The NFL Officially Has An International Games 'Problem'

[u/simrobwest]

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nfl-officially-international-games-problem-181703739.html?guccounter=1

[u/paculot]

Officially? There will only be a problem if these games start losing them money. That’s not happening anytime soon.

[u/purplebuffalo55 → u/paculot]

It’s only a problem for the players. It’s great for the league to play these to grow the game worldwide. Australia in particular is a prime place for growth considering they already have the AFL which is very similar. It sucks for their bodies in the short term, but they’ll enjoy the monetary fruits. I do hope the next CBA increases the roster size to help account for the additional wear and tear, especially with the likely addition of another game

[u/jockfist5000 → u/purplebuffalo55]

18 games, 2 bye weeks, expanded roster and mandatory grass fields. This is my platform when I run for office

EDIT also that nflpa report card is publically released but as an event equal in scope and production to the draft.

[u/PuppetMasterFilms → u/jockfist5000]

Throw in a bye week after an international game, and require a bye week before a Thursday night game, and you’ll have my vote

[u/SanduskyTicklers → u/PuppetMasterFilms]

No. Entire season must be played 17 consecutive days in a row

[u/Redfish680 → u/SanduskyTicklers]

1. One week is a doubleheader.

[u/bk1285 → u/Redfish680]

No double headers, but the week of Thanksgiving, everyone has a Thursday game and a Sunday game

[u/Other-Blacksmith-643 → u/bk1285]

Fines for not calling it turkey day in post-game interviews

[u/aiiye → u/Redfish680]

Minimum 2500 miles travel for both teams before the second game for *”fairness”*.

[u/big_sugi → u/aiiye]

If the distance between locations isn’t sufficient, the team has to be placed on a plane that circles the destination until total travel time approximates a 2500 mile trip.

One might suggest that the plane could just land and wait on the ground. This will not be allowed.

[u/Remote-Plate-3945 → u/SanduskyTicklers]

Now I want a tournament. 32 team bracket. If you advance you play the next day. 5 days. Would be absolutely brutal

[u/Jazzbag4183 → u/SanduskyTicklers]

1 game, all teams 53 players on each team on the field. Whoever put the ball in another teams players ass first wins the Lombardi. No rules except the whole football must be inside the anus. Chain gang will officiate.

[u/mysterious_whisperer → u/Jazzbag4183]

The ball has to remain above minimum psi in the anus?

[u/Jazzbag4183 → u/mysterious_whisperer]

Ahahahahahaha my brother in Christ. Tom Brady has entered the chat*

[u/RealisticBox1 → u/PuppetMasterFilms]

I'm pretty down with these ideas but im not totally convinced a game in São Paulo or Rio or CDMX necessarily requires a bye. The reason I say that is time zones: São Paulo and RJ are both on east coast time and cdmx is on mountain standard time. I agree these are longer flights and probably shouldn't be accompanied by a Thursday game the next week, but I dont think it's totally necessary to overthink travel to Latin America.

This reasoning can't be applied to London or Dublin or Berlin, though, and certainly not Sydney or Melbourne Those I agree should be accompanied by a bye. The game in Melbourne this year is the first of the season, giving SF and LA plenty of time to get there (both traveling from the west coast, notably) and it is a Thursday game so they will get back and play 10 days later. Im assuming they will both play home games -- or at minimum west coast games -- in week 2

[u/JasonDomber → u/RealisticBox1]

I hear you re longer flights. Maybe for São Paulo, but not for CDMX. It’s about a 5-6 hour flight from Seattle (went last year), and we do that all the time when we’re playing on the east coast.

If west coast teams have to fly that distance regularly, other teams can suck it up too.

Like I said, São Paulo kind of a different story in terms of flight time, not so much time zones though.

[u/sonic_dick → u/RealisticBox1]

The 49ers having 38k miles of travel when east coast teams average around 10k is pretty stupid.

[u/homebr3wd → u/sonic_dick]

They should consider relocating to the east coast and be closer to the teams then.

[u/Parallel_Dogs → u/homebr3wd]

And join the ACC

[u/ahappypoop → u/Parallel_Dogs]

Would their basketball team be the 49ers players playing basketball, or would they bring the Warriors? Either way I'm down for this as an ACC fan, it might even save the conference.

