So, why did they move the draft to May?

[Joker]

everybody arguing back and forth about all this...and yet, STILL, the 8 billion pound, ******ed, one eyed, myopic rhinoceroid,Dodger Baddell, still manages to fly under the radar as the game we grew up loving with a passion is disassembled,deconstructed, disemboweled and systematically destroyed.

The NFL draft had a ten year run at Madison Square Garden that was incident free, fan friendly and the logical choice agreed upon by everybody associated with the event. Numbnutsdell just had to get into a vicious argument over peanuts with Dolan and Cablevision that forced the NFL to look to Radio City Music Hall.

Goondell HAD to know that RCMH had conflicts in the schedule going forward and probably PLANNED all this drama to push for even more change. Why not?...the NFL has already morphed the defensive rules into an unenforceable or unenforced labyrinth of judgement calls. This run amok mongoloidal misanthrope has been grunting and snorting about 18 games for five years now, claiming it's "gonna be great for the fans!!!...much better!!"...when any sampling of the NFL fanbase shows a marked resistance to such change.

Yes, we argue the merits of each new decision emanating from the Wolf's Lair of Ubermarshal Herr Goondell as he plans to invade THIS venue and eventually replace THEIR product with his....

 

[jmt57]

Sports fans are busy in May with NBA and/or NHL playoffs. If I had the choice between watching my team in the playoffs or the draft, I'm picking playoffs. Don't see what was wrong with April

Actually I am of the belief that the timing of those events is a big reason why the NFL holds their event at that time. Watch carefully throughout the year (and past several years) and you will notice that the NFL makes announcements or holds events to counteract events going on with other sports (e.g., NBA and NHL playoffs, MLB opening day, etc.). These are not coincidences; this is all part of the NFL's business plan to not only be the nation's biggest sport, but to also be a 24/7, 365 days a year sport.

Right now the NFL has a lot going on in the time period from the Super Bowl to the draft, but they then have a very dead period from the first OTAs until the start of training camp. They know that die hards that post on fan forums in May are going to follow them no matter what. The market sweet spot that they covet is the casual fan; that can range from the person who watches only one game a year (the Super Bowl), to the multi-sport fan who stops paying any attention to football for six months of the year.

The more the NFL can drag the multi-sport fan away from other sports and to the NFL, the more money they end up making. Watch the draft, and next time television rights come up for a contract, the higher the fee. Watch a free agency special, the same thing. More people tune in to off season broadcasts about the NFL, the more they talk about football at work the next day, the more co-workers remain or become interested - which leads to more ticket sales, more Sunday Ticket purchases, and more licensed apparel sales.


Despite the official public claims to the contrary, moving this date is not just some random happenstance because somebody forgot to reserve the venue; it is all part of a well thought out plan.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I would much rather see(and pay for) an 18 game schedule and only two games of Preseason unimportance.

Provided that certain adjustments were made to accompany it. First two bye weeks instead of one, to allow recovery time for the players. Expansion of the roster to 57, with all active/inactive nomenclature eliminated, allowing all 57 to play.

This would cost the league 3 additional salaries per team, as the 53/47 active nonsense still results in a 53 man salary roster; but with some that can't play when and if needed. the effect on game play would be as if the roster were expanded by 10 players per team.

The expanded roster would allow for a full double complement of starters and backups, 44 players, plus enough ST slots, so injured players wouldn't ever have to "suit up and play" while hurt. With a backup at each position players could rotate for a blow reducing the workload on players.

It even allows several slots for prized personnel to be kept on the team to develop. The added roster size along with a rule, would prevent regular starting players from participating on ST, reducing and managing their workload load somewhat.

No expansion of the Playoffs.

As a possible solution to the Probowl problem. I'd add, in lieu of, and perhaps in combination with a selection ceremony of Probowl players, but no Probowl game.

Rather I suggest a game for the regular season Championship, (perhaps the Paul Brown Trophy) between the highest ranking teams of the regular season in each conference.

I think there is little or no recognition of the winner of the regular season. It makes no sense for a hypothetical 18-0 team losing all recognition if eliminated by an upset in the playoffs. Especially if a hypothetical 8-8 club manages to win the Superbowl Playoff, single elimination, tournament.

This game might be the first of the following season, and optionally count in the standings. Sort of a return of the NFL Champions against the college All-stars except the game wouldn't be so one sided as that game turned out to be, for those who remember it. You might combine it with the HOF inductions too, and make a real extravaganza of it. The league would like the hype of another but different Superbowl-like game.

Comments or discussions on all or parts?

