Why is Eagles-Packers allowed on a Friday night in September? Here's the legal reason behind it

You don’t normally see NFL games on Friday nights, particularly so early in the regular season.

But here we are, with a game being held in Brazil between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers on Friday in Week 1 of 2024.

So why is that allowed when we haven’t seen in the past few decades? There’s actually a legal reason behind it.

Per Forbes, here’s the law that explains it and why it doesn’t apply here: “The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 provided the NFL and other leagues a broadcasting antitrust exemption. The law states there can be no professional football games on Friday nights after 6 p.m. or any Saturday from the second weekend of September through the second weekend of December.”

That prevents games from interfering with high school or college games on that night. BUT! We’re in the first weekend of September right now. So it’s game on this Friday!