Owners Preparing To Go Forward With 18-Game Regular Season

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:10 am

Interesting.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d ... nfirm=true

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:18 am

Wow, very interesting. Here's the story from Jason La Canfora of NFL.com:

NEW YORK -- The NFL made a presentation to the NFL Players Association during a collective bargaining session in New York on Wednesday espousing the merits of moving to an 18-game season. The session took place at the league offices in New York City and included top officials from both sides, with the crux of the roughly two hours devoted to the concept of the "enhanced season," as the NFL is calling it.

Mark Murphy, president of the Green Bay Packers and a member of the league's negotiating team, briefed some national media on the proposal after the meeting, saying that it would not be adapted until 2012 at the earliest and suggesting the NFL would consider reducing the preseason from four games to two, adjusting roster size and injured reserve rules, and adding a bye week at the start of the regular season as part of the initiative. Murphy also said the NFL is studying the concept of adding its own developmental league -- likely in the spring -- within the United States to replace the league's past efforts in Europe.

"I think this is an idea that is really gaining momentum particularly within the owners," Murphy said of the enhanced season. "It's something we've talked a lot about over the last year."

NFL owners have yet to vote on moving to an 18-game regular season, but Commissioner Roger Goodell has spoken out strongly in favor of it on many occasions. Murphy said the league would not act unilaterally to impose this plan on players, with it being in his mind part of the solution to the gulf that currently exists between the sides as they try to hash out a new labor agreement before the current one expires in the spring.
"We really try to provide top quality value to our fans ... To me one thing that stands out as being different is the preseason."
-- Mark Murphy, Packers president

"This is all subject to our bargaining process with the players," said Murphy, a former NFL player and former vice president of the NFLPA, after the first negotiation between the NFL and NFLPA since February.

George Atallah, assistant executive director of external affairs for the NFLPA, said the union would not have a formal response to the proposal other than to point out three primary concerns with it. He said the NFLPA had "concerns" about the reliability of the data the league provided regarding the impact of an 18-game regular season and injury risks, and how the league would provide "post-career health care." And, as well, how players would be paid, with Atallah suggesting there would have to be "enhanced compensation," to the players since the number of meaningful games is expanding.

"Those are the three real key things for us," Atallah said.

Two All-Pros -- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis -- also expressed concern about the long-term impact of playing more regular-season games each season.

“I’ve taken part in several postseason runs where we have played 20 games," Brady said. "The long-term impact this game has on our bodies is well documented. Look no further than the players that came before we did. Each player today has to play three years in order to earn five years of post-career health care. Our Union has done a great job of raising the awareness on these issues and will make the right decision for us players, the game and the fans.”

Added Lewis: “I’ve been blessed to play this game for so long, but it’s time to start thinking about what legacy and impact changes like this will leave for the players of tomorrow and us after we retire. I know our fans may not like preseason games and I don’t like all of them, but swapping two preseason games for two end-of-season games -- when players already play hurt -- comes at a huge cost for the player and the team.”

Murphy was asked about whether salaries would have to escalate under this plan, and the league's contention is that the longer regular season would enhance revenues for all parties, which would increase the amount of money that goes to players, and thus salaries will be higher. Preseason revenues are included in that total pot -- the league points out that the average NFL starter plays just five to six total quarters over those four games -- and, from a league standpoint, whether the players get that compensation over 16 game checks or 18 game checks is somewhat arbitrary.

Under the current CBA "players get close to 60 percent of revenue," Murphy said, "and if we grow revenue then they're going to get it. That would be the way we would approach it. It's an opportunity to work together and grow the game and part of it is providing more value to our fans. The quality of our preseasons has really deteriorated over time."

That notion of playing two more full games for no additional compensation does not sit well with many players and agents, according to sources, and when asked about the union's reaction to Wednesday's proposal, Murphy deferred to union officials and players. The NFLPA was represented Wednesday by Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, Cornelius Bennett (a union official among retired players) and its legal team. Murphy was the only person from Wednesday's session formally made available to the media.

Injuries are the other issue where there is the greatest potential for disagreement. Murphy would not get into the specifics of the league's injury study on the impact of an 18-game season, but said:

"The study shows the injury rate does not increase over the course of the season. I think the concern is the cumulative effect if you're playing more, and that's again where I think we really have to be thoughtful about this, and we're going to want the input of players and coaches and the Competition Committee."

The league would look at the length of training camps and offseason programs, the number of two-a-days, and also continue researching the best possible equipment innovations to reduce the safety concerns, Murphy said, as well as continue to study possible changes to the rules to ensure greater safety.

Unlock HQ Video HQ video delivered by Akamai

An 18-game season also would likely come with a one-week break for all teams after the second and final preseason game, larger practice squads and overall roster size, and possibly a return to the old system of injured reserve. Now if a player is put on IR to clear a roster spot, he is out for the season, but in the past he would have to miss at least six weeks.

A developmental league is also an idea gaining traction among owners, and could add to the revenue streams as well. NFL Europe went out of existence in 2007, as the game never captured most audiences abroad, but the need to cultivate young talent on and off the field remains. Some very initial proposals have included possibly all teams located in Florida, but regardless the league would be based in the U.S., Murphy said. The project also would serve to develop coaches and officials, Murphy said.

"It would be a real positive for us as a league," Murphy said.