 

[DaBruinz]

There's no reason the NFL couldn't have already had a stranglehold on radio City for that weekend for as long as they wished. Ken's contention, that it is related to a desire to expand the season and play-off's is the more likely scenario, and unfortunately so, because both an expanded season and expanded play-off's will diminish the product. I can't imagine any reason, money included, why the players would ever agree to a longer season, this one already destroys their bodies for the long term. If it is mediocrity to the extreme that the league really wants then 18 games with half the leaguer making the play-off's is definitely the best route to go.

Guess you missed the part about it being EASTER weekend that weekend and them not wanting to do it that weekend AND the fact that RCMH was already booked for Easter Festivities.

The rest of your rant has nothing to do with anything I said..

 

[DaBruinz]

Sports fans are busy in May with NBA and/or NHL playoffs. If I had the choice between watching my team in the playoffs or the draft, I'm picking playoffs. Don't see what was wrong with April

What part of "It would have fallen on Easter Weekend" was so hard to understand? And what part of "RCMH was already booked" for Easter Weekend and the following one was hard to understand?

They didn't want to move it to the beginning of April for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is trying to fit in all the PRO-Days between the Combine and the Draft..

 

[DaBruinz]

Ken - I'm sorry but you bringing up the expanded season garbage was pointless. It's not happening. Neither is expanded play-offs. Hell, their not even on topic. So could people please stay on topic. Which is why the draft was moved.

The reason the draft couldn't be held on April 17, 18, and 19th is because the 20th is Easter Sunday. Radio City Music Hall was booked and has been booked for Easter Festivities for quite some time. Unfortunately, it is also booked for the following week.

Should the league have started looking into a different venue last year? Yes. And it probably did. However, what many of us don't realize is that some of these big facilities are booked years in advance, so trying to find one that can host the event is tough, particularly because of the size of the event and the requirements.

 

[DaBruinz]

everybody arguing back and forth about all this...and yet, STILL, the 8 billion pound, ******ed, one eyed, myopic rhinoceroid,Dodger Baddell, still manages to fly under the radar as the game we grew up loving with a passion is disassembled,deconstructed, disemboweled and systematically destroyed.

The NFL draft had a ten year run at Madison Square Garden that was incident free, fan friendly and the logical choice agreed upon by everybody associated with the event. Numbnutsdell just had to get into a vicious argument over peanuts with Dolan and Cablevision that forced the NFL to look to Radio City Music Hall.

Goondell HAD to know that RCMH had conflicts in the schedule going forward and probably PLANNED all this drama to push for even more change. Why not?...the NFL has already morphed the defensive rules into an unenforceable or unenforced labyrinth of judgement calls. This run amok mongoloidal misanthrope has been grunting and snorting about 18 games for five years now, claiming it's "gonna be great for the fans!!!...much better!!"...when any sampling of the NFL fanbase shows a marked resistance to such change.

Yes, we argue the merits of each new decision emanating from the Wolf's Lair of Ubermarshal Herr Goondell as he plans to invade THIS venue and eventually replace THEIR product with his....

Now, Joker, I understand that you LOATHE Goodell, but it was not Goodell's fault that the draft was moved in 2005 to the Javits Center. It was actually the fault of Cablevision. Why was it the fault of Cablevision? Because they were protesting the West Side Football Stadium Proposal that the Jets/Giants had submitted. They didn't want the NFL subsidizing a stadium that would be a direct competitor of theirs for in town Concerts. Furthermore, Tagliabue was still the commissioner at the time, though Goodell was the COO.

Now, at some point you are going to have to come to the realization that ALL of the changes that have been implemented (good and bad) have been done with the approval of a majority of the owners. In many cases that majority has been overwhelming, if not complete. That means that people like Bob Kraft and Mr. Rooney and Arthur Blank have agreed to the changes. Guys who want the game to continue on for both personal and business reasons.

I don't like how Goodell has handled some things (Like CameraGate, The Jets Cheating, etc) but on many things he has been the voice of reason. Such as finally getting the league to commit to the research on CTE (including doing baseline brain scans), heavier fines/suspensions for repeat offenders of headhunting, and less tolerance for players doing stupid things off the field. Stuff that we've taken for granted. Stuff that does affect these player's lives.

 

[WhiZa]

They really outta move it around. No reason New York should get to host it every year. Bring the draft to boston. And nobody wants to wait another month for the draft...

It's in NY because that's where the HQ is. I don't know how many NFL employees and setup it takes to run that thing, but if it all had to be flown to some other city it could get expensive (not like they dont have the cash to do it though)

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Easter falls on the weekend in April the draft would have been. It had to be moved b/c the Music Hall was booked for the Easter festivities.

they're blaming on the easter bunny ?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

they're blaming on the easter bunny ?

Please, its the "Spring Bunny" these days