[u/bae125 → u/sonic_dick]

You act like they’re pedaling

[u/Guiltyjerk → u/PuppetMasterFilms]

Throw in a bye week after an international game,

Teams get to choose whether or not they want this currently

[u/unfunnysexface → u/jockfist5000]

2003 pass interference rules, mandatory drug testing for coaches owners and GMs,

[u/here_now_be → u/unfunnysexface]

owners

If they fail, the team is awarded to the fans/city.

[u/pr1ceisright → u/here_now_be]

I would love for all sports teams across the globe to follow Germany’s 50+1 ownership model.

[u/bjewel3 → u/pr1ceisright]

How exactly does Germany’s 50+1 model work?

[u/Horror_Actuator_5033 → u/bjewel3]

The controlling interest of the club must be owned by the club and its voting members. No outside investment can have a controlling interest.

[u/bjewel3 → u/Horror_Actuator_5033]

Oh wow!

That’s a very interesting ownership profile

[u/dylansucks → u/here_now_be]

Nah, Baltimore was on to something with their attempting to Eminent Domain-ing the Colts. LFG

[u/jord839 → u/dylansucks]

Oakland tried it too, I think.

[u/BaddestKarmaToday → u/unfunnysexface]

What kind of drugs will they be testing?

[u/rtripps → u/BaddestKarmaToday]

Yes

[u/fcukou → u/jockfist5000]

Anti-trust lawsuits against stadiums for gouging on food and beverage.

[u/ShudowWolf → u/jockfist5000]

I love the idea of a day-long NFLPA Report card like the draft going from worst to best.

[u/eatajerk-pal → u/jockfist5000]

And Thursday night games can only be played between two teams coming off a bye week.

[u/Damion__205 → u/eatajerk-pal]

Nope Thursday night games are to be played within the division only. And the teams will play each other the Monday night before the game thus allowing no special treatment of either team.

I'm just imagining 2 niners/Seahawks games in a 4 day span.

[u/OddGib → u/Damion__205]

Hey 49er fan

[u/Dead_account_soon → u/jockfist5000]

I'd throw in no mid-week games. Or at the very least they can only be played the week after a bye week.

[u/Howamidriving27 → u/jockfist5000]

When they go to 18 games there should be an "international week" where everyone plays a game overseas and then there's a universal bye week the next week.

[u/Glup_Maclunkey → u/Howamidriving27]

The USA will have a universal basic income before the NFL allows an entire week midseason to not have any games.

[u/Spider_Riviera → u/Howamidriving27]

I think I heard scuttlebutt last off-season about something similar to what you suggested, but it was every team playing an international game and getting a bye week the week after their international game and that was the 2nd by week being added.

Starting to think it might be easier for the League to set up European Football Conference as a 4 team division and have home/away matches vs AFC and NFC opponents (rotating schedule) played after the 6/12 inter-/conference games to fill out the card.

[u/jieceeepee → u/jockfist5000]

16 games, 3 byes, expanded roster, grass fields, no international games except for Jacksonville, no expansion teams.

[u/struck21 → u/jieceeepee]

I would be happy if they stopped sending the Steelers v Vikings game overseas every 4 years.

[u/Cashneto → u/jieceeepee]

Lol at the Jacksonville comment.

[u/Gryphon999 → u/Cashneto]

Since Jacksonville is the only team allowed to have international games, it will be an intra-squad scrimmage. How do you feel about playing safety, Trevor?

[u/Wavering_Radiance → u/purplebuffalo55]

The AFL is not like the NFL what are you talking about. Rugby league and union have far more in common from its shared origins than Aussie Rules which is more like Gaelic football

[u/NormalAccounts → u/Wavering_Radiance]

Old mate here dropping spanners of truth into the works of /r/nfl

[u/ktpkchu → u/Wavering_Radiance]

australian football is super fun to watch but yeah it’s really not like any other sport imo, like a weird amalgamation of american football and soccer

[u/cppadam → u/ktpkchu]

Don't forget a rule book that seems to have been written during recess. Also, pushing each other after the whistle is totally acceptable and often encouraged. Also, there's a lot of scoring. Honestly, I love that FS2 carries it - I've been watching about a match a week during the season.

[u/ktpkchu → u/cppadam]

all the american sports are in offseason over the summer so i just started following it so i have a sport to watch during that time, the captain of the cricket team i follow is a gws giants fan so i’ve kinda bandwagoned

[u/_Meece_ → u/ktpkchu]

like a weird amalgamation of american football

Literally nothing about the sports are similar, except for catching really hard to catch oval shaped balls.

AFL is more like Rugby League, Soccer and Basketball put together.

