2010 regular-season schedule -- why the wait?

[TrueBeliever]

Last year NFL Network had a special where the new schedule was released, and on part of it they showed how the schedule is made. IIRC they start by feeding all the match-ups into a computer program which spits out a bazillion possible schedules. The league then considers which games should be in primetime, etc.

A big thing, though, is making everything sync up with other events planned at the stadiums. In 2009, for example, some big band (can't remember if it was U2 or the Rolling Stones, or maybe even both) was having a tour and a lot of the dates were planned for the fall. Even if the concert wasn't going to be on a Sunday, they still have to factor in how much time it takes to set up, tear down, clean, etc. between the game and the concert. Or there may be a convention, rally, any number of things. Plus they also weigh in requests each team has for certain dates (e.g., someone told me once the Pats ALWAYS have a home game the Sunday before Columbus Day, though I've never confirmed that.) And there are still a few stadiums like Oakland and Miami where they share the field with a baseball team, so they may have to work around that.

In short, I think they wait until April because they want to double- and triple-check that all the dates and times will work and give themselves some cushion in case a conflict does come up.

 

[Wolfpack]

Last year NFL Network had a special where the new schedule was released, and on part of it they showed how the schedule is made. IIRC they start by feeding all the match-ups into a computer program which spits out a bazillion possible schedules. The league then considers which games should be in primetime, etc.

A big thing, though, is making everything sync up with other events planned at the stadiums. In 2009, for example, some big band (can't remember if it was U2 or the Rolling Stones, or maybe even both) was having a tour and a lot of the dates were planned for the fall. Even if the concert wasn't going to be on a Sunday, they still have to factor in how much time it takes to set up, tear down, clean, etc. between the game and the concert. Or there may be a convention, rally, any number of things. Plus they also weigh in requests each team has for certain dates (e.g., someone told me once the Pats ALWAYS have a home game the Sunday before Columbus Day, though I've never confirmed that.) And there are still a few stadiums like Oakland and Miami where they share the field with a baseball team, so they may have to work around that.

In short, I think they wait until April because they want to double- and triple-check that all the dates and times will work and give themselves some cushion in case a conflict does come up.

There are a ridiculous amount of variables, and even then things will fall through the cracks. Just last year the Jets had to shift starting times because they were playing two consecutive home games at 4:15 with both on Jewish holidays or something like that.

 

[muzz]

Looks like a pretty tough schedule.
Billy better get those boys playing better than last year, or else they may just be missing the playoffs.

 

[jmt57]

As I recall from last year, every team can put in requests about the schedule. I'm not sure if a preliminary schedule comes out to each team first, and then adjustments are made, or if those requests have to be placed ahead of time.

For example with regards to the Jets, they had a home game scheduled during Rosh Hashanah and then a late game scheduled during Yom Kippur, but as I recall it was a case of them not notifying the NFL to avoid those conflicts; the Giants had done so and had no such scheduling problems.

I also remember seeing that the Pats made requests to have games played on the west coast in back-to-back weeks in 2008, rather than having to make four separate coast-to-coast trips that year as they elected to stay there rather than travel back. I believe Miami has requested to not play in Foxborough late in the year, and in exchange the Pats don't play in Miami in September. The Ravens also put in a request in regards to playing the Steelers last year; I think it was to not open the season against them or not play them at night.