Owners to vote on 18 games season

[DaBruinz]

How will owners get more money? TV revenues, increased attendance, more advertising, more fans in the stadiums, how is that for a start.

Actually, it's full of assumptions on your part. For starters, the advertising revenue won't change as the contracts are done on a per annum basis.

How can you guarantee that TV revenues will go up? You can't. Especially since all the contracts are currently signed, through 2012 or 2014.

Increased attendance? Really? You sure about that? As I pointed out, the owners get full revenue from games to begin with. And that includes the concession stands and such. I don't see that changing at all.

Also, by putting another home game on the schedule, they reduce the number of weekends that can be used for other events. That may not make a difference in Foxboro since it's not a dome, but Domed Stadiums get used for other things as well.. And I question whether the revenue would equal.

 

[Wolfpack]

Actually, it's full of assumptions on your part. For starters, the advertising revenue won't change as the contracts are done on a per annum basis.

How can you guarantee that TV revenues will go up? You can't. Especially since all the contracts are currently signed, through 2012 or 2014.

You have got to be kidding. Even if your assumption is correct (and I wouldn't be so sure about that because I expect that any contract has clauses in it that alter the deal if more games are played), there are still future contracts to be worked out. The NFL is great at playing the networks against each other, and ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX will all continue to outbid each other for NFL games. Everybody is going to be paying more for 18 meaningful games than 16.

Increased attendance? Really? You sure about that? As I pointed out, the owners get full revenue from games to begin with. And that includes the concession stands and such. I don't see that changing at all.

There will be higher ticket revenues, you can take that to the bank. But it doesn't even really matter since ticket revenues are just a drop in the bucket compared to the TV revenues.

Also, by putting another home game on the schedule, they reduce the number of weekends that can be used for other events. That may not make a difference in Foxboro since it's not a dome, but Domed Stadiums get used for other things as well.. And I question whether the revenue would equal.

With all due respect, the ridiculousness of this statement shows a certain amount of desperation on your behalf. There isn't a single stadium in the league that would be affected by another home game by being forced to cancel some other sort of event. The league and the venues will easily adjust their schedules around each other.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Owners to Vote on18 games season

1) Primarily, TV revenue. The networks will pay more for 18 meaningful games than they will for 16 meaningful games.

The TV contracts are signed through 2012 and 2014. And, it's debatable as to whether the next set of contracts will be as lucrative as the previous one. Those were mostly done before the economic recession hit. So, at some point the Networks are going to pass it along.

2) Ticket revenue. Fact is even teams like the Patriots do not sell out preseason games - oh sure, they announce each game as a "sell out" but fact is you can walk up to the box office 10 minutes before the game tomorrow night and score a pair. Plenty of great seats for tomorrow night's game still available! So there is certainly ticket revenue there to be made.

how much of that will go to cover operating expenses?

3) The players will expect (and receive) some serious additional compensation in return. Aside from an across-the-board raise, there will no doubt be other concessions made.

That's funny because Brady mentioned that the owners want to REDUCE the amount of money going to the players. Brady mentioned that the owners want to increase the schedule by 13%, but reduce the pay scale by 20%. Now, the 20% is a bit off considering the owners want to scale back to 55% from 60%. So, that is hardly the 20% that Brady is mentioning.

Now, one of the things you've failed to mention is the INCREASE in operating expenses that would go along with the extra games...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Owners to Vote on18 games season

Op expenses are offset by TV, ticket revenue, concessions, parking etc. else the league would already be bankrupt. Also by converting preseason games into reg season there are no 'extra' games and no extra op expenses.

 

[Wolfpack]

Re: Owners to Vote on18 games season

The TV contracts are signed through 2012 and 2014. And, it's debatable as to whether the next set of contracts will be as lucrative as the previous one. Those were mostly done before the economic recession hit. So, at some point the Networks are going to pass it along.

This is ridiculous. Like I said, I bet there is a clause in the current deal which would alter it if the league played more games so I think it is irrelevant that the current contracts go to 2014 because I have no doubt they will be altered. Also, the fact that we're in a recession is irrelevant. Even in a recession, the networks will pay more for 18 games than they will for 16. It's actually kind of silly you brought it up.

The league knows how to work with the networks. They know what side their bread is buttered on. Do you believe the league would implement a change from 16 to 18 games without discussing the matter with the networks? I mean, do you honestly believe they haven't run reports and studies on this subject? The networks are as much in love with this idea as the owners are. And they're going to be plenty happy paying through the teeth for it.

how much of that will go to cover operating expenses?

This question makes no sense. The operating costs - besides the players' salaries that is - are fixed. The costs for tomorrow night's game is going to stay the same no matter how many tickets are sold.

That's funny because Brady mentioned that the owners want to REDUCE the amount of money going to the players. Brady mentioned that the owners want to increase the schedule by 13%, but reduce the pay scale by 20%. Now, the 20% is a bit off considering the owners want to scale back to 55% from 60%. So, that is hardly the 20% that Brady is mentioning.

