An extended-rumored change to the NFL is inching nearer to fruition.
In keeping with a brand new report from Mark Maske of The Washington Submit, the NFL and the NFLPA have begun “high-level discussions” relating to a transfer to an 18-game schedule. As reported in The Washington Submit Lloyd Howell, the NFLPA’s government director, instructed Maske that whereas “formal” talks between the NFL and the NFLPA haven’t begun, the 2 sides have begun discussions which might be the most recent signal but {that a} transfer to an extended schedule is on the desk.
“Now we have talked at a really, very, very excessive degree superficially, with a recognition … about, ‘Yeah, that is one thing that we ought to be speaking about. And we should always actually kick the tires and perceive what else goes into that decision-making course of,’ ” mentioned Howell. “The place does the 18th sport come from? I feel the foregone conclusion is properly, you simply seize it, like, in what would in any other case be [preseason games] in August. You play it ahead. However these are particulars that basically should be fleshed out. However, once more, there are different financial, well being and security issues that additionally should be clear to our members earlier than there’s ever an settlement about an 18th sport.”
The league’s present collective bargaining settlement runs by way of the 2030 season, and accommodates provisions barring the league from unilaterally rising the size of the season. Nonetheless, Howell instructed Maske that an settlement might be reached between the league and the gamers’ union to extend the quantity of video games previous to a brand new CBA being ratified.
“The easy reality of the matter is when you could have a rising enterprise and there are alternatives inside that intervening time period the place progress might be made and you can tweak the present CBA authorized doc, why wouldn’t you wish to do this?” Howell mentioned. “So whether or not it’s area floor, whether or not it’s the [offseason] schedule, if you wish to name that formal — I name it bargaining. I name it amendments. I name it updates to what’s now a dwelling doc referred to as a CBA. Yeah, I need to have the ability to have our membership ready to leap on it after we can, not wait till their enjoying days are carried out and it’s such as you undergo the cycle once more.”
Talking on the NFL’s proprietor conferences earlier this spring NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell famous a choice for an extended schedule, and indicated {that a} discount within the variety of preseason video games might be on the desk as a part of such an settlement.
“We’d do it within the context of lowering the variety of preseason video games,” mentioned Goodell in April. “We predict that’s a very good commerce.”
One other potential implication of an 18-game schedule?
Aligning the Tremendous Bowl with Presidents’ Day Weekend in the US, constructing in a possible break day for followers.
One thing Goodell additionally highlighted again in April.
“I feel we’re good at 17 now,” Goodell mentioned in April. “However, hear, we’re how we proceed. I’m not a fan of the preseason. The truth is, I’d fairly change a preseason sport with a regular-season sport any day. That’s simply selecting high quality. If we get to 18 and a pair of, that’s not an unreasonable factor.
“After which you could have Monday off,” Goodell mentioned referring to the vacation weekend.
