(Against,what may be popular belief) The NFL season is too long! This time two years ago, we would be getting ready for wildcard weekend, instead we are having to grind through yet another week of what seems like forever of a season. Did the fans really ask for more regular season games? Or was it all up to the $$$$ hungry owners?
NFL season is too long
- Thread starter krazylegz
- Start date
Sykotyk
Well-known member
When the NFL converted the 4th preseason game into the 17th regular season game, they kept the first regular season game on the same general weekend. The season isn't 'longer'. It just starts later now. Plus, the NFL has been moving the Super Bowl further and further into February for television purposes. With the CFP title game now scheduled for January 20th next year, I can imagine that the NFL season is expected to go another week back at some point. Especially if there is talk of a second bye week or an 18 game season and 2 game preseason (or both).
Either way, the regular season isn't ending on or near New Years after again.
The season might be too long ( which it is), but the worst thing is the unchecked proliferation of games played without the benefit of rest, most notably the Thursday night games. With the physical pounding players take, asking them to be at their best four days later is not only greedy, but dangerous. The health of the players seems to take a back seat to the intense need of the owners to give the public pro football every day of the week.
WJ-OSU-STEELERS
Well-known member
Capitalism (and to an extent greed) made football a 17 week season and will within the next 5-10 years make it a 18 game regular season over 20 weeks.
From a pure football standpoint, is 17+ games too long and detrimental to players health - absolutely. Is 17+ games advantageous to the owners, its partners (tv, advertising, etc) and the players receiving an additional game check - absolutely yes.
Crusaders
Moderator
When the players demand more money, the league must make more money to pay those wages. If it's "capitalism" then it's capitalism. If it's greed, there's plenty of that to go around; it's not just the owners.
One could argue part of the reason the sport is isn't as tough as it used to be from a grit standpoint is there's is much more money on the line to lose that everyone now acts like a baby. To me, if a dude wants to make millions of dollars, things like concussions should just be understood as something that will happen and they need to play through it. But we've let Karenism into football.
The amount of games isn't really the issue, it's the lack of rest. If they wanted, they could have 1 scheduled bye week a month per team and play 20 games. I think that's where its ultimately heading. The treat toward smaller stadiums hints at that as well - the longer the season, the less of an "event" a home game is, and fewer tickets that need to be sold per game. Demand won't necessarily go down but more opportunities to spread it out.
I think they should move toward starting the pre-season in late July and the regular season in late august. If the league is still trying to appeal more to female fans, a lot of them fall off wanting to go to games once the temps drop. A couple more games in warmer weather could entice more to go.
Last edited:
Irwin20
Well-known member
Too much longer and there won’t be any starting QBs left to suit up.
WJ-OSU-STEELERS
Well-known member
I agree NFL practices are no where near as physical as what they use to be but for good reason. Players are simply bigger, stronger & faster now days. There are more games and the season is longer. The season also includes mini camps and year round training. It’s like this in college & high school. How many Rose Bowl victories did Woody & Bo leave on the practice field because they had their team beat the crap out of one another for 4 weeks prior to the Rise Bowl game?
I also agree that players must accept the possibility of concussions, injuries and long term health side effects as a potential part of the game. One plays through injuries but studies have shown the concussion protocols that have been put in place is the right thing to do. I hope you do not believe concussion protocol is a “Karenism”. If so, I think that is an ignorant take.
Crusaders
Moderator
Players being bigger and stronger is all relative. It doesn’t impact health the way you think it does.
It’s not ignorant and it is Karenism. Players accept the money and the injuries that come with it for high compensation. People complaining about big hits and the like have brought Karenism to the game and made it softer. It extends beyond soft practices.
WJ-OSU-STEELERS
Well-known member
I agree and can see some injuries are no worse than yesterday. With today’s training and flexibility exercises, some injuries can be avoided, less severe or recovery time can be shorten. A acl injury is not a career ending injury as it was 50 years ago. However, some injuries can be as severe or more severe with today players. Head injuries are one that has proven to be very bad for former players. So many former player suicides (Dave Duerson), guys severe mental health issues (Mike Webster) or their brain just a mush (Jim McMahon). Yes the helmet is far better today but is that enough? What training are you aware of to help prevent CTE or concussions?
Please explain how “players being bigger and stronger is all relative” and how this “doesn’t impact health the way one thinks it does”? Did the brain & head get bigger and stronger over the last 50 years or so?
