17 Game Season Like it, Love it or Hate it

[Texaninlild]

I heard an interesting solution to the possible 17 game season. The extra game would be hosted at a neutral site. You would have a couple games overseas, Mexico or Canada, but cities like San Antonio and/or Los Angeles would host a full 8 game schedule. This would give these cities a trial basis to see if they can succeed as an NFL city and would create a balanced playing field for the extra game.

I would be ok with an extra regular season game and one less pre-season game. It might also give some other major US cities a chance to host games.



Disclaimer
Also I searched for a thread with this content and could not find it.

[gwallaia]

There will never be another .500 team.

I like the idea of one less pre-season game but I think 16 is the right amount of regular season games. But if the NFL owners think they can make extra money, I'm sure they will fight for it.

It is my understanding that the owners do not plan on paying the players for an extra game. The players union will never agree to this.

[PapaL]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

There will never be another .500 team.

I like the idea of one less pre-season game but I think 16 is the right amount of regular season games. But if the NFL owners think they can make extra money, I'm sure they will fight for it.

It is my understanding that the owners do not plan on paying the players for an extra game. The players union will never agree to this.

I don't see why they should be paid. They have a yearly salary.

Kinda like I'm salary at my job. If I work 4, 40 or 80 hours a week I get paid the same.

Guess I'm with the owners on this one.

[Texaninlild]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

There will never be another .500 team.

I like the idea of one less pre-season game but I think 16 is the right amount of regular season games. But if the NFL owners think they can make extra money, I'm sure they will fight for it.

It is my understanding that the owners do not plan on paying the players for an extra game. The players union will never agree to this.

I think the owners would back off that stance some and also agreeing to eliminate a pre-season game would make the players happy.

[TexanSam]

I would have no problem with 17 games. I'm sure they would make it as annual rivalry so instead of playing the Cowboys once every 4 years in the regular season, we play them every year. It would be awesome. They could play it in San Antonio or Austin, somewhere "neutral". Although, if we play them anywhere outside of Houston it's almost a guarantee they would have more fans than us. It would still be kick ass though!

[Texaninlild]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

I would have no problem with 17 games. I'm sure they would make it as annual rivalry so instead of playing the Cowboys once every 4 years in the regular season, we play them every year. It would be awesome. They could play it in San Antonio or Austin, somewhere "neutral". Although, if we play them anywhere outside of Houston it's almost a guarantee they would have more fans than us. It would still be kick ass though!

Good call..create an annual rivalry. Houston/Dallas, NY/NY, Oak/SF.... sorta like baseball has done.

[adam]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

I would have no problem with 17 games. I'm sure they would make it as annual rivalry so instead of playing the Cowboys once every 4 years in the regular season, we play them every year. It would be awesome. They could play it in San Antonio or Austin, somewhere "neutral". Although, if we play them anywhere outside of Houston it's almost a guarantee they would have more fans than us. It would still be kick ass though!

Exactly. There are more Titans fans in Austin than there are Texans fans. Hell, Houston would be the most neutral site for such a game. Haha.

Anyways, I'm sure none of the fans would have a problem with an extra game. I actually like the idea that there won't be any more .500 teams, more definite lines between winning and losing would be sure to make teams play harder. Just a thought.

[michaelm]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

I would have no problem with 17 games. I'm sure they would make it as annual rivalry so instead of playing the Cowboys once every 4 years in the regular season, we play them every year. It would be awesome. They could play it in San Antonio or Austin, somewhere "neutral". Although, if we play them anywhere outside of Houston it's almost a guarantee they would have more fans than us. It would still be kick ass though!

Yeah, but Houston fans care about the rivalry more than Cowboy fans, so we might have more fans at the game than the girls...

[TexanSam]

Originally Posted by Texaninlild

Good call..create an annual rivalry. Houston/Dallas, NY/NY, Oak/SF.... sorta like baseball has done.

The only problem there would be is what would the NFL do when it's our turn to play the NFC East? We wouldn't play the Cowboys twice. So they'd have to adjust the schedule somehow.

[NitroGSXR]

17 is not enough. It's grueling suffering waiting for my beloved Houston Texans to play again 16 days out of 365 days when the other two major sports play 82/162 games.

I understand WHY there's only 16 games but it still doesn't detract from my suffering counting the minutes until gameday. The last game of the season is the worst because the countdown begins once the clock hits zero.

[kiwitexansfan]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

The only problem there would be is what would the NFL do when it's our turn to play the NFC East? We wouldn't play the Cowboys twice. So they'd have to adjust the schedule somehow.

