faba Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 NFL eyes 17th game to grow revenue, shorten preseason By John Clayton ESPN.com (Archive) Updated: May 20, 2008, 2:30 PM ET Comment Email Print NFL commissioner Roger Goodell raised the possibility of having a 17th regular-season game as an option to help settle some of the league's future labor problems. "We are actually looking at that as one alternative," Goodell said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta, the same day that the league's owners voted unanimously to opt out of their labor deal with the players' union two years early. "We think that may have an impact on some of the things we would want to talk to the players about. It's on the table." A 17th regular-season game could replace a fourth preseason game and the possibility comes at a time that the league is not satisfied with the quality of the preseason. The league made a presentation to owners about ways to improve the current preseason Tuesday. Under the current system, most NFL teams play 20 games -- four in the preseason and 16 during the regular season. Because of injury concerns to starters, many teams only play starters for only a series in the preseason opener and often don't play starters in the final preseason game. "We are not satisfied with the quality of the preseason right now," Goodell said. "We'd like to improve on that." By adding a 17th regular season game, more revenue could be created to help in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. NFL owners voted 32-0 on Tuesday to shorten the collevtive bargaining agreement with the NFLPA to 2011, with 2010 being played without a salary cap. "It would create new revenue," Goodell said. "Our thought process was we might reduce preseason by a game in return for that. Actually, the players would still play the same number of games. It could give us an opportunity to play a higher quality of football." Goodell noted that the NFL used to have six preseason games. "Now, it's become more of a year-round business," Goodell said. "Athletes come in better prepared for the season both physically and mentally. Is it necessary to play four preseason games to get the players prepared to play in the regular season?" For competitive purposes, the ninth home game would alternate between the conferences every other year, should the NFL use the 17th game option. NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw didn't seem thrilled with the possibility of playing 17 regular-game games. "No, it's great to have more revenue," Upshaw said. "Any discussion we've had with them about playing another game, they've always said, they would like to do it, but they don't want to pay for it. They say, 'Why should you be concerned, you get 60 percent?' But we also get paid on games played. "We're not going to agree to play an extra game and not get paid for it. That's what they want us to do," he said. "That discussion is going to be very short." John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsjetfan13 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 works for me ! NFL eyes 17th game to grow revenue, shorten preseason By John Clayton ESPN.com (Archive) Updated: May 20, 2008, 2:30 PM ET Comment Email Print NFL commissioner Roger Goodell raised the possibility of having a 17th regular-season game as an option to help settle some of the league's future labor problems. "We are actually looking at that as one alternative," Goodell said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta, the same day that the league's owners voted unanimously to opt out of their labor deal with the players' union two years early. "We think that may have an impact on some of the things we would want to talk to the players about. It's on the table." A 17th regular-season game could replace a fourth preseason game and the possibility comes at a time that the league is not satisfied with the quality of the preseason. The league made a presentation to owners about ways to improve the current preseason Tuesday. Under the current system, most NFL teams play 20 games -- four in the preseason and 16 during the regular season. Because of injury concerns to starters, many teams only play starters for only a series in the preseason opener and often don't play starters in the final preseason game. "We are not satisfied with the quality of the preseason right now," Goodell said. "We'd like to improve on that." By adding a 17th regular season game, more revenue could be created to help in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. NFL owners voted 32-0 on Tuesday to shorten the collevtive bargaining agreement with the NFLPA to 2011, with 2010 being played without a salary cap. "It would create new revenue," Goodell said. "Our thought process was we might reduce preseason by a game in return for that. Actually, the players would still play the same number of games. It could give us an opportunity to play a higher quality of football." Goodell noted that the NFL used to have six preseason games. "Now, it's become more of a year-round business," Goodell said. "Athletes come in better prepared for the season both physically and mentally. Is it necessary to play four preseason games to get the players prepared to play in the regular season?" For competitive purposes, the ninth home game would alternate between the conferences every other year, should the NFL use the 17th game option. NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw didn't seem thrilled with the possibility of playing 17 regular-game games. "No, it's great to have more revenue," Upshaw said. "Any discussion we've had with them about playing another game, they've always said, they would like to do it, but they don't want to pay for it. They say, 'Why should you be concerned, you get 60 percent?' But we also get paid on games played. "We're not going to agree to play an extra game and not get paid for it. That's what they want us to do," he said. "That discussion is going to be very short." John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aec4 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 18 games yes, 17 games no. Having a "neutral" site game, or playing 8 home 9 away is a terrible idea. As for "not getting paid for it" Mr Upshaw.. your guys get paid PER YEAR. The rest of us Salary employees get paid PER YEAR regardless of hours (games in their case) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rillo Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 MO MONEY! MO MONEY! MO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Jet Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I'd love the season to be longer but I'm still unsure how this would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sperm Edwards Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 18 games yes, 17 games no. Having a "neutral" site game, or playing 8 home 9 away is a terrible idea. As for "not getting paid for it" Mr Upshaw.. your guys get paid PER YEAR. The rest of us Salary employees get paid PER YEAR regardless of hours (games in their case) What greedy bastards. Coaches keep starters out of pre-season games for two reasons only: (1) to evaluate other players; (2) concern over unnecessary injury. Barring those two things, if a coach told a player to get in there & play the entire pre-season game, he'd have to do it. There is nothing in any player's contract that says they don't have to play full games in pre-season. They have grown accustomed to doing so, but they should be thankful they were able to for so long instead of griping about it after it's ended. It also might help to close some of the gap between owners & players regarding the CBA. Two more games means more revenue. More tickets sold (for those teams that don't sell out every game in advance), more people attending the games (half the people who were forced to buy tickets skip the pre-season games anyway), and way more TV revenue. More money for everyone. And Upshaw's reply to this, in advance, is "no"? I don't care how hard they play or practice; it's a goddamn game. These players are living their dreams and making countless millions to do it. And they're objecting to living their dreams out once or twice more every year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMaynard Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I hate it. 16 games is perfect. The NFL has perfect mathematically symmetry. 32 teams. 16 in each conference. 4 in each division. Six games against the division rivals. 