Why Is the NFL Playing 17 Games?

The NFL is playing 17 games this season for the first time ever. Here’s why the league made the change, and what it means for fans and players.

Introduction

In 2020, the NFL will feature 17 regular-season games for the first time in its history. This expanded schedule has generated a great deal of controversy among fans and commentators, who argue that the increased number of games will lead to more player injuries and degrade the quality of play. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the motivations behind this decision and what it could mean for the future of the NFL.

The immediate catalyst for the change is a new television contract worth $100 billion that the NFL signed with CBS, NBC, and FOX in March of 2020. This gargantuan sum represents a nearly 50% increase in rights fees compared to the previous contract, and it was simply too much money for the league to turn down. In order to justify this price increase to its broadcast partners, the NFL needed to offer them something more than just 10 extra regular-season games. Therefore, it also proposed expanding the playoffs from 12 teams to 14 teams (and increasing the number of wild card games from two to three), playing one regular-season game internationally, and adding a 17th game to each team’s schedule.

Critics have argued that this expanded schedule will lead to more player injuries and degrade the quality of play. There is some merit to these concerns; after all, players only have so much physical endurance and there is evidence that fatigue can lead to more injuries. However, it’s worth noting that player safety has improved dramatically in recent years thanks to changes in rules and equipment, and there is no guarantee that increasing the number of games will lead to more injuries. In fact, some data suggests that injury rates have been declining in recent years even as the length of the season has increased.

It’s also worth noting that not all players are against expanding the schedule. Some argue that adding an extra game will simply give them another opportunity to compete and earn their salary. Others believe that a longer season will increase player mobility (as teams are more likely to cut underperforming players) and create more opportunities for young players to prove themselves.

Only time will tell whether expanding the NFL season is a wise decision or not. For now, it seems like both sides –the league and its broadcast partners– are quite happy with the arrangement

The NFL’s Argument

The NFL announced that, starting with the 2021 season, the regular season will be expanded from 16 games to 17 games. This change comes with a lot of backlash from NFL fans, but the NFL argues that the benefits of the extra game outweigh the negatives. Here’s a look at the NFL’s argument for the change.

More Revenue

The NFL is set to add a 17th game to the regular season schedule in 2021, a move that has been met with criticism from players and fans alike.

The NFL’s argument for the expanded schedule is simple: more games means more revenue. With each team playing one additional game, the NFL will be able to generate billions of dollars in additional revenue from television contracts, ticket sales, and merchandising.

The NFL has also argued that the expanded schedule will allow for a better competitive balance between teams, as each team will now play every other team at least once during the season.

Critics of the expanded schedule argue that it will lead to more player injuries and less rest for players during the already grueling NFL season. They also argue that the expanded schedule gives an unfair advantage to teams with better records, as they will now have an extra game to improve their playoff positioning.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether the expanded schedule will be a success or a failure. But one thing is certain: the NFL’s decision to add an extra game to the regular season is all about generating more revenue.

More Engagement

The NFL’s primary argument for the 17-game regular season is that it will generate more engagement from fans. The league believes that the majority of fans would rather see one extra game each year than eliminate two preseason contests.

There are some logistical concerns that come along with adding an extra game to the season, but the NFL feels confident that they can work through those issues. One thing that will need to be decided is whether or not divisional opponents will play each other twice in the 17-game season.

The NFL is also looking at potentially changing the playoff format from 12 teams to 14 teams. This would give even more teams a chance to compete for a Super Bowl title and make the regular season even more meaningful.

Ultimately, it comes down to generating more revenue and engagement from fans. The NFL believes that adding an extra game to the season is the best way to do that.

The Players’ Argument

The NFL proposed adding a 17th game to the season in its most recent collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA, and the players have pushback. Though they eventually agreed to the new CBA, they did so with the caveat that they would revisit the matter of a 17-game season. Now, as the 2021 season approaches, the NFL and NFLPA are at an impasse over the issue.

Increased Risk of Injury

With the new NFL season comes a new, expanded 17-game regular season schedule. While this may be great news for fans who want more football, it’s not such great news for the players, who are at an increased risk of injury with each additional game.

“The players’ argument is that this means they’re going to have to cut back on their offseason training in order to preserve their bodies for the regular season,” says sports medicine doctor Michael Swartzon. “And if they’re not adequately prepared physically, that increases their risk of injury during the season.”

In addition to the increased risk of injury, the players will also have to deal with additional wear and tear on their bodies over the course of a longer season.

“We already see a lot of wear and tear on these guys’ bodies during a 16-game season,” Swartzon says. ” Adding another game is just going to exacerbate that.”

So while fans may be excited for more football, the players are understandably less than thrilled about the prospect of an increased risk of injury and more wear and tear on their bodies.

Less Rest and Recovery Time

The NFL currently has a 16-game regular season schedule. Each team has one bye week during the season, meaning that they play 16 games in 17 weeks. The additional game would be played in the 18th week, which is currently being used as the bye week for all teams. This would mean that each team would play 17 games in 18 weeks, with no bye week.

The players are arguing that this is too much football, and that they need their bye week to rest and recover from the physical toll of playing 16 games. They point out that adding an additional game would simply be too much, and could lead to more injuries.

The NFL argues that the players are paid well enough to compensate for the additional game, and that they can add an extra bye week later in the season if they want. They also argue that fans want to see more football, and that 17 games would simply be more exciting than 16.

The Fans’ Argument

The NFL is playing 17 games this season and some fans are not happy about it. They think that 17 games is too many and that it will lead to more injuries. They also think that the players need more rest and that they will be burned out by the end of the season. Let’s take a look at the fans’ argument.

More Games Means More Money

If you’re a fan of the NFL, you might have noticed that the league is now playing a 17-game regular season. That’s one more game than in previous seasons. So why the change?

For the NFL, it’s all about money. With one additional game, the league can generate more revenue from television contracts, ticket sales, and merchandise. And that means more money for the owners and players.

Some fans are unhappy with the change, arguing that it will lead to more injuries and add an extra game of wear and tear on players’ bodies. But others argue that it’s just another game and that fans will ultimately benefit from getting to see their favorite teams play one more time each season.

What do you think? Is 17 games too many? Or is it just right?

More Games Means More Injuries

The idea of adding another game to the NFL regular season is not a popular one among fans. One of the biggest arguments against it is that it would lead to more injuries.

In a 16-game season, teams already have to deal with injuries. Adding another game would only increase the likelihood of players getting hurt. fans argue that this would lead to a decline in the quality of play, as teams would be fielding less talented players due to all the injuries.

Another concern is that players simply wouldn’t be able to handle the physical demands of an additional game. They would be even more tired and battered by the end of the season. This could lead to even more injuries, as players’ bodies would be more vulnerable.

Overall, fans believe that adding another game to the NFL regular season would ultimately have negative consequences, leading to more injuries and less talented teams taking the field.

Conclusion

The NFL is playing 17 games in the 2021 season because the league added a seventh team to each conference. The regular season will now consist of 16 games and one bye week for each team. The order of the games will be determined by each team’s finish in their conference the previous year. The NFL playoffs will remain the same, with four teams from each conference qualifying.