Why not, we play the other AFC South teams twice.

It would be the same for everyone.

[rmartin65]

Eh, I dont like it. 16 is a nice number.

[gwallaia]

Rivalry games?

Yeah, maybe Houston-Dallas, Oakland-San Francisco, Miami-Tampa Bay.

But who the hell is Detroit's rival that's not already in their division?

Who would the Vikings play? Who are Denver's natural rival that is not already in their division? Who would the Saints be paired up with?

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

Rivalry games?

Yeah, maybe Houston-Dallas, Oakland-San Francisco, Miami-Tampa Bay.

But who the hell is Detroit's rival that's not already in their division?

Who would the Vikings play? Who are Denver's natural rival that is not already in their division? Who would the Saints be paired up with?

Strength of schedule actually does mean a lot in the NFL because there are so few games.

If you have a regional rival game, you run the risk of some teams playing a good team most year, and some teams being paired with a door mat team most years.

Right now what they have right now doesn't screw over teams too much.

And basically, if we go to 17 games, we then have to have modern modern era stats. Meh.

I think the 17 game proposal is just part of negotiating garbage. Stuff that the owners don't really want, but are willing to throw into negotiations to make the players feel like they won something. You know, "okay, we won't do the 17th game, and we won't regulate hair length"--stupid stuff like that.

[TexanBacker93]

I'm under the impression that adding a 17th regular season game would go along with the elimination of 2 preseason games. That's where I doubt the owners want to see a change. They make more off the preseason games where they don't have to pay the players their regular salaries and the fans still pay full cost for the tickets, parking, beer, etc..

I don't think 4 preseason games are required anymore. It's not like the players are having to spend that time getting into shape as they used to. The NFL is a full year entity and most players can get ready sooner.

As for the location of the 17th game I thought I saw something about the extra home game would alternate between conferences each year. I'm not sure if that was a proposal or what, though.

I'm a big right brained guy and I like symmetry. The season is perfect as it stands. The league is just right with 32 teams. Anything that upsets that balance will cause me to develop a tick.

[Vinny]

I've always wanted an 18 game season and a two game pre-season but then again, I'm watching the NFL network right now and my TV is pretty much unaware of the other choices.

[TexanBacker93]

Originally Posted by Vinny

I've always wanted an 18 game season and a two game pre-season but then again, I'm watching the NFL network right now and my TV is pretty much unaware of the other choices.

There are other choices??

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Vinny

I've always wanted an 18 game season and a two game pre-season but then again, I'm watching the NFL network right now and my TV is pretty much unaware of the other choices.

My virtual knob is broken off on the NFL Network.

My wife asked me the other day if watching NFLN every day takes away the 'mystique' of pro football. I rolled my eyes in the way that a husband does when his wifey says something completely off the wall (like if I want to go to a bridal shower or other such nonsense). What my mind actually heard was "blah blah blah blah NFL Network blah blah blah". I cocked my head sideways like a dog does when it hears a funny noise. And that was the end of that conversation.

I like a 17 or 18 game schedule. Stats mean nothing to me other than as an indicator of performance, but they are far from holy or any other untouchable perspective.

We already pay FULL PRICE for pre-season games. Make one or two of them regular season already! Especially if that means we won't have to export one of our precious eight home games!!!

[WWJD]

So you guys didn't watch the Denise Richards or Dina Lohan reality shows? What's WRONG with you? Football all the time...shame on you!

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

It is my understanding that the owners do not plan on paying the players for an extra game. The players union will never agree to this.

Why would they if there isn't an extra game? They would also be playing one less game for free in eliminating a pre-season game. Realistically, they get paid for the season which right now is 20 games. Sure their checks get paid out after regular season games, but the amount remains the same as does the number of games. Plus, I would bet the TV contracts call for more money on regular season games than pre-season.

Originally Posted by TexanBacker93

I'm under the impression that adding a 17th regular season game would go along with the elimination of 2 preseason games. That's where I doubt the owners want to see a change. They make more off the preseason games where they don't have to pay the players their regular salaries and the fans still pay full cost for the tickets, parking, beer, etc..

What I heard was one less pre-season game and one more regular season game, i.e. the number of games stays exactly the same. The amounts paid stay the same regardless of how the checks get divided so they don't make more for any one game compared to the others based on this issue. Heck if they were eliminating 2 pre-season games the players would actually be getting the better end of the deal since they would get the same pay with less work.