East Coast - West Coast - Does it really make a difference?

[Bemular]

A few weeks ago a conversation took place about the disadvantages of playing in the Eastern Time Zone for teams in Western Time Zone. So, I thought I would put some #’s to the conversation.

It was a bit of a Pain-ITA but the results were revealing and put to rest once and for all (okay for at least the past 10 years) as to whether traveling to the East Coast and 10:00AM start times hurt the WTZ teams.

East Coast vs. West Coast – A 10 Year Study

Since 2002 there have been a total of 280 games played between teams in Western Time Zones (WTZ) and the Eastern Time Zones (ETZ). The following is a statistical breakdown of those 280 games.

Western Time Zone Teams:

• Number of (WTZ) teams 5*
• Total # of games played by WTZ teams over the past 10 years = 715*
• Total # of games played by the WTZ teams in the ETZ over the past 10 years = 139
• % of games played in the ETZ by WTZ teams = 19.4%
• Average # of games played by each WTZ team in the ETZ over the past 10 yrs - Per/16-game season = 31
• Average # of times each WTZ team travels to ETZ Per/16 game season = 3.1

Eastern Time Zone Teams:

• Number of (ETZ) teams 17
• Total # of games played by ETZ teams over the past 10 yrs = 2720
• Total # of games played by the ETZ teams in the WTZ over the past 10 yrs = 141
• % of games played in the WTZ by ETZ teams = 5.2%
• Average # of games played by each ETZ team in the WTZ over the past 10 yrs Per/16-game season = 8.3
• Average # of times each ETZ team travels to WTZ Per/16 game season = 0.83**

**(Some ETZ teams went for stretches of 2, 3, even 4 seasons (Jags 2005-2008) without ever traveling to the WTZ)

The following two tables breakdown by team, the # of East/West Road games played, won, lost and compared to each teams overall win % - ranked first by "East/West Win%" and then by the "difference" between their overall Win % and their East/West road win% And yes, those W/L totals for the ETZ teams are for 10 years.

*Arizona played only 75 of its 160 games (46.9%) while in the WTZ

 

[TexasMan]

I just think it's funny that the NFL made a rule to where east coast teams can't be scheduled back-to-back west coast road games.

Biased much?

 

[Bemular]

Below is a summary table of the tables above.

Translation of this table reveals that the WTZ teams ARE at a clear disadvantage to their ETZ brethren. If my calculations are correct for every .59 games the ETZ teams lose in the West, the WTZ team lose 2.7 games traveling to the East..


So, just what does a typical schedule look like – The following two tables show both the # of miles each team will travel and the # of time zones each team will travel through in 2012 filtered by their respective header.

As you review these tables keep in mind the totals you see are one-way totals for 8 games – not round trip. As you can see the Raiders are getting travel raped this year while the Redskins are experiencing travel paradise.

Now you know

 

[arsenal6106]

I found this interesting.

Ben Maller ‏@benmaller
Three teams – Raiders (28,692), Seahawks (26,200), Chargers (25,766) – will “travel around the world” at least once this NFL season.

Edit: These numbers don't match the above graph. Is it not accounting for the trip back?

 

[threelittleturds]

I just think it's funny that the NFL made a rule to where east coast teams can't be scheduled back-to-back west coast road games.

Biased much?

Is that really a rule? That is pretty fucked up since they have no trouble giving west coast teams back to back road games on the east coast at 10am

 

[threelittleturds]

I found this interesting.



Edit: These numbers don't match the above graph. Is it not accounting for the trip back?

Hopefully they make the trip in under 80 days

 

[Bemular]

Edit: These numbers don't match the above graph. Is it not accounting for the trip back?

As you review these tables keep in mind the totals you see are one-way totals for 8 games – not round trip.

The above quote is part of my post, but for the record my numbers are derived by taking the airport to airport mileage at the airports closest to the stadiums.

 

[Bemular]

Is that really a rule? That is pretty fucked up since they have no trouble giving west coast teams back to back road games on the east coast at 10am

Exactly!!!!! I think just changing the start time of the West to East games to 1:00PM would help to level the playing field a lot.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Excellent thread Bem. Nice read.

 

[imac_21]

Is that really a rule? That is pretty fucked up since they have no trouble giving west coast teams back to back road games on the east coast at 10am

It is a rule, but not exactly as outlined.

The league changed the schedule so that teams playing against the West divisions would not play at Seattle and at SF the same year, or at Oakland and at SD the same year.

 

[Jikkle]

I just think it's funny that the NFL made a rule to where east coast teams can't be scheduled back-to-back west coast road games.