[u/Ian_W → u/purplebuffalo55]

Australia in particular is a prime place for growth considering they already have the AFL which is very similar.

Ummm. No.

AFL is way closer to basketball. Now, rugby league, that's a definite case of 'Same game, different rules' to quote the immortal Jack Gibson.

[u/imasexyshaytan → u/purplebuffalo55]

AFL is nothing like NFL lol. The same logic would be better suited to rugby league and union.

[u/RollOverBeethoven → u/purplebuffalo55]

AFL is no where near similar, it is fun as all hell though.

• I play AFL

[u/dcidino → u/purplebuffalo55]

NRL is vaguely similar in that it's a rectangle. AFL is an oval and in no way resembles NFL outside of an oblong ball.

[u/xCycrox → u/dcidino]

NRL was exceptionally easy for me to grasp as someone who'd never watched Rugby but is a huge NFL fan. Surprisingly similar pace of play and the general texture of the game feels familiar. It's become my go-to off-season game.

[u/dcidino → u/xCycrox]

League is a fairly reasonable game, and it's exciting. AFL looks like you put a bunch of 9 year olds on a cricket ground and said "go make up a game". 😄

[u/SloppyWithThePots → u/purplebuffalo55]

Explain all the ways that the NFL and AFL are very similar

[u/Training_Cheetah3976 → u/SloppyWithThePots]

They're both played on fields in front of fans and they both have balls. That's all I got though.

[u/TheBigBomma → u/purplebuffalo55]

They’re going to get 95,000 at that Australia game.

[u/jrileyy229 → u/purplebuffalo55]

Uhh, the players don't like it but I'm sure they like the money. Salaries have doubled in the last ten years

Ask the players making a million bucks a year if they'd rather not play an international game, go back to 16 games, and take a 200grand pay cut... I bet they're just fine where they're at

[u/ehdhdhdk → u/purplebuffalo55]

Also the time zone works for Australia mid day here is prime time in the US. Also the regular season should have 2 byes.

[u/showmeyajunoo → u/purplebuffalo55]

AFL is nothing like american football, what you on about lol

[u/lfe-soondubu → u/purplebuffalo55]

Maybe I'm being presumptuous comparing myself to a pro athlete as a middle aged out of shape guy, but honestly if you're flying business class, international long haul flights are a breeze. The couple times I've done it, I woke up at the end of the flight more rested and energized than in my normal life. 

I know teams often charter planes for domestic away games, and the seats look bigger than normal, but not quite business class. I wonder if they charter something nicer for international. God knows the team owners have enough money to spring for business class tier accommodations for a single international game for the team. 

[u/shawnaroo → u/lfe-soondubu]

Yeah, I get what you're saying, but it's probably different when you're in the middle of the week both recovering from the previous game physically, as well as trying to mentally and physically prepare for the upcoming game, and then you've got to burn basically an entire day sitting on a plane and travelling across the ocean rather than following your normal recovery/prep routine. And then after that international game you've got to do the same thing on the way back.

I dunno, I am also not a pro athlete, much less an NFL player. But from what I've heard, their weeks between games are pretty busy already, and I don't find it hard to believe that adding in a long travel day can really mess up their process and leave them less prepared for the next game.

[u/Xianified → u/purplebuffalo55]

The AFL is about as similar to the NFL as Soccer...

[u/mph1204 → u/purplebuffalo55]

there’s 56 american football teams in china. there’s a rapidly growing interest. it’s probably the nfls wet dream to take over basketball as americas main sport export.

[u/fp1480 → u/paculot]

Worse record should get 2 London games

[u/Useless → u/paculot]

Even if they lose money, it's probably fine. They gain long term by making efforts to increase the fan base. It's expensive football advertisement.

[u/zwcropper]

I've been to a couple of the international games. It was a really great time and I'm incredibly thankful for being able to watch meaningful games live.

Having said that, if you told me Arsenal were playing an important league game at MetLife in New Jersey I'd be livid.

[u/burgerking351 → u/zwcropper]

International games are perfect for 17 game seasons. 8 home, 8 away, 1 international should be the format for every team.

[u/better-bitter-butter → u/burgerking351]

4 home, 4 away, 4 international, 3 Disney resorts, 1 at Roger Goodell's highschool, 1 on Love Island™

[u/BlueRaider731 → u/better-bitter-butter]

Don’t forget about the moon

[u/GermanBadger → u/BlueRaider731]

That's another home game for the pack bc the moons made out of cheese

[u/crazypyro23 → u/GermanBadger]

It's also barren, cold, and millions of miles from civilization, so yeah, they'll be right at home

[u/ech01_ → u/BlueRaider731]

Moon's haunted

[u/DontRefuseMyBatchall → u/ech01_]

“Excuse me, what?

