NFL eyes 17th game to grow revenue, shorten preseason By John Clayton ESPN.com (Archive) NFL commissioner Roger Goodell raised the possibility of having a 17th regular-season game as an option to help settle some of the league's future labor problems. "We are actually looking at that as one alternative," Goodell said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta, the same day that the league's owners voted unanimously to opt out of their labor deal with the players' union two years early. "We think that may have an impact on some of the things we would want to talk to the players about. It's on the table." A 17th regular-season game could replace a fourth preseason game and the possibility comes at a time that the league is not satisfied with the quality of the preseason. The league made a presentation to owners about ways to improve the current preseason Tuesday. Under the current system, most NFL teams play 20 games -- four in the preseason and 16 during the regular season. Because of injury concerns to starters, many teams only play starters for only a series in the preseason opener and often don't play starters in the final preseason game. "We are not satisfied with the quality of the preseason right now," Goodell said. "We'd like to improve on that." By adding a 17th regular season game, more revenue could be created to help in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. NFL owners voted 32-0 on Tuesday to shorten the collevtive bargaining agreement with the NFLPA to 2011, with 2010 being played without a salary cap. "It would create new revenue," Goodell said. "Our thought process was we might reduce preseason by a game in return for that. Actually, the players would still play the same number of games. It could give us an opportunity to play a higher quality of football." Goodell noted that the NFL used to have six preseason games. "Now, it's become more of a year-round business," Goodell said. "Athletes come in better prepared for the season both physically and mentally. Is it necessary to play four preseason games to get the players prepared to play in the regular season?" For competitive purposes, the ninth home game would alternate between the conferences every other year, should the NFL use the 17th game option. NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw didn't seem thrilled with the possibility of playing 17 regular-game games. "No, it's great to have more revenue," Upshaw said. "Any discussion we've had with them about playing another game, they've always said, they would like to do it, but they don't want to pay for it. They say, 'Why should you be concerned, you get 60 percent?' But we also get paid on games played. "We're not going to agree to play an extra game and not get paid for it. That's what they want us to do," he said. "That discussion is going to be very short." John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
I'm not crazy about playing an odd number of games. My idea would be to shorten the preseason by 2 games and leave the Reg season at 16 games but that would never happen because I still have to pay the same price for 2 preseason games as I do for 8 regular season games.
I understand the need to shorten the preseason, but I hate the idea of one team playing 8 games at home and another playing 9. It just doesn't seem right. What's wrong with 3 preseason and 16 regular season games? I know that the owner's don't want to lose the revenue, but the only other reasonable alternative is 2 preseason and 18 season. I personally love the 16 game schedule, but more football can't be bad
That's a good point, but it could work hand in hand with their push to play games in different countries. Additionally, it could be used as part of the strength of schedule formula - as could the additional game. I love the idea of MORE NFL and less pre-season. I also think it wouldn't be so bad for teams like the Pats, Colts, Chargers ... to have to play another road game. edit: The top 16 teams could be forced to play an extra road game, and the bottom 16 could be forced to play an out of country game (8 games) followed by their bye weeks or something to that effect.
File this under BULLSHIT, right next to shortening the first round draft slots from 15 to 10 minutes. I'm all for making the league more exciting, but changing rules just to become more TV friendly or capitalistic while reducing the quality of play is inexcusable. Preseason games are there to help the teams evaluate their talent, both to find out who the starters are, and to decide who to keep before final cuts. This is a very important process. The preseason was never meant to be a final football product, but a tune-up. The league is fucking up. I'd also like to add Thursday games to that list. Giving teams four days of preparation, a significant disadvantage, and causing injuries is all that has been good for.
I think it's perfect the way it is now. The only problem I see with the pre-season is that some teams play 5 games. If they want to change anything it should be that. Every team should play just 4 pre-season games. An odd number like 17 doesn't make any sense, anyway. If they do add more then it should be 18, but like I said, it's a perfect system, now. Another thing they should revert back is the start of the season. I hate the fact they start the season in the second week of September and play the Super Bowl in February.
Agreed. I have no problem with a 4 game preseason. Some people think that the pre-season PUSHES BACK the regular season, so the shorter it is the better. But you do realize that is we do shorten the preseason to two games, lets say, it will be the FIRST two games that would go. The season would still start at the same time. You don't get football sooner. That's why I don't mind the 4 preseason games. Since we can't move UP the regular season (which is what most fans hope for when taking out or reducing the preseason) might aswell get sub-par football while I wait.
I have an issue with the 17 games because some teams pay much better at home than on the road. I'd hate to see the Jets miss out on the playoffs because they had to travel to San Diego in week 18 and they lost. Vive versa the Bills would get in because Tampa came to Buffalo.
every team in each conference wouold play the same amount of road and away games...seasono one every afc team wouold play 9 home 8 road and the next year the nfc wouold. and how does an odd number of games negatively affect the season?
i would make the 17th game the 'traditional rival' game, afc vs. nfc with the home game alternating each year. the jets would play the giants, the steelers against the eagles, ravens-redskins, etc. the preseason version of that game would simply be dropped to cut back to 3 games. the season would open labor day weekend. the rival game would be played on thanksgiving weekend.
It doesn't and wouldn't. All we all have to do is look at college and high school football. The NFL does not have to have a schedule where all teams play 8 home games and 8 road games (or 9 and 9 if we want to talk about going to an 18-game schedule like the USFL had).
That's fine but not every team has a rival in the AFC, I like the idea alot but it just doesn't really work for the Falcons or Saints or even traditional teams like the Bears and Packers.
I like this idea. It's one I had thought about some years back. This is one problem, though, and it might be a big problem. Under this system, the Jets would play the Giants every year. Well, what happens in years when the schedule rotation has the Jets playing the NFC East teams? Let's say the Jets-Giants series went like this... 2010- Jets at Giants 2011- Giants at Jets 2012- Jets at Giants 2013- Giants at Jets 2014- Jets at Giants 2015- Giants at Jets Let's say the AFC East teams would have to play the NFC East teams in 2011 and 2015. In one of those two years the Giants would play two road games against the Jets. Your idea is nice, but it won't work unless the NFL totally revamps the scheduling system.
