I can't take credit for this idea. I heard it elsewhere but I think it will solve the Thursday night issue. Between the players complaining and the quality of the game this might be the only plan that works. Besides the first Thursday game of the year they should only do the Thursday night games the weeks of the byes. From their two teams that are coming off a bye will get a Thursday night game. If they did that both teams would get ten days off between their last Sunday game and Thursday game and another ten days off before their next Sunday game. Be a win win for everyone. The players will get one real bye and then another mini bye in back to back weeks. The quality of the game will improve and I think people will be happier. The only negative is people will complain that the Cowboys and Lions will always have a mid year byebecause of the Thanksgiving Day Game but I think people will be ok with that. Just a thought.
To me, it's pretty simple. Like many others have said, you can schedule Thursday games only for teams coming off the bi week. They don't have to eliminate Thursday games completely. Then teams have a week+ to prepare, and then get an extended rest afterwards. This way they keep their prime time ratings, and fans get to enjoy the games more since teams are better prepared. Win-win.
If teams really did have a bi week it might open up a whole new fanbase. Solve TNF and improve the ratings at the same time. Goodell would be a genius. Sorry, couldn't resist...
I presented this same idea a while back, and someone pointed out it doesn't solve the weeks there are no byes. Thus I have come up with a real crazy idea! So a more complicated solution is to actually have a schedule that guarantees a NFL game every day. Bye weeks are actually eliminated and teams play on average 8 days apart. So there would be 18 weeks and two days to have a 16 game schedule. This would involve a complex algorithm that has teams in common divisions recirculate their schedules with common opponents. There are 32 teams so you actually have 16 x 16 = 256 games a year. 18 weeks and 2 days will actually make the season 128 days. This would ensure two NFL games every day since 256/128 = 2. For you computer geeks note the binary nature which makes it ideal for software programmers developing the schedule. I should also add that teams would encounter a 6,7,8,9, and 10 game differentials during the season. This would provide the NFL with tremendous TV revenue with less games competing with each other. This would also give fans a chance to see and learn about more teams. This will however not stop the Patriots from winning Super Bowls probably. The problem I am having is trying to determine the playoff schedule after this. This solution may involve a Fibonacci sequence, not sure. I have been trying to reach out to Ernie Adams, but he will not answer my calls! Will get back to you later on this after some more research. Who knows I might be able to sell this to the NFL and hang out with upper crust folks like Roger.
I agree with you. Unfortanately because they are making money off of this it is here to stay until the contract runs out.
The nfls anti trust exemption bars them from playing every day of the week. This has come up a few times while talking about rescheduling due to hurricanes . Not to mention the flack you would catch scheduling a game on a Friday night in the deep South. Them boys like their high school football down there
