My solution to the 18 game season. Something that both players, owners, and TV can agree on (1 Viewer)

ChopperSaint

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The real reason the NFL wants an 18 game season is simple. We all know why.

Because tv ratings have gone thru the roof, and the television networks want to extend the season and make it longer. When this happens the networks will joyfully fork over many extra billions of dollars.

The pie then gets bigger for both players and owners.

The problem thou is obvious. Football is very physical, and you just cant make human players play another 6 hours worth of football without putting them at serious risk of getting injured.

So here is my solution.

Stay with the 16 game season, but add 2 more bye weeks for a total of 3.


Every team gets 3 bye weeks a season.

This solves 2 problems.

1)This will make the NFL season last just as long as an 18 game season would last. Therefore television networks will be able to fork over almost as much money to the NFL as they would with an 18 game season.

Yes I know, this also means that there will be 3 weeks a season where the local TV market will not air the local team, and the ratings will not be quite as good, and there will still be the same amount of games.

Yes there will be the same amount of games, but the season will be extended to the same length as if teams were playing 18 games with the 3 bye weeks.

What will happen is all the games will be broadcast to a wider audience then they are now.

On a typical week we have 13 sunday games getting split up to 13 different markets.

If you go the 3 bye week route, then you will have lets say 8 sunday games spread over 8 markets.

Instead of the Saints/Falcons only being aired in Louisiana and Georgia on a typical week, they would also be aired in Tampa and North Caralina, Dallas, Houston etc.... depending on which other markets near by have bye weeks. This also gives the networks the chance to play huge NFL GOW type games to more people. When you have a huge game like Pittsburgh vs the Patriots, if the Bengals have a bye that week, instead of them playing the Bengals and the Browns which they would normally be forced to play, they could send the GOTW to an even bigger audience. $$$$$$$ you get my drift?

I think the only entity that this idea will hurt is the Directv Sunday Ticket, because the games will be spread out more, and it will lesson the chances of you not being able to see a particular game because its more spread out.
This will not kill the Sunday Ticket, it will just make it worth a little bit less.

2) This is the biggest one of all. Injuries! Wouldnt it be great for everyteam in the NFL to have extra bye weeks to help the players recover and prevent injuries?

The NFL is suffering from a pretty bad case of bad PR over the issue of them not caring about the physical well being of its players. What better way to show you care then to spread out the workload and give a player the chance to heal up an injury with a bye week every 5 weeks or so?

Not only will extra bye weeks allow players to heal, it will also help prevent injuries from happening in the first place because players will be playing at a lesser pace.


These proposals are the perfect example of having your cake and eating it to.

The owners and players get a bigger TV deal because the season last 2 weeks longer, and the players dont have to deal with the risk of playing 2 extra games.

Everyone wins.:9:
 
Too much season interruptus in that plan for any fanbase.

If they want to reduce the impact of injuries, they have to expand the rosters, which they absolutely should in an 18-game season..

Injuries are a part of the game, and the good teams that have fewer injuries or overcome their injuries are contenders. In 2009, the Saints overcame their injuries, but the Falcons were decimated. In 2010, the Falcons were relatively healthy, and the Saints were decimated. That's just the way it go.
 
The networks aren't going to pay more for more bye weeks. Goodel is right. Fans don't like the preseason games. Season ticket holders don't like paying for practice games, stadiums are less than full and networks won't even broadcast except for a handful of games. Anyone who is for the four preseason games can have my tickets for face value.
 
The networks aren't going to pay more for more bye weeks. Goodel is right. Fans don't like the preseason games. Season ticket holders don't like paying for practice games, stadiums are less than full and networks won't even broadcast except for a handful of games. Anyone who is for the four preseason games can have my tickets for face value.

They wouldn't be paying more for preseason games. As it stands right now you can't turn on the TV and watch every game in a given weekend unless you have Sunday Ticket. If you add more bye weeks that just means more of the games can be shown each week and you can stretch the season without stretching the number of games.

Its really not a bad idea, but as a fan I would hate it. I already hate the one bye week and dread its approach.

Also, I think it depends on the fan for the preseason game. I personally like the preseason because I like getting to see the up-and-coming players we have on the roster get some time on the field before they get shelved for the year. That said, the problem with preseason is that the games cost the same amount, which is the gripe most fans have. But the NFL doesn't want to lower the prices because they'd lose money. The issue isn't that the fans want to shorten preseason or add more regular season games. The issue is the NFL wants to justify charging full price for as many games as possible, which makes sense from their perspective.