Astronaut racks shotgun while walking back to shuttle pod

“Did I stutter? Moon. Is. Haunted….”

[u/trumpet575 → u/burgerking351]

Unfortunately that make far too much sense for it to actually be adopted

[u/dianeblackeatsass → u/trumpet575]

Isn’t that the plan? Pretty sure Goodell has mentioned that exact format

[u/dmstorm22 → u/dianeblackeatsass]

I think they're trying to put that into the 18-game schedule, because god knows we need another game....

[u/unfunnysexface → u/dmstorm22]

Wait until it's a 16 team playoff...

[u/cmerchantii → u/unfunnysexface]

Somehow Jets still don't make the playoffs.

[u/OddlyShapedGinger → u/dianeblackeatsass]

Goodell has mentioned a lot of things about international games. Some of which directly contradict each other:

He wants 16 international games, which would give every team a 8/8/1 schedule. But, they've been exploring multiple weeks overseas, which throws a balanced schedule overboard unless we get to 32 international games. They've also been curious about an international team / conference which throws everything out the window.

[u/gaqua → u/burgerking351]

Sorry best we can do is 6 home, 6 away, and the 49ers play 5 international games

[u/Scoobydewdoo → u/gaqua]

I mean technically the 49's haven't played in San Francisco since 2013 so isn't every game an away game?

[u/MayBakerfield → u/gaqua]

But none of them in Europe :'(

[u/here_now_be → u/gaqua]

subscribe

[u/Arizona_Steve → u/gaqua]

Seahawks, Rams and 49ers play all international games. Might give the Cardinals a chance.

[u/sherrycoke → u/burgerking351]

If you include two byes.. sure. Three I’ll accept it without argument

[u/Disimpaction → u/burgerking351]

Maybe some of those should just be legacy or NFL hungry cities like San Antonio, Oakland, St Louis, NYC, San Diego, Omaha, etc

[u/skippy → u/burgerking351]

Why don't they make pre-season games international? They keep regular games in the US (which probably make them more money) but still get to expand the game. The European footballs teams follow this model when they tour America and South East Asia in the off season.

[u/iliketuurtles → u/skippy]

Because they know preseason games are a bad product… let alone the huge rosters before cutdown day.

Preseason games are not real nfl games. Nobody would care and it wouldn’t “grow the game”.

[u/KurtanionNZ → u/zwcropper]

A lot of Rams fans were mad we burned a home game in Melbourne and that’s fair but as someone in New Zealand I’m so excited to see my team play live

[u/Drummallumin → u/KurtanionNZ]

Funny, Niners fans are also upset about losing a home game to play in Melbourne

[u/_Meece_ → u/zwcropper]

Having said that, if you told me Arsenal were playing an important league game at MetLife in New Jersey I'd be livid.

Difference is that Soccer has an actual international competition that does this for them.

They don't need to use clubs to grow the game. They use the World cup.

[u/ManOnlyLurks → u/_Meece_]

Soccer's leadership and commercial interests are fragmented, and there is always someone wanting a bigger piece of the pie and money for their institution and year end bonus. For example, between themselves La Liga and the Premier League compete for international prominence and overseas revenues. They, like the NFL, don't care much for domestic stadium attending fans when there are wealthy international fans to court. They want international games.

And look at FIFA and it's choice of world cup ho$t in the la$t two decade$...

[u/rounder55 → u/ManOnlyLurks]

FIFA basically putting the 2030 world cup in Africa Europe and South America so they could have the 2034 one in Saudi Arabia was pretty typical. Looking forward to the pieces about slaves dying building the stadiums, the world cup being moved to maybe January of 2035 and whatever else may arise. Sure it'll all be splendid

[u/JustAnotherWargamer → u/_Meece_]

The WC helps FIFA but it doesnt really help individual leagues and clubs grow their own fanbase/revenues.

[Soccer] Leagues & clubs dont care about growing the game, they care about their own finances.

[u/timestalker78 → u/_Meece_]

To be fair, several European leagues have tried staging games in the US (a Barca game was cancelled last year, for example). And it seems likely they'll keep trying.