In general, the league believes that players and teams do not require four weeks of preseason to be prepared, and the declining interest in exhibition football does not sit well with league officials. Adding games to the regular season also increases the ability to play more abroad as well, as the NFL continues its efforts to capture more of the global market.

Given the success Goodell has had getting his initiatives passed thus far in his tenure, it would not be surprising to see the enhanced season being a part of the next CBA, with the sides needing to clear several impediments between now and then.

"As you look across the NFL and everything we offer," Murphy said, "we really try to provide top quality value to our fans, whether it's the regular season or postseason, the draft and the combine. To me one thing that stands out as being different is the preseason."

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:21 am

The obvious question from the NFFC perspective is how do we tailor our contest? Do we simply add more playoff weeks. Do we include an All Play format for both Main Events? Granted, we're at least two years away from this happening if it does but it never hurts to start planning for the future.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:27 am

Okay, let's talk some fantasy football here and how an 18-game season would affect our favorite game:

** Would you run 17 game regular seasons in fantasy football and not just play Week 18? Or will so many players be resting at the end of this long season that you would not play Weeks 17 and 18?

** Would you run the Classic and Primetime for 14 weeks and then run the Championship Round and Consolation Round for 4 weeks? Or should we go 15 and 3 with two weeks of "All Play" in the Classic and four weeks of "All Play" in the Primetime?

** Would we need to expand roster sizes with all of the potential injuries of a longer season?

Do you think this 18-game season will go through? Do you want it to go through? Will this be the key to getting a 2011 collective bargaining agreement done before the start of 2011 or will this divide the two sides even more? Wow, lots of questions to answer here. Should be wild.

TamuScarecrow · Post by **TamuScarecrow** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:52 am

Do you think this 18-game season will go through? Do you want it to go through?I see this being negotiated down to a 17-week regular season with a 3-week pre-season. I see the NFFC having the option of staying with 14-team leagues or going to 15-team leagues with the format and rosters staying the same. Maybe you double the FA money and let your FF owner management skills create the excitement vs. drafting a DC roster. The schedule for the regular season and the post-season would either stay the same for 14-team leagues ending Weeks 13 and 16 or for 15-team leagues, end Weeks 14 and 17.

** Would you run 17 game regular seasons in fantasy football and not just play Week 18? Or will so many players be resting at the end of this long season that you would not play Weeks 17 and 18?

** Would you run the Classic and Primetime for 14 weeks and then run the Championship Round and Consolation Round for 4 weeks? Or should we go 15 and 3 with two weeks of "All Play" in the Classic and four weeks of "All Play" in the Primetime?

** Would we need to expand roster sizes with all of the potential injuries of a longer season?As for the current 18-week proposal, I would keep the 14-team leagues and the schedule format the same with the regular season ending in Week 13 and the post-season ending in Week 16. I would increase the FA money to $1500 and keep roster size the same.

Hammerheads · Post by **Hammerheads** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:54 am

I think it's obvious the owners want this and the new CBA doesn't get done with out it.

moyer1313 · Post by **moyer1313** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:00 am

This is going to be very quick, hopefully, it is comprehensible (and maybe even some of it will be spelled correctly).

- I think the 18-game season is just something the Owners are plugging now, so when the real negotiations start they can say, "OK, we'll drop the 18-game season in exchange for the Rookie Salary Cap."

- Assuming a 19-Week season with 18 games, I think moving the Fantasy Championship Games to Week 18 would be tough. Too many players would be rested in the NFL because of more injuries and potentially more NFL Playoff spots already being determined before Week 18 than are currently determined currently before Week 17.

- We are all familiar with the Fantasy schedule as it is, leaving it as is would be OK.

- Maybe adding 1 more week to the Fantasy schedule would be OK, but I would avoid adding 2 more weeks.

- Any adjustments to the Fanatsy schedule CAN NOT include breaking Leagues into Divisions! This is an absolute NO GO for me.

- Also to be considered, they might throw in a 2nd BYE Week for everyone, which would make it a 20-Week season.

Just some quick notes in what I am sure will be a very interesting discussion.

Mark
Follow Me

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:00 am

The concerns I see from a fantasy perspective are:

1. Increased injuries. This one is obvious and everyone can see it. Even the owners understand it since part of the discussion is increasing the roster size. The greater the chance of injuries means the greater the chance of top players being injured. And one injury to a top player is often a killer in fantasy football.

2. More teams resting players late in the season. Rarely do we see teams resting players now with two-plus weeks left in the season. It usually only happens in Week 17. But with more games, I'm willing to wager more teams will strongly consider sitting top players late in the season if they have games won or division/playoff berths secured. The schedule is going to place an even greater toll physically on the players so doing everything possible to keep them healthy is the prudent move to make. And obviously, if key players sit then fantasy production is significantly impacted.

Those are the two that jump out at me first and foremost.

TamuScarecrow · Post by **TamuScarecrow** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:09 am

I think Mark has hit on something here with the addition of a 2nd bye week. Wouldn't that be a heck of an addition to fantasy football and team management.

As for injuries, Tom/Greg, there are only two solutions I can think of, increasing the FA money or increasing roster size. I am for increasing the FA money as bodies will be flying back and forth from the FA pool fast and furious and this is where I think the championships are won and lost.

The problem I see here is the NFLPA head is an Obama guy and nothing good has come from anyone associated with the Prez yet. This guy may not be qualified to teach kindergarten, netherlone handle union negotiations. Is Marvin Miller still alive????