Does the NFL Need More Games?

With all the hype of the Brett Favre trade and NFL preseason games in full force, many of us are excited and can’t wait for the regular season to start. Some of you, like myself, may be thinking, "Why are there so many preseason games?

We only get to see the starters for a quarter, and the outcomes of these games mean nothing and have no effect on the team’s final regular-season records. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been wondering the same thing.

He was heard earlier this month talking to reporters in Cincinnati about extending the regular season and having fewer preseason games. This time, Goodell told the press the reason for his new thinking. Goodell “believes preseason football is a poor reflection on the NFL product.”

So, the answer has to be to shorten the preseason and lengthen the regular season. Goodell and others think that the regular season should be either 17 or 18 games long.

If the league extends the regular season, what else will have to change?

Well, first off, all the players’ meaningful agents would be asking for more money. If athletes are playing two, extra, meaningful games a year, then they certainly should get paid for it.

Playing two more games per season would do more damage to these tremendous athletes’ bodies. The wear and tear that running backs and others take each game can only continue for so long before their bodies break down.

Look at Eric Dickerson now, after only 10 years in the NFL. Many other athletes suffer concussions and serious injuries that damage them down the road or cause them to retire prematurely. Extending the regular season could mean that we will see shorter careers for many players. Teams might also rest star players more because of the longer season.

On the opposite side, more games for each team means more sponsorships and more airtime for teams. Each team would be earning more by having two more premium games to add to their overall revenue. I wrote a post about a month ago that described how the NFL is the most profitable league.

Two more games would only help add to that large amount each NFL teams makes annually.

Overall, I believe that it financially makes sense to add two more games to the season. The players, owners, and everyone else involved in the league will be making more money. However, it is the players that will suffer the most from this change.

Longer seasons will make it a lot tougher on them physically and mentally. It will be even rarer to see a team like the Dolphins or last year's Patriots go undefeated. It also gives players fighting for NFL spots less time to showcase what they can do in training camp.

With a shorter preseason, we might not have HBO make shows like Hard Knocks, Training Camp With the Dallas Cowboys. With Goodell making comments to the media about changing the number of games, it is only a matter of time before the NFLPA sits down with Goodell and others to discuss this issue seriously.

Do you think extending the NFL season is a good idea? How much more will the players make? How much more revenue will each NFL team bring in? Will this cause more injuries for players? Let us know what you think.