Tom Brady is a great quarterback, but sorry if I don't believe everything he says in regards to the current CBA, contract law, what the owners have offered, or anything of that nature.

The owners want to do this because it is a money maker to them. And in order to get the players to go along, they will be offering benefits, concessions and raises.

Now, one of the things you've failed to mention is the INCREASE in operating expenses that would go along with the extra games...

That's because anyone with an iota of common sense would understand that the increase in revenue is signifcantly higher than the increase in expenses.

 

[Kontradiction]

One thing that people that doubt the league would make more money with an 18 game season should ask themselves is this: If that were true, then why would the league want to move to an 18 game season? If not money, then what is the incentive to do so?

 

[moosekill]

DaBruinz is just arguing to be difficult right now. He knows he is just being silly.

You can argue all you want that you don't want the extra games because it might dilute the talent, or lead to more injuries, that is fine. Just don't think people here are stupid enough to believe that two extra regular season games won't increase revenues.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I'm against the idea for both player safety and game importance reasons, but this will be a surefire success for the NFL as far as ratings and revenue go. As another poster said, fans will say that they won't watch the games, but they will.

I too am in the "don't kill the goose that's layin' that damn golden egg" camp.

I think "scarcity" is part of the NFL's appeal right now.

It's a concentrated, breathless run from September to December/New Years to get into the playoffs. Then three weeks of usually great football as the 12 surviving teams square off, followed by a week to build anticipation of the Super Bowl.

I think the limited, intense demand is part of what drives the success of the league. Every game and every week matter. When the season's over, people can't wait for opening day and have created a whole series of media rituals around the Draft and Free Agency and Training Camp to fill the gap.

I'm not sure how I feel about a five month season that doesn't start until the middle of September, that has two bye weeks and that drags on into the middle of January before it finally comes to a close towards the end of February.

There's something good about associating the beginning of the Football season with the end of the summer at Labor Day and, for many, the beginning of school. Things start to peak around Thanksgiving and then reach a high point just before or around the Holidays.

Frankly, I find six months of baseball so freakin' boring that I ignore it for all of April and much of May, until the weather in the Northeast feels like "baseball weather" on a consistent basis.

 

[Wolfpack]

I too am in the "don't kill the goose that's layin' that damn golden egg" camp.

I think "scarcity" is part of the NFL's appeal right now.

It's a concentrated, breathless run from September to December/New Years to get into the playoffs. Then three weeks of usually great football as the 12 surviving teams square off, followed by a week to build anticipation of the Super Bowl.

People, they're going from 16 to 18 games, not from 16 to 80. The season will still start in early September, maybe even a full week earler than what we currently have, and will go later into February.

 

[moosekill]

Yep with the 80 game schedule I could see quite a few more injuries.

 

[A.C Vegas]

well it's all for nothing they didn't even vote on it at thre latest meeting so maybe they listen to all the fans

 

[Deus Irae]

well it's all for nothing they didn't even vote on it at thre latest meeting so maybe they listen to all the fans

 

[Wolfpack]

Right now with about 25,000 votes, an ESPN SportsNation poll has fans in favor of the change by 53% to 47%. So for people on either side of the issue to suggest that they have overwhelming fan support on their side is disingenuous at best.

 

[Deus Irae]

Right now with about 25,000 votes, an ESPN SportsNation poll has fans in favor of the change by 53% to 47%. So for people on either side of the issue to suggest that they have overwhelming fan support on their side is disingenuous at best.

Good point. One ESPN poll that doesn't prevent multiple votes changes everyone's personal knowledge base on this forever. :bricks:

 

[Wolfpack]

Good point. One ESPN poll that doesn't prevent multiple votes changes everyone's personal knowledge base on this forever. :bricks:

Do you really think this is an issue where people are going out with bots and making multiple votes? Puh-leeze.

I'll take an ESPN poll of 25,000 people as being a significantly better sampling than a dozen or so people in an internet forum.

 

[Deus Irae]

Do you really think this is an issue where people are going out with bots and making multiple votes? Puh-leeze.

I'll take an ESPN poll of 25,000 people as being a significantly better sampling than a dozen or so people in an internet forum.

Then you're extremely gullible.

 

[moosekill]

Then you're extremely gullible.

As are you.

 

[juny]

If I were a player, I would expect at a minimum an immediate 12.5% raise for an 18 game season.

Also it would be interesting to see if an 18 game season would have an effect on the average longevity of a player's career. RBs are already breaking down at 30.

 

[PatsFan24]

I don't like the idea of it because the preseason is a good time to start developing young players, as BB said especially young QB's. To me 16 games is just right, adding 2 more games and 3 more weeks does not seem like a good idea to me. Maybe it is in part of my natural fear of change as well.

 

[moosekill]

If I were a player, I would expect at a minimum an immediate 12.5% raise for an 18 game season.

Also it would be interesting to see if an 18 game season would have an effect on the average longevity of a player's career. RBs are already breaking down at 30.

I would expect a raise also, however I have a feeling raises will be in somewhat short supply with the new bargaining discussion.