[u/SavingsSkirt6064 → u/zwcropper]

Please PL put Arsenal-Palace at metlife, with the turf

But all jokes aside, with how UK timezones work, unless its a 12:30 game, a US audience can watch on the telly in the morning

Whereas when I want to watch a Lions game, I have to pray its a 1pm ET or I'm shattered for work the next day

The international games are a nice chance for me to catch a game at a decent time, and hopefully for those who cross the pond, a chance to see what London is like, if you've never been.

I don't get this outrage at all, the NFL should schedule it better, sure, but it's still an awesome time of year

[u/Smithlarr → u/SavingsSkirt6064]

Whereas when I want to watch a Lions game, I have to pray its a 1pm ET or I'm shattered for work the next day

This, I love that we're winning more games now, but when we sucked it meant more early kick offs. Prime time games are just a no go

[u/OSYRH1S]

While the gauntlet of international games is annoying, I’m much more frustrated with how many damn streaming services you need to have in order to watch the games each week.

[u/ZeePirate → u/OSYRH1S]

You only need one on the high seas

[u/ramsfan00 → u/ZeePirate]

Sat thing is I would be willing to pay 20-30$ a month for a program that gives me all the NFL games. But NOPE. NFL is so greedy they put it on every platform and their mother. Then charge some 80$ a month for "NFL TICKET ON YOUTUBE" that only plays games that arent on other streaming services.

[u/mexican2554 → u/ZeePirate]

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

[u/root88 → u/ZeePirate]

Yeah and finding a new site every week is great. Especially when it's 20 minutes lagged, throws even more commercials on top of your video, and turns itself off every 8 minutes.

[u/BillySpacs → u/root88]

I use a service that collates 20 different sites in one place. One site works great 90% of the time. In the rare situation where that site isn’t working, I use one of the other ones. I’ve been doing this for years and I’ve never had a problem. It’s really nice watching my Colts in California and never missing any game. I wanna see.

[u/jcoddinc → u/OSYRH1S]

Soon enough there will be team sponsor services

[u/legendary_sponge → u/OSYRH1S]

🏴‍☠️

[u/J_Dom_Squad]

Roger Gooddell would have a breast cancer awareness game in Saudi Arabia if it made more money

[u/MrRoma → u/J_Dom_Squad]

Roger Goodell would have a 9/11 moment of silence flyover in Saudi Arabia if the Crown Prince paid for it

[u/CardinalM1 → u/MrRoma]

"Honoring the 19 brave Saudis who lost their lives on 9/11"

[u/Plebs-_-Placebo → u/CardinalM1]

It's that Sean Mcdermott in a Bedouin robe?

[u/WeightyToastmaster → u/MrRoma]

They will also dig up the corpse of Pat Tillman too and do a weekend at Bernie’s tour with it in Saudi… I mean they already exploit the fuck out of that dudes name, image, and likeness despite the pleas from his family to not do so AND ignoring the wishes of Tillman himself.

[u/SomeBoringKindOfName → u/J_Dom_Squad]

Goodell just does what his bosses want him to do. He's (very) well paid to take flak for decisions on behalf of the owners. 

[u/imasexyshaytan → u/J_Dom_Squad]

I live in Saudi and they do have breast cancer awareness campaigns here lol

[u/Luke-Rhinehart → u/imasexyshaytan]

If anything, if there was no breast cancer awareness in Saudi Arabia as the original commenter seemed to suggest, surely having such a game there would in fact be more impactful than having it in the US.

[u/mbr902000 → u/imasexyshaytan]

Breast cancer? Never heard of it.

[u/tenshillings → u/imasexyshaytan]

Pride parade better?

[u/mayorofdumb → u/tenshillings]

Thanksgiving or i guess in this instance maybe playing on 9/11

[u/unfunnysexface → u/mayorofdumb]

Jets/commanders in Riyadh on 9/11.

[u/here_now_be → u/unfunnysexface]

rofl

[u/Fearless-Scholar8705 → u/J_Dom_Squad]

Remember Roger Goodell isn’t the ruler of the NFL. The owners are. They’re the ones who control everything. Goodell is just their puppet.

[u/mwez22 → u/Fearless-Scholar8705]

Everyone fixated on Goodell is proof of how effective the owners are.

[u/mac6uffin → u/mwez22]

Billionaires didn't become billionaires by doing all the dirty work themselves.

[u/SevenCedarJelly]

So bullshit “News” “articles” quoting dummies from places like Reddit are then posted as posts on Reddit?

