Should NFL show restraint for 18-game season?
Greg Doyel of CBS Sportsline.com writes that enough is enough and the NFL should show some restraint when talking about expanding the regular season to 17 or 18 games.
But isn’t 16 games enough? Some would say it’s too much. Players are going to get hurt no matter how long the season lasts, I get that — but why increase the odds, by increasing the schedule, by 12 percent?
More isn’t always better. Sometimes, more is just … more. But NFL owners are so desperate to make more money, they’re willing to do whatever it takes to increase the value of their television contracts. How do they do that? By expanding inventory.
Some of you might not believe it. If you’re a season-ticket holder, maybe you’re thinking that an 18-game schedule would be a gift from heaven. What the hell, right? It would give you a ninth home game for your money — money you’re spending anyway, since the NFL has been extorting its suckers loyal fans into buying tickets to preseason games along with the regular-season schedule. So for you, an 18-game schedule makes sense. One less preseason game, one more regular-season game … how can you lose?
This is how:
Owners would get together and decide to extort you for more money, because let’s face it: Whatever you were willing to pay for eight regular-season games, you’ll be willing to pay that — and more — for nine.
He makes a good point, although I don’t know if fans really care if the owners continue to make more money if in return, they get more football. And unfortunately injuries are part of the game and while no fan wants to see a player get seriously hurt, there’s no way to avoid it whether the league plays 16, 17 or 18 games.
Comment starter: Would you like to see the NFL add 1-2 more games to its regular season schedule?
I’d like to see the league stick with a 16-game schedule and shorten the preseason to three games. 16-games is a good number and most of the records would be thrown out the window if they extended the season.
This is all about the money and these new stadiums sitting empty most of the year. From a business point of view they should go to 18 games!
Personally, I think 16 games is hitting something of a threshold already. It’s fewer and fewer players who can hold up to a career of 16 game seasons.
If we’re going to add games, I think the teams should be allowed to carry a couple more players. Might not be a bad idea even if we stay at 16 games. Let the teams spread the load a little.
I know this is a business, but at some point, we need to have some level of concern for the athletes who are entertaining us. This is already a rough gig.
It’s all money - we know but I would be in favor of 18 regular season games. We have four preseason games in which I am forced to buy and watch some crap unmeaningfull games. If I’m going to pay anyway, line up the big boys for two more games that count. I vote for two crap games and eighteen Big Boy games.