18-game schedule considered

[The_Philster]

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is considering authorizing the National Football League to study the feasibility of adding two games to the current 16-game schedule and reducing the number of preseason games, the Washington Post reported in today's editions.

The proposal would be made at a league meeting in Chicago in late October. The 2005 season is the earliest target for change.

The length of the league's preseason has been criticized because of injuries to quarterbacks Mike Vick of Atlanta and Chad Pennington of the New York Jets....

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[NoCtUrNaL]

Forget that...instead add one more wild card team from each conference into the playoff mix.

[jchild178]

exactly

[TigerJ]

The NFL is concerned about injuries, but they're even more concerned about money. They would never just cut the number of preseason games because they sell tickets to those games, charging the same price as they do for the regular season. Logically, turning two of the preseason games into regular season games is not going to reduce the number of injuries. The injuries that would have happened in those two preseason games would then happen in games that count. The logic in that is pretty perverse, but the real logic, as far as the NFL is concerned is that fans don't like to pay full price for preseason games, and for good reason. The football just isn't as good when the guys on the field won't even make the team. The NFL hopes that season ticket holders will complain less when they only have to pay for two preseason games. Single game sales will go up for the two games that are converted to regular season games, and the TV revenue will go up. Given those realities, does anyone think they won't go to an 18 game, 2 preseason game schedule?

[CajunBillsBacker]

Injuries happen, I think 4 preseason game's is fine with 16 regular season games. No need to fix what isn't broke!

[Earthquake Enyart]

Have 2 preseason games and start the season with 2 interconference games (AFC vs. NFC) which count slightly less. Have the cutdowns the same, allowing teams to carry extra players for the first 2 games.

[Cntrygal]

Originally posted by TigerJ
The NFL is concerned about injuries, but they're even more concerned about money. They would never just cut the number of preseason games because they sell tickets to those games, charging the same price as they do for the regular season. Logically, turning two of the preseason games into regular season games is not going to reduce the number of injuries. The injuries that would have happened in those two preseason games would then happen in games that count. The logic in that is pretty perverse, but the real logic, as far as the NFL is concerned is that fans don't like to pay full price for preseason games, and for good reason. The football just isn't as good when the guys on the field won't even make the team. The NFL hopes that season ticket holders will complain less when they only have to pay for two preseason games. Single game sales will go up for the two games that are converted to regular season games, and the TV revenue will go up. Given those realities, does anyone think they won't go to an 18 game, 2 preseason game schedule?

Very true.. it's all about Benjamin's.

Originally posted by Earthquake Enyart
Have 2 preseason games and start the season with 2 interconference games (AFC vs. NFC) which count slightly less. Have the cutdowns the same, allowing teams to carry extra players for the first 2 games.

This sounds good to me.

[BillsOwnAll]

Originally posted by NoCtUrNaL
Forget that...instead add one more wild card team from each conference into the playoff mix.

WHY???? football is the ONLY sport you have to do GREAT to make the playoffs....more teams=bad....theres usually 2-3 teams for WC race at the end..if 2 make it there wont be good as races for it. and itll make the playoffs not a big accomplishment.

[Demon]

Bad idea.

Couple reasons -

1. They are afriad of injuries. Mike Vick got hurt on the 2nd drive in the 2nd game, so even with a 2 game pre-season, Atlanta would still be missing Vick.

2. Too long. And why fix something that's not broke? Season will drag on since we are all used to a smaller schedule and season ticket holders will not be happy.

3. Contracts. Every team barly makes it into a salery cap each year, and in 2005 if the 2 games are added, there will be TONS of players holding out because their contracts are based on a 16 game schedule and now they will want to be paid for a 18 game schedule. Owners want their stars to take pay cuts each year so they can fit into the salery cap, in 2005, those players will be making of a nice increase in pay.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it. NFL is the richest league in the world and the most popular by far in America, no need to change anything. Only thing i would change is, play a Super Bowl in New York and Washington, start the regular seasons on Friday Night instead of Thursday and play some prime time Saturday Games late in the season instead of the 1pm Saturday starts.