Goodell pushing for longer regular season (1 Viewer)

[Tecumseh]

NFL Insider: Goodell begins push to shorten preseason and add 1 or 2 games to regular season

by Tony Grossi

Saturday August 23, 2008, 10:59 PM

David Duprey/Associated Press

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's latest crusade for the league would be to cut down on the preseason games and lengthen the regular season by one or two games.Commissioner Roger Goodell is beating the drums again for a shorter preseason and longer regular season. The reason to take the talk more seriously this time is that at least one powerful owner has fallen in line.

New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft told the Boston Globe, "The bottom line is that I think you'll see us going to 17 or 18 regular-season games in the future."

The reasons are obvious. The preseason has become an eyesore for the NFL and a bad joke on fans who pay regular-season prices to watch their team's starters play one quarter. Also, owners want to drum up more TV revenue, and adding to the regular season is the logical way.

The goal is to keep the total number of games -- fake and real -- to 20. Goodell said in Cincinnati earlier this month that the options are to go to 17 regular games and three exhibitions, or 18 regulars and two exhibitions.

Coaches have always preferred more preseason games. Prior to 1978, teams played six exhibitions. But with the proliferation of "voluntary" off-season practices and minicamps in the spring, it's hard to argue four games are necessary to separate the 54th player from the 53rd on the final roster.

Plus, with the hard roster limit of 80 during training camp, coaches have lost more players to injuries this summer than normal.

"I would rather lose a player to injury in a real game rather than an exhibition contest," said Browns General Manager Phil Savage.

Savage points out the NFL's preseason makes up 20 percent of the total year (four of 20 games), while the NBA's percentage is 6.8 percent (six of 88 games) and Major League Baseball's is roughly 15.6 percent (30 of 192).

"I would like to see the league look into some changes," Savage said.

The one possible holdup is getting approval from the players association. Players would want a piece of the enlarged revenue pie. Their base salaries don't kick in until the regular-season and are paid in 17 installments (including the bye week). You think they are going to agree to play two additional games for the same money?

In the preseason, veterans make $1,225 per week plus $200 per game. Rookies receive $800 a week with no game check.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/..._insider_1.html

 

[BigRed]

The reasons are obvious.

Yeah. Money.

The preseason has become an eyesore for the NFL

I guess that was supposed to make sense somehow.

and a bad joke on fans who pay regular-season prices to watch their team's starters play one quarter.

Implying they didn't know that going in? Any fan that stupid gets what they deserve and they are the bad joke. Don't like it? Don't pay. How is this hard?Someone pls push Goodell and Kraft off a cliff. TIA.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

nice. looks like another CBA issue

 

[joffer]

awsome idea

 

[the hairy scotsman]

It's about time.

 

[Capella]

The reasons are obvious.

Yeah. Money.

The preseason has become an eyesore for the NFL

I guess that was supposed to make sense somehow.

and a bad joke on fans who pay regular-season prices to watch their team's starters play one quarter.

Implying they didn't know that going in? Any fan that stupid gets what they deserve and they are the bad joke. Don't like it? Don't pay. How is this hard?Someone pls push Goodell and Kraft off a cliff. TIA.

So you're the one who likes preseason football.

 

[gump]

Expected. This will pave the way for all teams having 1 game per year outside of the US.

 

[renesauz]

and a bad joke on fans who pay regular-season prices to watch their team's starters play one quarter.

Implying they didn't know that going in? Any fan that stupid gets what they deserve and they are the bad joke. Don't like it? Don't pay. How is this hard?

I thought many folks were forced to buy these tickets (at the same price) in order to keep their regular season tickets??????FWIW... I do have some minor concerns about the pre-season roster limits right now. Without the exemptions NFLE provided, teams are having a harder time running a physical camp, and it's showing with sub-par tackling in the pres-season (worse then normal).Goodell is using the OTAs as a reason why we no longer need 4 pre-season games? UMMMMMM.....aren't all camps prior to training camp basicly non-contact? How can you evaluate LB's, RB's etc. in these practices?After three weeks of pre-season games now, many teams still aren't ready for regular season action. With that in mind I would prefer to see them leave thngs as they are rather then rush the regular season and see a lesser product.

