Kraft today: when schedule goes to 18 games, EVERY team will play once overseas

[n1997y]

With all due respect, we've been hearing "they'll ruin the game before too long" for 25 years now, and the game is stronger than ever.

Stronger, but is it better? WWE is also strong, but is it wrestling? Or purely acting for entertainment?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Don't like it. Don't like the higher chances of injury, don't like watering down the importance of every game, and honestly the reason I don't follow MLB, NHL, NBA is because there are too many games to care about. Don't want the NFL to start inching further and further into that territory

 

[mgteich]

Eighteen regular-season games PLUS playoffs simply invites attrition that will water down the game, even with expanded rosters and two byes. Sixteen games was the limit, IMO. The owners' lust for money via pandering overseas is what this is all about and it sucks.

Yup, it sucks for owners to make more money. Of course, the players will also make more money.

I suspect that you would want fewer games and a 12-game season, with all game played on Sunday. The game would be more pure; and we would have many fewer games to watch and the owners and players would make lots, lot less money.

Of course, the game would be much better. NOT!

 

[PatsFan2]

He said this just now on the radio with high confidence.

Not an IF, just a WHEN.

8 home games, 8 away games, 2 international games per year for every team.

So, it's not just the extra games that will produce wear and tear on the players, but also travel.

They'll need to expand rosters and change the rules.

The Team that finishes with 2nd Best Record should get a Bye-Week. They should also drop the weakest Division Winner.

 

[XLIX]

Stronger, but is it better? WWE is also strong, but is it wrestling? Or purely acting for entertainment?

"Better" is a subjective term which people will never agree on. What is not subjective is the fact that the NFL is a business which is making more money than ever before. The bottom line is the bottom line.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

If they add two more weeks to the regular season (1 bye week, 1 game) I imagine they will cut the pre-season down to 2 games and then push the Super Bowl back a week (so it's before presidents day). Fans would love having a holiday the next day. Players only extend their season one week and that's just the super bowl teams.

 

[PatsFan2]

He said this just now on the radio with high confidence.

Not an IF, just a WHEN.

8 home games, 8 away games, 2 international games per year for every team.

So, it's not just the extra games that will produce wear and tear on the players, but also travel.

They'll need to expand rosters and change the rules.

Owners getting greedy and greedier.

 

[TheRainMaker]

League was better when it had a 16 game schedule, 6 playoff teams, less networks and before fantasy football took off which led to soy boy rules.

Last but not least....the game was better without Goodell.

 

[mgteich]

I guess it could make sense to have the season end on MLK Day. Wild card round the next weekend, divisional round and conference championships follow, so the Super Bowl is the end of February.

Scheduling isn't a real problem, especially with one fewer pre-season games.

What is needed is more camp practices especially 2 a days.

Preseason games are a waste of time; just lengthen camp. Teams can schedule their own scrimmages and allow TV to cover them, if they wish.

 

[Ring 6]

Enough with the overseas games. Players need to put their feet down and say NO!

They won’t, because they get half of the money. Increased revenues is as good for the players as it is for the owners

 

[UGAPatsfan]

If they decide to move to a 18 game regular season then they should lengthen the schedule and give each team two byes. The players union should also make sure the players receive additional compensation based on a longer regular season.

Personally I think it is stupid to increase the schedule because the current regular season/playoffs is already a battle of attrition. However, the billionaire owners are greedy and are always looking to make more money.

I’m fine with fewer preseason games…those are useless. But they have to expand rosters or teams will run out of dudes. Hate those international games.

 

[Tunescribe]

Yup, it sucks for owners to make more money. Of course, the players will also make more money.

I suspect that you would want fewer games and a 12-game season, with all game played on Sunday. The game would be more pure; and we would have many fewer games to watch and the owners and players would make lots, lot less money.

Of course, the game would be much better. NOT!

In the course of crafting a snarky post you forgot to read what you're allegedly responding to. What I SAID was 16 games was the sweet spot that should not have been messed with. Apparently you share none of my concerns re. injury attrition and watered-down quality of play.

 

[PP2]

 

[Ring 6]

League was better when it had a 16 game schedule, 6 playoff teams, less networks and before fantasy football took off which led to soy boy rules.

Last but not least....the game was better without Goodell.

Better for us, not better for the people who write the checks and give us games to watch and teams to follow.

 

[PatsFan2]

They won’t, because they get half of the money. Increased revenues is as good for the players as it is for the owners

They better expand the Rosters to compensate. Guys drop like flies in this League.

 

[Ring 6]

In the course of crafting a snarky post you forgot to read what you're allegedly responding to. What I SAID was 16 games was the sweet spot that should not have been messed with. Apparently you share none of my concerns re. injury attrition and watered-down quality of play.

I think the point is the players agree to it because they get half the money. None of those decisions are based upon what is good for the fans and their vicarious participation.

 

[PatsFan2]

I’m fine with fewer preseason games…those are useless. But they have to expand rosters or teams will run out of dudes. Hate those international games.

Joint Team Practices are way better than the preseason games: and should be the practice norm.

 

[upstater1]

When the owners establish franchises in Europe and create a Europe division, the travel will explode even more. But they might find a viewing drain and a problem with interest when, say, London is playing Berlin. I'm not sure as many people will tune into that, even if those are franchises.

Also, players on those teams will need to be subsidized by the NFL because they are playing in countries that provide government healthcare and gov't education, which requires higher taxes.

 

[moosekill]

get off my lawn you young whippersnappers. Change is hard when you get old

 

[shmessy]

Rich people really seem to like that money thing.

.