Ever since the NFL expanded the regular season from 16 games to 17 games in 2021, the question has been when the league would expand to 18 games. Although the current CBA between the NFL and NFL Players Association doesn’t expire until 2031, the parties would be free to negotiate a further expansion if so desired.
That time is now.
In a conversation with the Washington Post, NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell acknowledged that the conversation around an 18 game regular season has already been high level discussions around exploring the idea.
Via the Washington Post :
The NFL Players Association has engaged in high-level discussions with the NFL about the potential implementation of an 18-game regular season, the NFLPA’s executive director said.
Lloyd Howell said during a meeting Monday with Washington Post reporters and editors at the NFLPA’s headquarters in D.C. that the talks between the union and the league have not yet progressed to formal negotiations. But the discussions between the two sides, which have not been previously reported, indicate that the latest pursuit by the league and team owners of an 18-game season has moved beyond the hypothetical stage.
“We have talked at a very, very, very high level superficially, with a recognition … about, ‘Yeah, this is something that we should be talking about. And we should really kick the tires and understand what else goes into that decision-making process,’ ” Howell said. “Where does the 18th game come from? I think the foregone conclusion is well, you just grab it, like, in what would otherwise be [preseason games] in August. You play it forward. But these are details that really need to be fleshed out. But, again, there are other economic, health and safety matters that also need to be clear to our members before there’s ever an agreement about an 18th game.”
The NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell have been VERY vocal about wanting an 18-game regular season , making the argument that trading a preseason game for an additional regular-season game would mark a big victory for the quality of the product. Of course, more importantly than that for the NFL, an extra regular season week would mean 16 more games that the NFL could monetize , increasing their billions of dollars of TV revenue to even greater heights. As the Post notes, it’s the first time the NFLPA has publicly acknowledged having a conversation with the NFL about the schedule expansion.
The 18-game regular season has always seemed to be a matter of “when not if” and even players like Joe Burrow have theorized how it could work in the calendar to give players more rest with the increased demand and risk of injury with an extra bye week that could even see the Pro Bowl Games played during the season. Fans will certainly be happy because America can never get enough NFL and nobody will miss a third preseason game.
Now that the NFLPA has seemingly opened the door, it will only be a matter of time before the league and players sit down and hammer out the details of what concessions and trade-offs will be made to get it done. The players will be the one taking the risk of playing an extra regular season game so the league will have to make it worth their while, but it’s hard to see it not getting done before 2031.
[ Washington Post ]
The post NFL, NFLPA begin talks for expanded 18-game regular season appeared first on Awful Announcing .
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