# NFL Proposes 18-Game Schedule, But Players Only Play 16? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 13, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020 "2019-07-13T15:03:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/21 "2019-07-14T18:03:55Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > so I would assume they would let fans know Rogers’ two games off ahead of time as a courtesy, if this happens. How far in advance? Remember, you are letting the opponents of those games know as well. Does every team have to announce a certain day’s “days off” at the same time, or does it turn into a big-money game of chicken to see who announces first? It’s not just local fans; bookmakers and fantasy players would like some advance word on who isn’t playing particular games. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/22 "2019-07-14T18:55:13Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > How far in advance? Remember, you are letting the opponents of those games know as well. Does every team have to announce a certain day’s “days off” at the same time, or does it turn into a big-money game of chicken to see who announces first? > > It’s not just local fans; bookmakers and fantasy players would like some advance word on who isn’t playing particular games. these are all valid points you are making:) its going to be tough to make a reality. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/23 "2019-07-14T19:27:18Z")
I’m in favor of doing one or two more games if it means they no longer have a Pro Bowl nobody watches. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/24 "2019-07-14T19:44:03Z")
This makes even less sense than the proposal for the Tampa Bay Rays to play half their home games in Montreal. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/25 "2019-07-15T21:07:53Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > as far as the offensive linemen go , the backup QB would not be playing with 5 backup O linemen. They can spread the weeks off for the linemen. But maybe not. Offensive lines work best when it’s the same five players out there over and over. They need to work as a cohesive unit. Maybe it would be best to just sit them all at once. To give a fantasy football analogy, there’s two main strategies for handling bye weeks. You either try and draft players so only 1 or 2 are out at a given time. Or you try and draft everyone under the same bye week, and just punt that game rather than have a constantly weakened team. So maybe an NFL coach would do the same. Sit all your starters at once, and just accept the lost. Not that it matters anyway though: > **[NFL players’ union rejects latest proposal for 18-game season](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/07/13/nfl-players-union-rejects-latest-proposal-game-season/?utm_source=reddit.com&utm_term=.1dfac357b0ab)** > > NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith said the idea wasn't good for players "under any circumstance." ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/26 "2019-07-15T21:30:33Z")
Not sure why the league was so strongly behind it in the first place- I am told preseason games are surprisingly fairly well attended (may be wrong but at full ticket price IIRC), and though the TV ratings pale in comparison to regular season games, they often still get better ratings than regular programming. Also the Pro Bowl usually wins its time slot as well. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/27 "2019-07-15T22:41:09Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Not sure why the league was so strongly behind it in the first place- I am told preseason games are surprisingly fairly well attended (may be wrong but at full ticket price IIRC), and though the TV ratings pale in comparison to regular season games, they often still get better ratings than regular programming. Also the Pro Bowl usually wins its time slot as well. Looking at preseason tickets on Ticketmaster, they’re typically about 1/3 the price of regular season games. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/28 "2019-07-16T00:07:33Z")
> [@Helmut\_Doork](#): > > Not sure why the league was so strongly behind it in the first place- I am told preseason games are surprisingly fairly well attended (may be wrong but at full ticket price IIRC), and though the TV ratings pale in comparison to regular season games, they often still get better ratings than regular programming. Also the Pro Bowl usually wins its time slot as well. Every single NFL regular season game is carried by a major network (CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN and / or NFL Network), and are part of the league’s contract with the networks. Some preseason games are carried by those networks, but the rest (probably a majority) of preseason games are broadcast by local / regional stations, contracted to carry the games by the individual teams. I will guarantee you that there would be more money in the league’s pockets (and, thus, in the teams’ pockets) if two of those preseason games were replaced by regular season games, at the higher payout of the regular season TV contract. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/29 "2019-07-16T01:21:35Z")
season ticket holders have to buy 2 preseason games along with the 8 regular season games. (except for the rare games at a neutral site such as the HOF game) When the season was 14 games they had 6 preseason games. They just converted 2 of the 6 to regular season games. I doubt they will only have 2 preseason games if they go to 18 regular games. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/30 "2019-07-16T03:14:32Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > season ticket holders have to buy 2 preseason games along with the 8 regular season games. (except for the rare games at a neutral site such as the HOF game) > > When the season was 14 games they had 6 preseason games. They just converted 2 of the 6 to regular season games. I doubt they will only have 2 preseason games if they go to 18 regular games. They’re talking seriously about dropping two of the preseason games regardless of whether or not the regular season is extended. It seems like the player’s association at least is pushing for it. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/31 "2019-07-16T03:47:29Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > When the season was 14 games they had 6 preseason games. They just converted 2 of the 6 to regular season games. I doubt they will only have 2 preseason games if they go to 18 regular games. The NFL went to 16 games (and only 4 preseason games) over 40 years ago (in 1978), and it was a completely different league back then. At that time, NFL salaries weren’t nearly as high as they are now (even accounting for inflation), and many players had off-season jobs, because they didn’t make terribly much playing football. Thus, training camp was even more important then, than it is now, to help get the players back into “football shape,” and it was more important for even the starters to get game action in preseason games, to be ready to go for the regular season. With the amount of money that even backup players now make, players generally don’t need to look to make outside income during the offseason, just to make ends meet, and they can focus on staying in good physical shape. Preseason games are now primarily how teams evaluate rookies and marginal players, and (in some cases) make decisions on who wins a starting position. Generally speaking, starters play little during the preseason, and I suspect that most teams could deal with the elimination of one or two preseason games without much distress. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/32 "2019-07-24T20:42:38Z")
:rolleyes: But no one is discussing the real issue, how will this affect fantasy football? 18 games with players playing only 16, plus probably an extra bye week… ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/33 "2019-07-24T21:28:56Z")
16 games is plenty for a season. This whole sit out 2 games is nonsense. Really? Owners want their playoff chances to rest on the foot of a fucking backup kicker two games a year? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020/34 "2019-07-25T14:20:42Z")
nothing will happen until the next union contract is up to be renewed after the 2020 season. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-proposes-18-game-schedule-but-players-only-play-16/837020.md?page=1)