The NFL going to an 18 game regular season?

[Hank Kingsley]

If they were to do this I would think the preseason has to be cut to two weeks.

Big Rog is on record saying they don't need 4.

 

[fastforward]

Actually if you think about how the schedule is done 18 would make it fairer. Teams would play each team in their div twice and then once against 3 other divisions. They could eliminate inter conference games too if they wanted too so playoff teams in each conference would have a fairer comparison. So basically a team would play each team in their conference once and their division twice for a total of 18 games.

I think the schedule would lose considerable interest if the NFL adopted your proposal. Reducing possible opponents from 31 to 15 doesn't have an obvious upside. I think it's more likely the NFL would keep 6 division games and 4 inter-conference games. Rather than 1 division playing every team in another division from the same conference the NFL would have teams play 2 games against each other division in the same conference. Division winners would play the 3 division winners, 1 2nd placed team, 1 3rd placed team, and 1 4th placed team. 2nd placed teams would play the 3 2nd placed teams, a 1st placed team, a 3rd placed team, and a 4th placed team. The same principle would apply to 3rd and 4th placed teams.

Regardless of whether the schedule is 16 or 18 games i'd prefer to see the inter-conference games changed so that division winners played the 4 division winners, 2nd placed teams played the 4 2nd placed teams, and so on. It might not be fair but it would produce more marquee games for tv.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

As much as I would love a longer season as a fan, I think the players would not be able to handle it. We'd see a lot more serious injuries.

I don't think the NFL cares, it's all about $ .... 2 more regular season games is HUGE dollars for the league... It also wouldn't surprise me if they tried expanding the playoffs...

 

[wazzu31]

I don't think the NFL cares, it's all about $ .... 2 more regular season games is HUGE dollars for the league... It also wouldn't surprise me if they tried expanding the playoffs...

But realistically it really doesn’t make more money for owners until the next TV contract comes up. Cutting out a preseason home game but getting an extra regular season home game doesn’t net much if at all at the gate. The expanded post season is something that is more money for the owners to split.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

But realistically it really doesn’t make more money for owners until the next TV contract comes up. Cutting out a preseason home game but getting an extra regular season home game doesn’t net much if at all at the gate. The expanded post season is something that is more money for the owners to split.

TV contracts are where the huge money is, but regular season games do cost more at the gate as far as the stadium... But the NFL is looking towards the new TV contracts if they go to 18 regular season games...

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

Players will ask for pot to be removed from the banned list.

They will agree and the contract will be ratified.

The end.

The pot ban is asinine. We got players hooked on pain killers. Pain killers are far worse for the body.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

But realistically it really doesn’t make more money for owners until the next TV contract comes up. Cutting out a preseason home game but getting an extra regular season home game doesn’t net much if at all at the gate. The expanded post season is something that is more money for the owners to split.

Well this is bullshit.
A regular meaningful game is way more important (& cost effective) than a preseason game to an owner. What fuckin' world do you live in?

 

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

The pot ban is asinine. We got players hooked on pain killers. Pain killers are far worse for the body.

I think we are all in agreement on that and probably most owners are as well if they were being honest. Still... I have no doubt it will be a bargaining chip.

It’s still business.

 

[BigKen]

The only way to do it reasonably would be..........................

1. 2 Preason games
2. 18 Game regular season
3. Expand the Rosters to 66
4. Max the CAP at $250M

Here's the catch...............

2 Divisions of 8 teams in each conference

2 Best team records in each division play for the Conference Championship.

Winners of the Conferences play the Super Bowl.

Eliminates two preseason games and two post season games. Max number of games played would still be twenty..

 

[BigKen]

twenty two.....

 

[Rock Strongo]

16 games is good. youd have to expand rosters otherwise. then youd have to raise caps, etc.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Keep same divisions.

