Why An 18-Game NFL Schedule Is A Bad Idea

Added on Aug 26, 2010 by Scott in

NFL

NFL owners are pushing hard to enact an 18-game regular season schedule perhaps as soon as 2011. An additional two games would mean the elimination of two worthless preseason games, and increased revenue for the guys in suits. However, it could also come at a price for the guys in uniform. Here are five reasons why an expanded schedule is a bad idea.

5. Less time to evaluate talent – Dumping two exhibition games will affect the amount of time coaches have to evaluate players battling for roster spots. However, this problem could be alleviated by scheduling more inter-squad scrimmages during training camp.

4. Strain on rosters – The 53-man active roster limitation already places an undue amount of stress on positional depth. One solution would be to increase the limit to 58 or 60, but that means more guys being paid, which goes against what the owners want. Leaving the roster at 53 would be disastrous for teams that suffer a glut of injuries.

3. Lower pay for more work – The owners are asking for players to take a pay cut in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. If two more games are added that means players will be paid less for more. Unless you’re a corporate fat cat, this makes zero sense.

2. More meaningless games – Suppose a team clinches their division in week 14. That means four weeks of resting players which would result in watered-down games. Nobody wants to watch the Colts backups for a month, especially when they’re paying an obscene amount of money for season tickets or Sunday Ticket subscriptions.

1. Increase risk of injury – Players will confess their bodies feel like chopped meat after 16 games. Imagine what they’ll feel like after 18. More players will suffer long-term or season-ending injuries, which will lower the quality of product on the field.

Reservations aside, an 18-game schedule seems like a certainty. This is big business. Owners don’t care about their employees. They care about the bottom line.