What Does an 18-Game NFL Schedule Mean for Fans and Teams Alike?

This Article Courtesy Of Rip City Report

The NFL is trying to become more like Major League Baseball and the National Basketball League.

Not that they should, but because money is a difficult thing to turn down.

Especially when your organization, the National Football League, is suffering financially.

Today, Owners of the 32 Football teams met in Atlanta to discuss a number of issues surrounding the League, one of which is the Commissioners movement for an 18-game schedule.

Goodell came out of the meeting with a very optimistic mindset, stating that all of the NFL owners were  in "overwhelming support" of the motion and the feeling is that the National Football League is going to move forward with the idea.

So what does that mean for the Current NFL Franchises?

Well, as it stands, there are a few loose ends that the league will need to find a solution for.

First off, how will the players be compensated for an extra two games? The most common solution would be to tag on two extra paychecks, one for each game.

Currently, players are payed weekly, and after each game played. So as it stands now, the players will be compensated for the games in the same fashion that is currently used.

But what if the Players union decides that an added two games should mean a slight increase in pay?

Well, I think that will add to the Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions heading into the 2012 season and beyond. But there is no way that the new NFL schedule will make an appearance this season or even next.

Another thing that the NFL will need to look into will be how the schedule is organized.

You are only adding two games (replacing two preseason games), not enough to play each team in your division another time.

Somehow, the league is going to have to add two more games without completely throwing off the balance of the NFL.

There is no better way to bring fans to your contests than to add more rivalry games to your schedule, but the NFL will have to make sure that the added two games don't completely change one teams schedule and then just be two easy wins for another.

So we covered how the added two games will affect the league, well how will it affect the fans?

In terms of ticket prices, they should stay the same or even go lower. 

It all comes down to supply and demand.

If there is more product on the table, that means that the team has more chance to sell tickets. More tickets sold means more money made.

More games, more advertising, more tickets available, bigger television contracts, and an increased fan base equals more possible profit on the table.

For the casual fan, more games means an increased opportunity to see at least one.

For the diehard fans, you will be getting two more chances to see your favorite team play.

What are the downsides?

Well, if the NFL wants to increase the number of games increase revenue now. What's to stop them from increasing the schedule to 18 games, 20 games, 22 games, and on and on.

Like I said in my introduction, the NFL is trying to become more like the NBA and MLB.

Eventually, another motion for more games will be on the table and the league will more likely than not, choose the option that means more money.

Also, more games can translate into less intensity.

If you only play a couple games every year, you are going to get up for those games.

You are going to be ready and you are going to want to see them.

I'm not saying that all of the intensity will be sapped out of the league just because two games are added, but I'm saying that fans will take the "there's always next week" mentality.

Too many games can burn out the fans, too few and the league will struggle to keep afloat. You have to find the right balance and that is what the league is trying to do right now.

Right now, many issues have not been solved within the NFL.

There is the possibility of a work stoppage and I'm not sure that adding one more kink into the equation will help. As for now, the league is in limbo.

In the coming two years, fans should know the future of the NFL. But for now, it is almost certain that the league will be moving to an 18-game schedule.

Whether or not that is good, well that's up to you.

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