6 Games
Play home and away games in division still.

8 Games
Play against 1 AFC and 1 NFC division and keep rotating like they do.

5 Games
Play the same level finisher against the other 5 divisions (2 conference), 3 (non-conference)

That is a 19 game season. Increases season by 3 games, but ways to counteract strain:

1) Eliminate 2 preseason games.
2) Expand active roster by 3 and the practice squad by 3.
3) Decrease quarter length from 15 minutes to 12.5 minutes per quarter.
4) No OT anymore except in playoffs. Games can end in ties. Makes last two minutes of game more exciting.

16 games at 15 minutes per quarter would be 960 regular season minutes.
19 games at 12.5 minute quarters would be 950 regular season minutes.

In this scenario, you added 3 extra games, but reduced playing minutes by 10 on the season. You also added a couple extra roster slots to help with depth and you eliminated 2 preseason games where a lot of injuries occur for tryouts.

It also creates much more parity from year to year for all fan bases, and creates better week to week match ups for broadcasting, as you have the division winners from the previous season playing each other each year creating 5 fantastic showdowns besides the division rivalries. For fans it increases the season by an additional game, but removes two stupid preseason games. It also improves game time completion so you can watch 3 games on Sunday in less time. It actually reduces playing time during games for players, even though it increases their weekly practice by 1 overall week.

 

[dtgold88]

Teams can't stay healthy for a 16 game schedule. This is a bad idea.

selfishly I'm down. 2 less preseason and add a bye.

20 week season? Yes, please

 

[dtgold88]

Well, the players are playing a violent sport for money and they know the risks, so the same could be said for the players.

Right....and I'm sure the players will ask for and receive something to make this happen (if it did).

 

[dtgold88]

Never thought of that, good point. But I still say an 18 games schedule's a bad idea.

Might be, but make no mistake....they are all greedy. Give them a higher % of revenue and add, say, 5-7 players to a roster and all of a sudden the players might not care about the health risks.

 

[dtgold88]

Reread

I got what you said but there is less than a 1% chance he will concede what you wrote made sense.

 

[dtgold88]

An 18 game schedule.

I never wanna hear the lie again that the owners give 2 shits about players health/safety. Greed, greed, greed. That's what making the season 18 games is all about.

Here's a flash my friend....owners of large corporations like making even more money when they can.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

The only way to do it reasonably would be..........................

1. 2 Preason games
2. 18 Game regular season
3. Expand the Rosters to 66
4. Max the CAP at $250M

Here's the catch...............

2 Divisions of 8 teams in each conference

2 Best team records in each division play for the Conference Championship.

Winners of the Conferences play the Super Bowl.

Eliminates two preseason games and two post season games. Max number of games played would still be twenty..

This is awful all around

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Keep same divisions.

6 Games
Play home and away games in division still.

8 Games
Play against 1 AFC and 1 NFC division and keep rotating like they do.

5 Games
Play the same level finisher against the other 5 divisions (2 conference), 3 (non-conference)

That is a 19 game season. Increases season by 3 games, but ways to counteract strain:

1) Eliminate 2 preseason games.
2) Expand active roster by 3 and the practice squad by 3.
3) Decrease quarter length from 15 minutes to 12.5 minutes per quarter.
4) No OT anymore except in playoffs. Games can end in ties. Makes last two minutes of game more exciting.

16 games at 15 minutes per quarter would be 960 regular season minutes.
19 games at 12.5 minute quarters would be 950 regular season minutes.

In this scenario, you added 3 extra games, but reduced playing minutes by 10 on the season. You also added a couple extra roster slots to help with depth and you eliminated 2 preseason games where a lot of injuries occur for tryouts.

It also creates much more parity from year to year for all fan bases, and creates better week to week match ups for broadcasting, as you have the division winners from the previous season playing each other each year creating 5 fantastic showdowns besides the division rivalries. For fans it increases the season by an additional game, but removes two stupid preseason games. It also improves game time completion so you can watch 3 games on Sunday in less time. It actually reduces playing time during games for players, even though it increases their weekly practice by 1 overall week.

I still like my idea.

 

[Wamu]

Here's a flash my friend....owners of large corporations like making even more money when they can.