So two players in 2023 who are bigger by 10-25 pounds each, each has stronger mass and each are going at a 4.5 forty vs say two players from 1980 or so - how is todays player collision not more violent?
There are no Karen’s out on the field on Sundays.
14Red
Well-known member
Do you understand how professional sports works? The only way they raise revenue is by adding games and / or playoffs. You may feel the overall length of the season is long, but they play on 17 dates for the year. Baseball plays 17 games in about 3/4's of a month.
Fans ask for more games by watching the product. The ratings for Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night games are off the charts. Also know that the NFLPA signs off on these things.
If you play 16 games in 18 weeks … the Thursday night game could be played by two teams who had the bye the week before.
Way too long. 14 games will never in a million years return. But the storylines are simply boring by the time December rolls around in a 17 game/18 week season season. Half of the teams are just going through the motions as they're already out. Then we amble on to week 22, with a few teams of questionable quality participating in the postseason.
Then there's a Pro Bowl, then there's a draft, then there's training camp, then there's the HOF, then... you get the idea.
Then there's a Pro Bowl, then there's a draft, then there's training camp, then there's the HOF, then... you get the idea.
wolves82
Highly Respected Expert
Hang on...checking the TV ratings... Nope, very few people seem bored. Most of us like it. Hoping for some close games this weekend.
Now the Pro Bowl is a non-event for me, and I ignore all the pre-draft non-sense ("CJ Stroud had a poor test grade!"). I will watch the draft, and then I ignore training camp and pre-season games. But the actual games are great.
JUSTGOPLAY
Well-known member
..........as a fan, 17 games in 18 weeks plus the playoffs ain't enough. As far as the players, team performances, and player safety goes, 17 games in 18 weeks plus the playoffs is ridiculous. NFL Football is the most violent, brutal game ever invented. That's why we love it, but the human body was never intended endure that kind of punishment for four or five consecutive months.
wolves82
Highly Respected Expert
I agree it is hard on the players. But they are very well compensated and have a choice to play or not for their career. They all pursue it eagerly.
Sykotyk
Well-known member
Super Bowl used to be mid-January back when it was a 14 game season. They kept it ending in January with the two additional weeks for quite some time. But, TV wants the games in February for sweeps. NFL also likes having Football to itself once college is done. CFP now won't end until late January (1/20/25, officially). The NFL will also not start any season earlier than the Labor Day Weekend. And usually they start the week after for various reasons. Any additional weeks to the regular season won't replace the preseason games on the schedule. They'll be at the end of the current regular season.
And players are in favor of 17 games because they knew the TV revenue would increase by swapping a preseason weekend for a regular season weekend. And it did. Which is why the 18 game season is probably happening with the next CBA.
Doesn't help that there's a lot of leeway on what padding can be worn to be more mobile, along with the installation of crap turf fields causing injuries. A lot of these guys do not make much money in the scheme of things. Certainly paltry in comparison to a benchwarmer in the NBA.
AEW Champion
Notre Dame = 2025 National Champions
The NFL season is pretty much the perfect length of time. Don’t change anything.
By the time the Super Bowl ends, we only have to get through one month with golf and regular-season basketball before the conference tourneys and March Madness take us right into baseball season, The Masters and NBA/NHL playoff season.
By the time the Super Bowl ends, we only have to get through one month with golf and regular-season basketball before the conference tourneys and March Madness take us right into baseball season, The Masters and NBA/NHL playoff season.
Sykotyk
Well-known member
I think the length of the regular season will be moved to 18 games in the next CBA. The players don't want the third preseason game. The networks want more broadcasts. And I think it will fit well at 18 instead of playing the 17 game season alternating home/away disparity and neutral site games.
What networks/public want is MORE GAMES. Those Sunday morning European games are going to become weekly. Friday night games in Brazil or Mexico? Weekly. More Saturday games post-NCAA regular season? Definitely.
I also think the next TV deal, or reworking of the deal, will change how the exclusive afternoon windows work. I think we'll see CBS and Fox both get doubleheaders every Sunday instead of one getting 'exclusive'. Sure, there's Youtube to stream them all now instead of DTV, but fans just want more options and more time-slots.
I'm waiting for a 10pm Sunday night west coast kickoff to happen. We already get it almost with the MNF doubleheaders.