6 games against conference opponents. 4 games against revolving division teams from the other conference. 8 home. 8 away. Perfect. Just reduce the damn pre-season games you money hungry wh$res. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenseed3 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Works for me too. While I love watching preseason football, there's no substitute for the regular season, when the games count. The week-4 game in the preseason is meaningless anyway.... Its a vanilla mess of non-starters. As for the totter in home/away games, it wouldn't bother me one bit. Some teams actually fare better on their away games (i.e., NYG,) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JETSFAN5180 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Season ticket prices will INCREASE once more.The excuse will be 1 more regular season game vs the crappy overpriced preseason.Its all about the $$$$$$$ ladies and gentlemen. The NFL is out to make a buck not lose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanDoug Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 CFL went from 16-4 to 18-2 years ago, because of really poor pre-season attendance. A lot of people here don't care much for CFL regular season, let alone pre season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Season ticket prices will INCREASE once more.The excuse will be 1 more regular season game vs the crappy overpriced preseason.Its all about the $$$$$$$ ladies and gentlemen. The NFL is out to make a buck not lose it. Of course it's all about the money. An NFL franchise cost in the area of a billion dollars. They expect a major return on their investment. Sadly the people who are paying the bill, the fans, are reaching the breaking point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroadwayJ667 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I have never understood the difference between getting hurt in preseason as opposed to the regular season. MEANINGLESS they say. bull****, you still can't play if you're injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blurredorunfocused Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 An extra game for every team, 2 teams every week go and play a game abroad will cover all 32 teams through the season, then each team will have its 8 home games and can`t complain. Or maybe I did the maths all wrong, I don`t know anymore, the NFL is starting to bore me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Because the players aren't banged up enough as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JETSFAN5180 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Of course it's all about the money. An NFL franchise cost in the area of a billion dollars. They expect a major return on their investment. Sadly the people who are paying the bill, the fans, are reaching the breaking point. I am one of the fans who reached the breaking point.I surrendered my season tickets this year.As we speak I have purchased 4 tickets including parking to 3 home games including the opener against New England.I have acquired much better seats than I had and will thoroughly enjoy NOT paying for preseason tickets. $$$$$ in my pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Jet Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Because the players aren't banged up enough as it is. Exactly, keep extending the games until Brady gets hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alk Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Exactly, keep extending the games until Brady gets hurt. Well that's clearly not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JETSFAN5180 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Well that's clearly not going to happen. Tom Brady meet Vernon Gholston enough said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joebabyny Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Well that's clearly not going to happen. you just jinxed your team, congrats! I can not wait to bump this thread at a later point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwanaZulia Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I just don't get it. Why can't they just leave the whole thing alone. This is a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". BZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 It is called greed -on the owners and players part to divy up the pool of money. The fans are the ones that really pay the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BwanaZulia Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 It is called greed -on the owners and players part to divy up the pool of money. The fans are the ones that really pay the price. Wouldn't it be the same price though? Don't we already pay for that game? BZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JETSFAN5180 Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Wouldn't it be the same price though? Don't we already pay for that game? BZ Adding another regular season game would surely give reason to up the season ticket package price.The excuse we are offering 9 regular season home games vs 8 regular season and 2 preseason.The NFL has a motive and its called $$$$$$$$$. I hope it works out for you season ticket holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 You do one of two things with a 17th game. One game overseas or in Spain or Mexico or Canada for each team or one year the AFC has 9 home games and the next the NFC has 9 home games, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 It makes sense since it would give LA 8 games, and probably 8 other games to play at other overseas and neutral sites-Toronto, Vancouver, San Antonio, Las Vegas, London, Dublin, Toyko, Berlin, Barcelona. They're gonna try to make more money. Better someone else buys it than I have to pay for a crappy preseason game. And for the most part preseason games are glorified scrimmages which teams do more and more of every year anyway. In fact, do the Jets and Giants scrimmage again this summer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 LA having 8 games Bugg? Why? Why would the NFL waste their time and who would play their "home" games in LA? Or would just both teams be compensated as road teams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Because on one hand the NFL has a hardon for the LA market, but on the other no team really wants to move to the market. You get to either build a stadium ro sell out the Rose Bowl(100K plus) and creat in effect a whole new market without a team but with a season ticket plan in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I don't like this. If there is no .500, how we will continue to strive for mediocrity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybroome Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Is it necessary to play four preseason games to get the players prepared to play in the regular season?" In a word...no. The 4th pre-season game is always a joke anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangreenman Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 This is stupid. I guarantee this ends up losing money theyre making rather than making more money. With fans already getting fed up with rising ticket prices and suspicous over the whole spygate scandal, this is not going to bode well for them in the long run either. Another point: What has made the NFL such a great league IMO is the fact that there is a strict salary cap which teams are forced to obey and revenue sharing. Both of these things keep the 'playing field' even for all 32 teams, regardless of what market they are in. A third reason why people enjoy the NFL is because the season is shorter, and only 12 teams make the playoffs, both of which make every game interesting and important. This move will not only force many fans over the breaking point financially, but it will also push fans suspicous with the rising ticket prices and the Spygate scandal over the line. The NFL has been so succesful mainly because they have not been persuaded too much by money and have made the game fan-friendly. However, they seem to be heading in the wrong direction now that so many people follow their league. They better get off their high horses quickly or else the fans and the people paying eventually will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 18 games. 2 less preseason. One extra bye. That'd be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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