NFL owners and players are currently coming to blows regarding a new schedule. Owners want to see an 18-game season in order to increase league revenue. The players obviously don’t want this, as two extra games would only create higher injury risk.
The NFL owners have proposed a wide variety of possible solutions for an 18-game season, but none seem to make any sense. Whether it’s adding an extra bye week or limiting players to only 16 games per season, each plan is destined to be shot down by the Players’ Association.
However, perhaps there is a solution which could make both sides happy. Instead of adding two games on to the schedule, the NFL should agree to give each team an extra bye week and extend the season to 18 weeks instead of 17. Both players and owners can get what they want without either side having to sacrifice anything of note.
Possible Fix to the NFL Schedule
Why the Owners Would Like It
Even though this proposal doesn’t create an extra two games, this still creates an extra week of action. By adding that extra week, owners will be able to get even more money from national television contracts. Teams split national television revenue evenly, so each and every owner would benefit from the second bye week.
According to Andrew Brant of The Monday Morning Quarterback, the Green Bay Packers brought in $274 million in national television money. Doing some rough napkin math tells us that each team makes roughly $17.125 million dollar per week based on nothing other than national television income. Extending the season by that extra week will add nearly $20 million in revenue for each and every owner in the league.
This doesn’t even factor in some of the added financial bonuses of the final week of play. Extending the season another week gives fans more chance to buy team merchandise which, in turn, further fattens the wallets of the NFL owners.
While this added change is minimal compared to the extra television money, it’s still something. The players are still playing 16 games, so owners won’t have to worry about re-negotiating existing contracts for additional work. This proposal would allow the owners to collect a free $20 million without having to forfeit anything on their end.
Why the Players Would Like It
Of course, the NFLPA would have every reason to agree to this proposal. For one, it gives the players more rest without adding any additional work. The bye week is obviously a huge boost for recovering players, and now every player in the league gets another one. Theoretically, this should allow players to rest up, get healthy, and actually reduce the number of injuries in the game.
Additionally, this change should indirectly lead to more money going to the players. As league revenue increases, so does the salary cap. As previously established, adding a bye week would increase the NFL’s overall revenue. This creates a larger salary cap, which means teams will hand out larger, more lucrative contracts to players.
The current CBA mandates that all teams must spend at least 89% of the salary cap within a four-year period, and most teams easily meet that threshold. While players currently under contract won’t be affected, adding a bye week will significantly increase the financial gain once a players hits free agency.
Ultimately, giving the players an additional bye week would benefit both the owners and the players. The owners just want money, and the added revenue should give approximately $20 million to every team in the league. This doesn’t even factor in the added sales revenue from the additional week of exposure.
The players, meanwhile, will get an extra week to rest up and get healthy. Player safety is a serious issue in today’s NFL, and adding a bye week should theoretically improve that issue. Additionally, the added revenue will lead to an increased salary cap, which in turn leads to more money for the players. Everyone wins.
