Why Does the NFL Have 17 Games?

The NFL has had 17 regular season games since the 2010 season. There are a number of reasons why the league decided to add two additional games to the schedule. One reason is that the additional games generate more revenue for the league and its teams. another reason is that it helps to create a more competitive balance between teams.

The NFL is a business, and like any business, it is always looking for ways to generate more revenue. Adding two additional games to the schedule is one way

The NFL’s History with an Odd Number of Games

The NFL’s history with an odd number of games dates back to 1961, when the league expanded from 12 to 14 games. That remained the status quo for nearly three decades, until the league expanded again in 1990, adding two more games to bring the total up to 16.

The odd number of games became an issue once again in 2002, when the NFL introduced a new regular-season format that included a bye week for each team. That meant that there would be an uneven number of games played in a given week, which meant that some teams would have an advantage over others.

In order to solve that problem, the NFL decided to add two more regular-season games to its schedule, bringing the total up to 18. But that created another problem: an unbalanced schedule. So in 2006, the NFL went back to 17 regular-season games.

The current format is not without its critics, who argue that it puts too much of a premium on winning and makes it difficult for teams to make the playoffs. But for now, it appears that 17 is here to stay.

Why the NFL Chose 17 Games

It really comes down to television.

The NFL has always been a league driven by TV. In the 1950s, it was one of the first sports leagues to sell the broadcast rights to its games as a package, rather than game by game. That was a watershed moment, because it meant that networks could advertise NFL games as a must-watch event, rather than just another game on the schedule. The NFL quickly became one of the most popular programs on television, and has remained so ever since.

In recent years, as ratings for live sports have declined, the NFL has only become more valuable to broadcasters. In 2018, the league generated $8 billion in TV revenue, which was almost double what it generated just five years earlier. And that money is only going to go up in the future; last year, the NFL signed a new set of television contracts that will increase its annual TV revenue to $10 billion by 2027.

So it’s no surprise that when the NFL started considering expanding its regular season from 16 games to 17 games, it did so with an eye towards TV. Adding another week of games would mean additional revenue from broadcast rights and increased interest from advertisers. It would also mean more opportunities for fans to watch their favorite teams play live on TV; according to one estimate, expanding the season would result in an additional 1.5 billion viewers for NFL games over the next ten years.

Not everyone is happy about the possibility of a 17-game season. Players have concerns about their health and safety, and some have suggested that expanding the season would lead to even more injuries than we already see in the NFL. But as long as TV networks are willing to pay billions of dollars for broadcast rights, it seems likely that expansion is inevitable—and that we’ll be seeing more football on our screens in the years to come.

How the NFL’s Schedule Works

The NFL’s regular season is 17 weeks long, with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week. The bye week is typically scheduled in the same week for each team, though it can be flexed if necessary. For example, if a team has its bye in Week 4 and there are multiple teams with byes in that week, the league may move one of the team’s byes to Week 5 so that there are no more than six teams with byes in any given week.

The NFL schedule is based on a 16-game season, but because of bye weeks and scheduling quirks, not all teams play 16 games in a given year. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a team to play as few as 14 or 15 games in a season.

The NFL schedule is divided into two halves: the first eight weeks are referred to as the “first half” of the season, while the second half is Weeks 9-17. Each team has two byes during the first half of the season: one in Week 4 and another in either Week 8 or 9.

The Pros and Cons of the NFL’s New Schedule

The NFL’s new 17-game schedule has been met with mixed reactions. Some people love it, some people hate it. Here, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of the new schedule to help you make up your own mind.

Pros:
-More games means more revenue for the NFL. This is good for both the league and the players, as they will receive a larger share of the pie.
-It gives fans more football to watch. This is a good thing for diehard fans who can’t get enough of the sport.
-It levels the playing field a bit, as teams that have historically struggled will now have a better chance to make the playoffs.

Cons:
-It increases the risk of player injuries, as there will be more games played over the course of a season. This is bad for both the players and the fans, as injuries can be devastating to watch unfold.
-It could lead to more blowouts, as teams with superior records will be more likely to win their divisional games and earn a playoff spot. This could make the playoffs less competitive and less interesting to watch.