When did Gordon Gekko Become the Commissioner of the NFL?

I am not a destroyer of Pro Football. I am a liberator of it! The point is, NFL owners, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save the NFL, but will also save our wives from having to go to the gross supermarket across town with the sticky floor. It will save our children from driving Chevy Malibus. I will save us from sleeping with mistresses who look like Artie Lange. Thank you very much.

That was a fantastic speech, Roger. Well-said. However, as the old saying goes, Well-done is better than well-said.

As the NFL season approaches, there is a hot topic among NFL owners, players, and fans. In an effort to increase fan interest, and in turn, increase revenue, there is strong interest in expanding the NFL regular season. Potentially, the NFL preseason, currently consisting of four games, would be shortened to two games. Those two games would be tacked onto the regular season to make it an 18-game season, two more than than the current 16-game season.

This is not Wall Street. This is the NFL. Greed is not good. Greed is bad.

In theory, two extra games could fatten TV revenues. It could drum up attendance. It could increase advertising. Look, I'm not a fool. I'm aware that the NFL is a business, and these days, football is king. But the league needs to consider the ramifications:


Player Safety - NFL players are not dumb. This is a gladiator sport. From the first day each player put on pads, they knew that there was the possibility of injury. But over the course of a 16-game season, playing against the fastest, strongest, meanest players in the game, everyone gets banged up. Adding two more games would put players at risk of further injuries.

It's this issue that makes the move to 18 games seem puzzling. Recently, the NFL has changed some rules to protect players from concussions and other injuries during games. If there is an interest in protecting players, then an 18-game season, and the increased potential of injuries, is not the way to go.

More Contract Disputes - NFL owners think that two more regular season games will bring in more money for their organization. Take a guess where some of that money might be going.

With a longer NFL regular season, the risks that come with that, and the average career of an NFL player, agents and their clients will have more ammunition at the bargaining table when contract talks come up.



Blackouts - According to the NFL's Blackout Policy, if a game does not sell out within 72 hours of kickoff, then the game will not be televised within a 75-mile radius. The deadline to sell out may be extended if there is a big game.

In 2008, there were 9 games that were blacked out due to poor ticket sales. In 2009, that number increased to 22 blackouts.

The economy is in terrible shape. Fans just don't have the money to go to games right now. If blackouts have increased, that means there is an attendance problem. What makes the fat-cat owners think that fans will shell out money for two extra games when they aren't going to the games that are on the schedule now? I'm a few credits short of my MBA, but this seems like a bad business decision.



The Unique Factor - The NHL plays 82 regular season games. Same for the NBA. MLB plays 162 regular season games.

The NFL plays 16 games.

Part of why the NFL is special and unique is the amount of games, or lack thereof, compared to other top pro leagues. NFL teams only have 16 games to state their case.

Even if the NFL added two more games, the amount of regular season games would still be significantly less than the other leagues. The concern here is the precedent it would set. Changing the amount of games would open the floodgates for future season expansions. While this wouldn't be the first time the league has expanded the season, the question here is 'where does it end?' What happens when the owners decide 18 regular season games isn't enough? Do they go to 20 games, and just wipe out the preseason? What happens when the owners want more than 20 games? Do they just make the players play all year? There needs to be a cut-off.


The Preseason is Important.... - ...and I'll explain why.

The NFL is a league of stars. Peyton Manning. Ray Lewis. Wes Welker. Donovan McNabb. Dwight Freeney. Adrian Peterson. You get the picture.

What happens when these stars get hurt? What happens if they retire? What happens if they decide to go to a bar, get crazy drunk, and go Ron Burgundy on some poor girl in a bathroom?

Coaches and General Managers need to know what's in the cupboard. There isn't a developmental league for the NFL like there is for other pro sports. Making matters more complicated is the rule that NFL teams must be down to 53 men by the start of the season, with a few extra players designated as practice squad players. Preseason games are essential in creating valuable depth for the future. These game-like situations showcase the abilities of the back-ups better than practice sessions can.

From a fan's perspective, some of these preseason games can be very entertaining. Because there isn't a 'D-league,' there is no tomorrow for some of the players who get invited to camp, so to speak. If they don't play well, they will ::::::dramatic gasp::::: have to use their college diploma to get a real job ::::::cue dramatic music::::: . While casual fans want to see the stars, they also like to see exciting games with big plays. In the past, during the last games of the preseason (when third-stringers and players who are on the cusp of making the roster get the lion's share of the snaps), players have shown up and given fans plenty to watch.

From a public relations standpoint, where has the NFL been? The preseason can be sold very well. Fans love a good underdog storyline, and the league has a great on in its lap. Here they are, the bubble players. Vying for a roster spot, this is their time to shine. These players have no protection, no guarantees, no sure-things. They are playing for a place to go on Monday morning. Do or die. Now or never. There you go. If the NFL wanted, the preseason could be embraced by fans if the presentation was better.


Greed is Bad.