 

[CrossEyed]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

 

[bostonfred]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

How many full preseason games have you watched on TV this year?

 

[BuddyKnuckles]

Expected. This will pave the way for all teams having 1 game per year outside of the US.

exactly what i was thinking. IMO, they'll add one game and take it overseas. A whole lotta untapped revenue in those markets. Anything that gives us more real foosball is ok in my book

 

[CrossEyed]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

How many full preseason games have you watched on TV this year?

To be honest, if they started games in August I'm not sure that I'd be watching those games either. I usually miss a few games in Sept/Oct. It's just too nice out to sit inside every Sunday afternoon. If it's a beautiful day I DVR the game and watch it later. And the great thing is that I get to skip all the commercials.

 

[BuddyKnuckles]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

How many full preseason games have you watched on TV this year?

To be honest, if they started games in August I'm not sure that I'd be watching those games either. I usually miss a few games in Sept/Oct. It's just too nice out to sit inside every Sunday afternoon. If it's a beautiful day I DVR the game and watch it later. And the great thing is that I get to skip all the commercials.

I wait all year just to sit in front of the tv for 12 hours every Sunday from Sept through December

 

[CrossEyed]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

How many full preseason games have you watched on TV this year?

To be honest, if they started games in August I'm not sure that I'd be watching those games either. I usually miss a few games in Sept/Oct. It's just too nice out to sit inside every Sunday afternoon. If it's a beautiful day I DVR the game and watch it later. And the great thing is that I get to skip all the commercials.

I wait all year just to sit in front of the tv for 12 hours every Sunday from Sept through December

The weather around here is too lousy from November to March for me to spend the last nice Sundays sitting inside. That's why God gave us DVRs.

 

[vasco75]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

How many full preseason games have you watched on TV this year?

To be honest, if they started games in August I'm not sure that I'd be watching those games either. I usually miss a few games in Sept/Oct. It's just too nice out to sit inside every Sunday afternoon. If it's a beautiful day I DVR the game and watch it later. And the great thing is that I get to skip all the commercials.

I wait all year just to sit in front of the tv for 12 hours every Sunday from Sept through December

 

[BuddyKnuckles]

How would they make more money? You pay just as much for a preseason ticket as you do for a regular season ticket.

How many full preseason games have you watched on TV this year?

To be honest, if they started games in August I'm not sure that I'd be watching those games either. I usually miss a few games in Sept/Oct. It's just too nice out to sit inside every Sunday afternoon. If it's a beautiful day I DVR the game and watch it later. And the great thing is that I get to skip all the commercials.

I wait all year just to sit in front of the tv for 12 hours every Sunday from Sept through December

The weather around here is too lousy from November to March for me to spend the last nice Sundays sitting inside. That's why God gave us DVRs.

thats why whoever you pray to gave us Florida

 

[EBF]

Greed knows no bounds. Soon they'll be playing an 82 game schedule.

 

[Pygmy Marmoset]

I'm sure the owners will be happy to raise salaries accordingly, right?

 

[BigA]

2 extra games. 1 reg season. 1 more playofff round.

 

[fatness]

Great idea. More injuries. Lower quality of play.

 

[puckalicious]

Great idea. More injuries. Lower quality of play.

Not to mention it would totally screw up our ability to compare stats. We'll have to start qualifying things with "best season by a RB since the 17 game schedule".

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Expected. This will pave the way for all teams having 1 game per year outside of the US.

dibs on the Panthers game in rio.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Great idea. More injuries. Lower quality of play.

Not to mention it would totally screw up our ability to compare stats. We'll have to start qualifying things with "best season by a RB since the 17 game schedule".

you couldn't be more wrong. Injuries happen more often than not at half speed.