Why Does the NFL Have Saturday Games?

The NFL has had a presence on Saturday mornings during the season since its inception in 1920. The games started as a way to increase the number of games without extending the season into winter, when weather conditions would make it difficult to play.

The NFL’s History with Saturday Games

The NFL has been playing games on Saturday for almost as long as the league has existed. In fact, the very first NFL game was held on a Saturday. The NFL’s decision to play games on Saturday is a strategic one. By playing games on Saturday, the NFL ensures that it will have the American public’s attention for the entire day.

The NFL’s first Saturday games

The NFL first experimented with playing regular season games on Saturday in 1933. The league played two Saturday games that year, but they were not well received by fans and were not repeated. In 1934, the NFL schedule included four Saturday games, but again they were not popular and were not continued.

The NFL made another attempt at regular season Saturday games in 1945, this time with four games scheduled. These games were better received than the previousAttempt

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1950s

The NFL’s Saturday games began during the 1950s as a way to increase the league’s popularity. The games were originally televised on CBS, and then later on NBC. In the early years, the games were not always played on Saturday, but were often played on weekdays or even on Sunday mornings.

The Saturday games became so popular that in 1961, the NFL decided to make them a permanent part of its schedule. Since then, the NFL has typically scheduled one or two Saturday games each year. The games are usually played in December, but sometimes they are played in November or January.

The NFL’s Saturday games are always broadcast on national television, and they often attract higher ratings than the Sunday afternoon games. This is due in part to the fact that there are fewer competing sporting events on Saturdays.

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1960s

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1960s were sporadic and unattractive to fans. In an effort to increase interest in the sport, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle decided to start a new tradition of having a full slate of Saturday games during the final weeks of the season leading up to Christmas. This “Christmas Week” has become one of the most popular times for football fans, as it allows them to watch their favorite teams compete for a spot in the playoffs while also enjoying the holiday season.

The NFL’s Return to Saturday Games

The NFL is returning to Saturday games in a big way this year. After a decade-long absence, the league will once again feature games on Saturday during the regular season. This move will no doubt generate a lot of excitement among football fans. But why did the NFL make this decision?

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1970s

During the 1970s, the National Football League (NFL) implemented a system of having games every Saturday during the season. This was in response to competing interests for fans’ attention on Saturdays, as college football and Major League Baseball also scheduled games on that day. The NFL’s return to Saturday games was intended to increase interest in the sport and encourage more people to attend live games.

The NFL’s Saturday games were typically played in the afternoon, with one game being broadcast nationally on ABC. The games were not always well-attended, as many fans preferred to watch college football or baseball instead. Nevertheless, the NFL’s Saturday games were generally successful in terms of ratings and attendance.

The NFL continued to schedule Saturday games through the 1980s and 1990s, but eventually stopped doing so in order to accommodate the demands of its television partners. Today, the NFL only plays occasional Saturday games, usually during the playoffs.

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1980s

In an effort to increase viewership, the NFL decided to start holding games on Saturday during the 1980s. It was thought that by playing on a day when most people were free from work, more people would watch the games. And, indeed, ratings for Saturday games did go up. But, overall, attendance at the stadiums decreased. Many fans didn’t like having to choose between watching their favorite team and spending time with their families on Saturdays.

The NFL eventually stopped holding regular season games on Saturdays, though they do occasionally hold playoff games on Saturday nights.

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1990s

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 1990s were part of an overall strategy to grow the league’s audience and expand its reach. By playing on a day when most people are not working, the league was able to attract a larger audience than it would have otherwise. And by scheduling games on Saturday, the NFL was able to tap into a whole new television market that had previously been untapped.

The strategy worked. The NFL’s ratings increased, and the league began to eclipse baseball as America’s favorite sport. Today, Saturday games are an integral part of the NFL’s regular season schedule, and the league has no plans to abandon them any time soon.

The NFL’s Current Saturday Games

The NFL has had Saturday games since the beginning of the league. The games were originally created to generate more interest in the league and to give fans more access to their favorite teams. Today, the NFL continues to have Saturday games during the regular season and playoffs.

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 2000s

The National Football League (NFL) schedule currently includes a full slate of 16 games played on Sunday, one on Monday night, and a Thursday night game during prime time. In recent years, the NFL has also begun to schedule games on Saturdays during the later portion of the season (after Thanksgiving Day in the United States). While some fans enjoy having football games on every day of the week, others have criticized the NFL for moving away from the traditional Sunday afternoon lineup.

There are a number of reasons why the NFL has chosen to schedule games on Saturday. One reason is that it gives teams an additional day of rest between games. With the physical nature of football, players can use an extra day to recover from injuries and hard hits. Additionally, playing on Saturday allows the NFL to avoid going head-to-head with college football games, which are typically played on Saturdays. This can help draw in more viewers and potential fans of the NFL.

The NFL’s current scheduling format with Saturday games began during the 2000s. In 2003, the league added a Wild Card game (an extra playoff game) that was played on a Saturday. The following year, 2004, saw the first full slate of Saturday regular season games. Since then, there have been varying levels of Saturday coverage each year depending on scheduling and television considerations. For example, in 2006 there were four late-season Saturday games while 2007 saw only two such matchups.

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 2010s

During the 2010s, the National Football League (NFL) has scheduled a slate of Saturday games during Weeks 15 and 16 of the regular season, as well as a special Saturday Wild Card playoff game to take place during Week 18. This scheduling change was made in order to provide NFL fans with more opportunities to watch live game action. In addition, the NFL has stated that Saturday games help to generate higher television ratings and sell out stadium seats more regularly than Sunday games do.

The NFL’s Saturday games during the 2020s

In an effort to increase viewership and generate more revenue, the NFL has increasingly scheduled games on Saturday during the regular season. While this may be great for fans who are able to watch their favorite teams play on television, it has led to some criticism from players and coaches who feel that it gives an unfair advantage to teams who play on Thursday night (giving them an extra day of rest).

The NFL’s current Saturday games are:

-Week 16: TBD (will be announced later in the season)
-Week 17: TBD (will be announced later in the season)