Why Is There A Saturday Nfl Game?
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Some people may be wondering why there is an NFL game on Saturday this week. Here’s a quick explanation!
The History of the Saturday NFL Game
The NFL has been playing games on Saturday evenings during the preseason and regular season since its inception in 1920. The idea was to attract more fans to the game by playing on a day when most people were not working.
The first Saturday night game was played on September 25, 1920, between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles. It was not televised, but was well-attended, with over 10,000 fans in attendance.
Saturday night games became more common in the 1950s, when more people had televisions and there were more games being played. In 1953, the NFL began televising one regular season game per week on Saturdays. This continued until 1970, when the NFL moved all of its televised games to Sunday afternoon.
However, in 1971, the NFL made a deal with NBC to televise two regular season games on Saturday nights. This was done in order to take advantage of the largest television audience of the week. The games were not popular with fans or players, as they were often played in cold weather and bad weather conditions. As a result, they were not renewed after the 1971 season.
In 2006, the NFL announced that it would once again televise regular season games on Saturday nights during the latter part of the season (weeks 15 and 16), in order to increase ratings and revenue. This has been a successful strategy for the league, as television ratings for these games are typically higher than for other timeslots during the week.
The Popularity of the Saturday NFL Game
The Saturday NFL game has become a popular tradition for many football fans. There are several reasons why the game is so popular. First, it gives fans a chance to see their favorite team play in a different setting. Second, it gives them a chance to see other teams that they may not normally get to see. Third, the games are usually played in prime time, which makes them more convenient for fans to watch. Finally, the games are often televised on national networks, which gives fans a chance to see the best players in the country compete against each other.
The Impact of the Saturday NFL Game on Ratings
The National Football League (NFL) has been televising games on Saturday nights during the playoffs since 1972. The league has typically broadcast one game on the first Saturday night of the playoffs, and two games on the second Saturday night. In recent years, the NFL has also begun televising a game on the third Saturday night of the playoffs.
The Saturday NFL game broadcasts have traditionally had quite high ratings, due in large part to the fact that there are no other major sporting events competing for viewers on that night. However, there have been some concerns that the ratings for the Saturday games may be starting to decline.
One reason for this may be that the NFL has been increasingly televising more games on Thursdays and Fridays, which gives fans more Options for when to watch football. Additionally, many fans may simply prefer to watch football on Sundays, when most of the games are played.
It will be interesting to see how the ratings for this year’s Saturday NFL games compare to previous years. If the ratings do continue to decline, it is possible that the NFL may eventually move away from broadcasting games on Saturdays altogether.
The Future of the Saturday NFL Game
The Saturday NFL game has been a tradition since the early days of the league. But with a new broadcast contract in place, it is possible that the game could go away.
The NFL’s broadcast contract with CBS, NBC, and FOX expires after the 2022 season. And while it is still early, there has been talk that the league could move the Saturday game to another day.
There are several reasons why the league might make this move. First, the ratings for the Saturday game have been declining in recent years. Second, moving the game to another day would give the NFL a chance to market its product to a different audience.
The most likely scenario is that the Saturday game would be moved to Sunday morning. This would allow the NFL to air its games from coast-to-coast and reach a larger audience.
But even if the Saturday game is moved, it is still possible that it could return in future years. The NFL has shown that it is willing to make changes to its schedule in order to provide fans with the best possible product.