18 game schedule

That seems to be a big issue in the dealings between the owners and the players union. I for one think it is a very bad idea. Players get hurt a lot and do not make it through the season too often as it is. It will also mess up the records. If someone break's Emmitt Smith's rushing title will it mean anything since they had two more games a year to do it? Will a 2,000 yard rushing season no longer be noteworthy?

One of the best things about the NFL is that every game means something. The NBA and MLB play so many games that no single game ever matters much until the playoffs start. Even then they play seven game series which make each game count less.

I think this will diminish the league in the long term.

 

On top of that the owners I believe want more off season work outs from 5 to 12 I think. Players want less and I can understand. When is their off season and a time to let their bodies heal? I don't have as much issue with the longer season as the current 4 game preseason is a joke from a season ticket holders perspective. Why pay full price for scrubs? Players also want a larger roster since there are more meaningful games, again I would side on players side. I believe players want 3 more?

 

Emmitt smith broke the records of several people who played fewer games per year (say Jim Brown) people still think it means something.

 

I kind of like Kirwan's idea. 2 preseason games, 17 game season and an extra bye week. Play the extra game overseas like the current one in London but at more venues. That also avoids teams losing a home game when playing in other countries. Bring another team into camp for a few days rather than play a preseason game to get ready for the season. The extra bye week can be scheduled on international travel weeks, is a bone for the players and improves the on field product.

 

BUt the owners lose a game of ticket sales.

 

I could deal with the 18 game schedule as long as they increased the number of players that could play on game day and they increased the roster size. This would provide more "bodies",hopefully allowing for more rest and rotation, and possibly eliminate the need for starters to play on Special Teams.

 

MIGHT happen, but only in very small part (another couple of spots at most). Remember that owners will only see it as an added expense


MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!

 

Regardless of whether it benefits the owners or not in the short term, and 18 game schedule is bad for the league in the long term. I agree that 4 preseason games is way too many. I am not sure we even need preseason games at all. If we do then 2 is plenty.

 

the talent pool just isn't big enough for more players on a team

 

I know that's their outcry, but has anyone ever thought about the math? Even at 72,000 tickets at $100 a pop average that's less than 3/4ths of a million dollars.

$720,000

I don't know what concessions are but let's just be generous and round it up to a clean million.

When owners are fighting for tens of billions from TV revenue, I just find a hard time caring about a million.

Is it a lot of money? Hell yes. Is it a lot of money in NFL terms? Fuck no.

To extrapolate that a bit, lets take all 18 games. That's $18 million. That pays one guy's salary, maybe two. There are 52 players on each team.

Owners are fighting over your TV bill and don't give a shit if you come to the game or not.

Now, to that end, why are ticket prices so high? Seems like a catch 22 that the pro leagues in general need to figure out. If overall operating costs depend so little on ticket sales, why are average fans being priced out of the games? Why not lower every ticket $20 and have a full house every game?

Would look better on TV for sure. Empty stadiums on TV look like shit and eventually will cause their TV contracts to go down (every sport except for the NFL has had to deal with this reality already, the NBA likely is getting ready to do it again.)

Just something that's been on my mind recently with all this lockout stuff. When I think about it in this manner it makes me think the owners are fucking greedy. Where is all the money going? They cry that players in the NFL are taking what, 55% of the revenue? That still leaves the owners with 10s of billions.

And they want you to think they care about $720k. That's fucking greedy.