Bowl recognition to deserving recipients and not 2nd or 3rd alternates.
Fire away...
