For those of you who don't know, the NFl and its owners recent met to talk about the collective bargaining agreement, which is set to expire after this season. If a new CBA can't be agreed on before the start of next season, we may be faced with a lockout, which would not be good. On the agenda for the CBA meeting was the possibility of expanding the season to 18 games, with the extra games replacing 2 preseason games.
All the owners pretty much came to a consensus that they were in favor of an 18 game season, saying that the additional games will bring in more money to the economy and also because the fans don't want to see 4 preseason games. The players, on the other hand, don't want the extend the long season that they already have to go through. NFL players already have to worry enough about getting injured and playing with non-guaranteed contracts.
So here's my views with the possibility of an extended season. As a fan, I would absolutely love to see more games that count in the NFL. It offers the opportunity for teams to play more teams that they normally don't play. The season seems relatively short, making every game so critical between a playoff birth or a low draft pick. 18 games would definitely catch my attention during the season.
As an owner, I understand why they want 18 games in a season with only 2 preseason games. 18 games means 2 more games to broadcast on national television. Broadcasting on national television brings in money for the NFL. It's a multibillion dollar deal that gets divided evenly among the teams, the players barely get a cut of it. Meanwhile, although they charge full prices for preseason games, those games don't necessary make it on to national television. Meanwhile, they're proposing to the Players Union to take a smaller cut of the deal in the new CBA. So you see, the owners just want more money at the end of it all.
As a player, I would not want an extended season. Players are putting their bodies on the line 16 weeks in a season, facing injuries that could have a lasting impression later on in life, and worst of all, they are playing with non-guaranteed contracts. This makes it more difficult for them to ask for new contracts if they're already playing hurt. Being on the road and playing games every 7 days, practices and game film, it all seems a lot for the players. It wouldn't make sense.
Also, to mention that taking away 2 preseason games takes away opportunities for young players to make the team. Those preseason games are essentiality their tryouts. They need those games to show what they have. It would be unfortunate for someone trying to make the team to lose those preseason games.
So what's the plan then? Here's what I think it should be. I think that the current 16 game schedule is fine as it is. Why fix something that's not broken? There's plenty of rivalries and division games to make it interesting. I'd say get rid of 2 preseason games. Those aren't need and many people don't watch them, much less want to pay full price for a game that doesn't count. What teams could do instead is have scrimmages with other teams. Make it a big practice and do it that way to evaluate players. That way, no one gets injured for the wrong reasons.
But for me, 16 games is more than enough, I get my 4 months of football before I switch over to the exciting part of the NBA. I guess it could be worst, the NFL could have proposed a 162-game plan….
-TSM
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