NFL 18-Game Season: Why It's a Fantastic Idea

Roger Goodell has been making a pitch for an 18-game season as he traveled around the NFL training camps these past few weeks.

Goodell is doing a hard sell on this concept, especially as a way of settling the differences between the players and owners in the collective bargaining agreement talks, even though the players are balking at the idea.

So let's get the negatives out of the way.

An 18-game schedule would increase the wear-and-tear on a players' body and increase the risk of injury.

This is a valid argument and no one should discount it, but we're here to look at why an 18-game season is a fantastic idea, so let's proceed.

Longer Regular Season

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ATLANTA - AUGUST 19: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots directs the offense during the preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on August 19, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Of the "Big Four" in major sports, the NFL has the shortest regular season, 17 weeks including the bye week, and the playoffs take a month to complete.

While the current playoff format is fine and really doesn't need to be tinkered with, it seems like once you really get into the swing of a football season, it's already winding down to the playoffs.

The extra two weeks, possibly three if another bye week is thrown in, will make a huge difference in the offseason blues for fans everywhere.

Fewer Preseason Games

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 16: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants drops back to pass in the first quarter during their game against the New York Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium on August 16, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laha

The only people who really like preseason games are coaches, because it's the best way to evaluate the talent on their team.

From a fan standpoint, preseason games are a nice appetizer for the preseason, but you're looking around for your dinner and wondering what's taking so long by Week Four.

As proposed, the 18-game season would come by way of eliminating two preseason games. For the fans, who have to pay regular season ticket prices for an exhibition game, this also would be a benefit as it would increase the value of the season ticket package.

Increased Revenue for Teams

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CANTON, OH - AUGUST 8: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talks with Tony Romo #9 on the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium on August 8, 2010 in C

Let's face reality here, more regular season games means more money to line owners' pockets.

One major sticking point for the owners going into the CBA talks is the amount of revenue they're giving to the players.

The owners want to reduce that amount, but the players, understandably, don't want that to happen.

One way of offsetting what the owners would determine as "losses" would be to add two more games and make up the revenue that way.

So from a fiscal standpoint, going to 18 games is a no-brainer.

More Matchups

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NASHVILLE, TN - AUGUST 23: Chris Johnson #28 of the Tennessee Titans avoids defenders Clark Haggans #53 and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie #29 of te Arizona Cardinals during the first half of a preseason game at LP Field on August 23, 2010 in Nashville, Tenn

With two additional games, the schedule makers are free to throw in a few matchups the 16-game schedule just doesn't have room to allow.

Teams that might only see each other every few years now will have a chance to match up more often, especially if there's a storyline the NFL could take advantage of.

Gives the NFL a Chance to Grow the Game

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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: A general view of a inflatable helmet during the NFL International Series match bentween New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2009 in London, England. This is the third occasion whe

Roger Goodell wants the game to become more international, and adding two games allows more flexibility in scheduling international games.

Besides the one game a year in London, the NFL has experimented with games in Mexico City and Tokyo, in addition to the Toronto experiment.

Good for the Economy

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TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 01: A detailed picture of bottles of beer before Super Bowl XLIII between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Two more regular season NFL games means two more chances for local economies to make money off of the event.

Since a football game is a once-a-week affair, it has more of an "event" feel to it than a regular season baseball, basketball, or hockey game.

The restaurants and bars around the stadium see a boost in their business, which in turn raises the amount of sales tax revenue the individual cities collect. Then there's the increased bed tax revenue from the hotels that fill up to accommodate the visiting team and die hard fans who make seeing one particular game a little weekend trip.

Even outside the municipality where the game is held, nothing brings people to sports bars like football. Ask any sports bar manager and they'll tell you that the only thing comparable to a football crowd is March Madness, and even then football will win out in a lot of areas.