Biased much?

Which amazes me because out of the same mouth the NFL acknowledges that traveling coast to coast is a competitive disadvantage but yet acts like there is no data to suggest that west coast teams are at a disadvantage.

I don't know about you guys but I think it's harder to wake up earlier than stay up later so if the east coast teams are at a disadvantage staying up later than the west coast teams are really at a disadvantage getting up earlier.

The NFL knows this but it just comes down to money and to them it's not worth the hassle of working the schedule to help the west coast teams.

 

[mem49er]

The NFL knows this but it just comes down to money and to them it's not worth the hassle of working the schedule to help the west coast teams.

Pretty much this.

 

[imac_21]

Which amazes me because out of the same mouth the NFL acknowledges that traveling coast to coast is a competitive disadvantage but yet acts like there is no data to suggest that west coast teams are at a disadvantage.

I don't know about you guys but I think it's harder to wake up earlier than stay up later so if the east coast teams are at a disadvantage staying up later than the west coast teams are really at a disadvantage getting up earlier.

The NFL knows this but it just comes down to money and to them it's not worth the hassle of working the schedule to help the west coast teams.

I don't think they are intentionally giving the east coast teams a competitive advantage. I think it's more that there are 4 teams in the Pacific time zone as opposed to roughly half the league in the Eastern time zone. It's possible to accommodate teams traveling west, but if the Niners are playing the AFC East (like this year) you can't restrict them to just one trip to the eastern time zone since all 4 AFCE teams play in it.

 

[Jikkle]

I don't think they are intentionally giving the east coast teams a competitive advantage. I think it's more that there are 4 teams in the Pacific time zone as opposed to roughly half the league in the Eastern time zone. It's possible to accommodate teams traveling west, but if the Niners are playing the AFC East (like this year) you can't restrict them to just one trip to the eastern time zone since all 4 AFCE teams play in it.

I don't think they are either but my point was how stupid it is to say traveling to the west coast is a competitive disadvantage for an east coast team but than do pretty much nothing for the west coast teams traveling to the east coast and acting like there isn't sufficient data on the subject.

I agree that traveling to the east coast once a year is impossible but there are other ways to help alleviate the travel burden for west coast teams. For example did they really need to have us play the Vikings and Jets back to back 10am start times? They couldn't have moved either one of those or both to 1pm start times? Or instead of a 3 game homestand they couldn't move one of those homes games and put it inbetween the the Vikings and Jets?

There are some little things the NFL can do like more less 10am start times to help west coast teams.

 

[imac_21]

I don't think they are either but my point was how stupid it is to say traveling to the west coast is a competitive disadvantage for an east coast team but than do pretty much nothing for the west coast teams traveling to the east coast and acting like there isn't sufficient data on the subject.

I agree that traveling to the east coast once a year is impossible but there are other ways to help alleviate the travel burden for west coast teams. For example did they really need to have us play the Vikings and Jets back to back 10am start times? They couldn't have moved either one of those or both to 1pm start times? Or instead of a 3 game homestand they couldn't move one of those homes games and put it inbetween the the Vikings and Jets?

There are some little things the NFL can do like more less 10am start times to help west coast teams.

The time issue is much easier to address than the order of games. The schedule is built for 32 teams, not just one. If we flip-flop our weeks 4 and 5 games (@NYJ and vs Buf) that means changes have to occur to the Bills schedule. The Bills are supposed to play the Pats in week 4, but now they play us. So the Pats schedule has to change. Where does the Bills/Pats game fit in now? If it's just a straight swap from week 4 to 5, then it disrupts the Broncos schedule because they are scheduled for New England in week 5 and this cycle continues all the way through the league. And the same thing is happening down the thread of the Jets schedule.

 

[mem49er]

The time issue is much easier to address than the order of games. The schedule is built for 32 teams, not just one. If we flip-flop our weeks 4 and 5 games (@NYJ and vs Buf) that means changes have to occur to the Bills schedule. The Bills are supposed to play the Pats in week 4, but now they play us. So the Pats schedule has to change. Where does the Bills/Pats game fit in now? If it's just a straight swap from week 4 to 5, then it disrupts the Broncos schedule because they are scheduled for New England in week 5 and this cycle continues all the way through the league. And the same thing is happening down the thread of the Jets schedule.

The ripple effect is tough to fight after the fact, but if they start with the teams that are due to make transcontinental trips and then fill in the others afterwards I would bet it's easier. Similar to making a work schedule for a bunch of employees with vacation requests.