Honestly they should just keep it how it is. Its the best model in pro sports and it makes everyone millions. There's no sense overhauling a system thats already the standard. Keep the salary cap, keep the season the way it is, keep preseason. I am for adding a rookie wage scale and using the extra savings to add money to vested veteran contracts or something of the like. Otherwise just leave well enough alone.
 
The real reason the NFL wants an 18 game season is simple. We all know why.

Because tv ratings have gone thru the roof, and the television networks want to extend the season and make it longer. When this happens the networks will joyfully fork over many extra billions of dollars.

The pie then gets bigger for both players and owners.

The problem thou is obvious. Football is very physical, and you just cant make human players play another 6 hours worth of football without putting them at serious risk of getting injured.

So here is my solution.

Stay with the 16 game season, but add 2 more bye weeks for a total of 3.


Every team gets 3 bye weeks a season.

This solves 2 problems.

1)This will make the NFL season last just as long as an 18 game season would last. Therefore television networks will be able to fork over almost as much money to the NFL as they would with an 18 game season.

Yes I know, this also means that there will be 3 weeks a season where the local TV market will not air the local team, and the ratings will not be quite as good, and there will still be the same amount of games.

Yes there will be the same amount of games, but the season will be extended to the same length as if teams were playing 18 games with the 3 bye weeks.

What will happen is all the games will be broadcast to a wider audience then they are now.

On a typical week we have 13 sunday games getting split up to 13 different markets.

If you go the 3 bye week route, then you will have lets say 8 sunday games spread over 8 markets.

Instead of the Saints/Falcons only being aired in Louisiana and Georgia on a typical week, they would also be aired in Tampa and North Caralina, Dallas, Houston etc.... depending on which other markets near by have bye weeks. This also gives the networks the chance to play huge NFL GOW type games to more people. When you have a huge game like Pittsburgh vs the Patriots, if the Bengals have a bye that week, instead of them playing the Bengals and the Browns which they would normally be forced to play, they could send the GOTW to an even bigger audience. $$$$$$$ you get my drift?

I think the only entity that this idea will hurt is the Directv Sunday Ticket, because the games will be spread out more, and it will lesson the chances of you not being able to see a particular game because its more spread out.
This will not kill the Sunday Ticket, it will just make it worth a little bit less.

2) This is the biggest one of all. Injuries! Wouldnt it be great for everyteam in the NFL to have extra bye weeks to help the players recover and prevent injuries?

The NFL is suffering from a pretty bad case of bad PR over the issue of them not caring about the physical well being of its players. What better way to show you care then to spread out the workload and give a player the chance to heal up an injury with a bye week every 5 weeks or so?

Not only will extra bye weeks allow players to heal, it will also help prevent injuries from happening in the first place because players will be playing at a lesser pace.


These proposals are the perfect example of having your cake and eating it to.

The owners and players get a bigger TV deal because the season last 2 weeks longer, and the players dont have to deal with the risk of playing 2 extra games.

Everyone wins.:9:

This works for me.
 
Its really not a bad idea, but as a fan I would hate it. I already hate the one bye week and dread its approach.

That's because we're Saints fans and we stick to one team. I've met a lot of people here in Texas that have five other teams they pull for when they disown the Cowgirls after three consecutive losses. I'm sure people do the same in other large market cities.

As far as leaving well enough alone, it's a great idea. I actually think it's the best idea, but it won't happen. You don't get to be wealthy enough to own a football team because you know how to leave well enough alone.
It's all about the next billion dollars for those type of people.
 
I think the only way that more bye weeks are added is if more games are added. I think they are gonna shoot for 18 games, add in a bye week, and add like 7 roster spots.

But I do like your idea. Give me a chance to watch teams other than just the Saints lol.
 
The networks aren't going to pay more for more bye weeks.

I dint think I could disagree more with you.. Take out ur home team bias n just because the Saints aren't playing one week doesn't mean the rest of the country aren't gathering around their tv's, stadiums, sports bars and such to enjoy their team..

All the network cares about is that there are games being played so they can charge their sponsors the "NFL" rate.. Don't think for a second that 1st Sunday that there wasn't NFL football on TV that advertisement dollars didn't slump significantly... Advertisers won't pay the same money to show their spot during (whatever comes on tv after football is over) as they will during a football game..

I own a sports bar n my Monday's dropped 50% n my Sunday afternoons feel off the map.. I'd pay more to add 2 more bye weeks if it means the season is extended EVEN with no extra games...
 
This would hurt fantasy football though. You could not have 12 team leagues.
 

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