NFL Lockout: Roger Goodell Tone Deaf on 18-Game Schedule, What Fans Want

Roger Goodell thinks he knows you.

In fact, Goodell thinks he knows you better than you know yourself. Better than poll results asking you how you feel, better than studies and conference calls and town hall-style meetings, he knows you.

Trust him.

On a recent conference call with Tennessee Titans fans, Goodell expressed belief that fans—specifically season ticket holders—want an 18-game NFL regular season. He also said that an 18-game season was "the right thing for the game" and "a benefit for everybody."

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“We do think it is attractive to season-ticket holders. I hear that all of the time from our season-ticket holders. We have not abandoned our position on that. We do think it is the right thing for the game. It improves the quality of what we do, and it improves the value for you as season-ticket holders. … We do think it is a benefit for everybody, but we want to do it the right way, and we want to do it responsibly. That includes the players’ perspective.’’

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Like beverage executives convinced that consumers wanted "New" Coke and entertainment executives convinced Star Wars Episode I was a good idea, Goodell could not be any more wrong.

Instead of an executive telling fans what they want, how about fans telling executives what they want?

NFL fans did just that in a February poll showing a 27 percent approval rating for an 18-game regular season which rose to a 45 percent approval rating among those who self-identified as "NFL Fans." However, that 45 percent is misleading when one considers only 18 percent strongly favor it and 9 percent strongly oppose it.

Breaking down all those numbers, it is easy to say that, yes, some fans are attracted to the idea of an 18-game NFL regular season. Yet to simply generalize the idea as attractive is far from genuine.

If only that were the only flaw in his statement.

An 18-Game Regular Season Will Not Be a Value for Anyone but Owners

The NFL does not look at its schedule as four preseason games and 16 regular season games. League owners talk about a 20-game league year, divided into four and 16. In their minds, it is merely an issue of semantics to turn two of those preseason games into games that matter.

Players and fans disagree.

Players want preseason games. Since this proposal was put on the table, countless players have stepped forward to express their displeasure both at playing two extra regular season games, but also playing two less preseason games.

For starters, preseason games are a good tune up akin to college teams playing tune-up games against cupcake 1-AA squads. For backups, preseason games are a chance to win a roster spot and define their role on the team.

Try telling players cut from rosters that less chances to prove themselves is a value.

Try telling injured players that less chances to practice timing and technique is a value.

It isn't only the players that will suffer, fans will be paying a higher price for these extra games as well—literally.

Goodell's statement seems to predicate around the fact that season ticket holders don't like being forced to pay for four preseason games—which is true. Yet trading two preseason games for two regular season games is only a "value" if one assumes prices will stay static during the change.

That's not an assumption any reasonable observer should make.

NFL owners, like any smart business person, will charge as much as the market allows for tickets. Common sense makes it clear that regular season games are more valuable than preseason games and prices will assuredly go up.

Meanwhile, all those empty seats for preseason games? Filled by non-season ticket holders.

This proposal is not a "value" for anyone, it is just a new stream of revenue for NFL owners.

An 18-Game Regular Season Will Not Be Good for the Game

It's simple mathematics.

Already, the NFL has identified a problem many people foresaw when the regular season went from 14 to 16 games. Teams that are mathematically locked into a playoff position will treat games at the end of the regular season as pseudo-preseason games—resting their starters and playing athletic luminaries such as Mark Brunell and Curtis Painter.

The NFL did their best to stymie the problem in 2010 by introducing late-season divisional games, upping the ante for most teams (but not all).

With two extra games, fans will be treated to even more games by teams mathematically locked in—or, worse yet, locked out—of the playoffs.

It gets worse.

Each NFL collision has been described as having the force of a train wreck. The more train wrecks a person goes through, the less chance that player has to be playing in December and the less chance that player has of being able to do the little things like operating a remote control when they're 40 years old.

Right now, Weeks 3 and 4 of the preseason are marked by relatively low snaps from the league's best players and 75 percent effort from veterans who aren't worried about winning meaningless games.

Weeks 18 and 19 of the regular season will have plenty of meaningless games as well, but also games in which veterans are playing every snap and trying to jockey for playoff position. Moreover, many players will be padding stats to try and hit pay escalators based on performance.

Injuries in the NFL have been on the rise, and while league owners point to no studies proving that more games equal more injuries, they haven't actually done any studies!

NFL owners, who assume zero extra risk are literally gambling with the lives and livelihood of players in order to open up one gold mine. 

The very same players they're asking to pay less.

Roger Goodell, we know that you and your bosses—the 32 owners of the NFL—want more money, you have made that abundantly clear. We also know that you want two more games in order to make more money, you've made that point crystal clear as well.

We understand you and we hear you loud and clear, but please sir, do not tell us what we want when all evidence available points to the contrary.

Michael Schottey is an on-call editor for the Bleacher Report College Writing Internship, as well as an NFL Featured Columnist and an NFL Labor/Draft Expert. A member of the Pro Football Writers of America, he has professionally covered the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, as well as NFL events like the Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl. Follow him on  Twitter.