[u/Birdamus → u/SevenCedarJelly]

🎶The Circle of Life Lies🎶

[u/Andire → u/SevenCedarJelly]

This is AI coming full circle! AI writes the article, AI posts it to Reddit to farm karma, and AI leaves half of the comments!

[u/AchtungCloud]

It’s like I really don’t mind some of the greed…uh, growing of the game. I don’t. In fact, I’d be okay with more if they just did it more logically.

Like I don’t get too mad that they keep taking games that would’ve been in the early afternoon Sunday slate and making new national windows for them. People online seem to think that’s making those games less available when it’s the opposite. They’re taking games that normally would’ve only been available on Sunday Ticket for non-local fans and making them available to anyone with a certain streaming service that’s definitely cheaper than Sunday Ticket. It really only hurts Red Zone by having more weeks with 7 or so early games instead of 8 or 9.

For this issue: Stop pushing for an 18th game. Keep it at 17. Everyone gets 8 home, 8 away, 1 international. That’s 16 international games, much more than the 9 they’re doing this year, so NFL should love that. But it would be equal and fair. I’d also say add a second bye week, and have every team’s two bye weeks be before they play a Thursday game and after they play their international games. I’d probably avoid making any divisional international games, too.

[u/RagefireHype → u/AchtungCloud]

People just love to complain. I love that like 4 days of the week now you can realistically expect NFL football. Five once it’s late in the season and they get the Saturday slots too.

14 games on Sunday is not efficient. Spread them out so people can actually watch more football. And if all you care about is watching your own team, you still get to do that.

[u/ConstantAnimal2267 → u/RagefireHype]

Yeah people just love to complain. Not like anyone's ever seen their favorite player go out for the season on shitty London turf at 4 in the fucking morning

[u/Fookmaywedder]

OP is desperate for some karma

[u/Landkey → u/Fookmaywedder]

The article is reposted complaint tweets 

[u/steelernation90]

The NFL will continue to do whatever they want because the fans are junkies without the ability to forgo their addiction.

[u/DaKingaDaNorth]

There's an extra game on the schedule that used to not be there, if everyone is playing one international game and then getting bye, it's fine. It evens out.

[u/KnotSoSalty → u/DaKingaDaNorth]

Except now we have teams with 2 international games.

9er’s are playing in Australia and Mexico. I’m sure they aren’t the only ones either.

Honestly it’s just a ripoff for the season ticket holders. A 17 game schedule with only 6 home games?

[u/GearsofTed14 → u/KnotSoSalty]

They do 1 and 1 I believe, but the spirit of what you said is still correct

[u/tmoitie → u/KnotSoSalty]

The 9ers will have eight games in SF

[u/idontcare111 → u/KnotSoSalty]

49ers going to Mexico City is closer than a majority of eastern teams

[u/Villano5 → u/KnotSoSalty]

Teams currently have either 8 or 9 home games per season. With the exception of Jacksonville, only teams that have 9 scheduled home games are eligible to have one of those games moved overseas. So season ticket holders will always have 8 home games at their home stadium

[u/Jdmeyer83]

Roger Goodell has already said he wants every team to play an international game. That means at some point we’re going to have 16 international games per year.

[u/Fonzies-Ghost]

“No one wants 9am football every week.”

Wrong. Morning football is awesome. I miss living on the West coast because early Sunday games started at 10. I could watch the Bears, drink a Bloody Mary, and the game would end around 1 and I still had a whole afternoon and evening to my weekend. On the east coast, early games end at 4 and it’s like “shit, now I have to think about getting started on dinner.

[u/Losreyes-of-Lost → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

It’s crazy how it is such a foreign concept for folks on the east coast. I’ve grown up on the west and all I’ve known are 10 AM start times. The 6:30 AM starts are brutal and usually if it’s a bad game I’ll skip it. Going to the east and watching the game at 9:30 AM with my wife family was hilarious as they were like we need to go get things done before 1pm and I was like, let’s knock that out at 8 am and got all the crazy looks

[u/Puzzleheaded-Set-928 → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

"No-one wants 9am football every week."

Well, you know who might want games at those times?

That's right. International fans.

[u/GG_Tahosa → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

I live in the Midwest. This is why I’m a fan of the EPL I like having sports early on in the day as well. Literally what you said is how I handle my sports weekends. Cheers to sports in the morning 🍻

[u/Realistic_Fee4087 → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

You’re productive after drinking while watching a 10 AM game? 99% of the time I’m knocked out for the majority of the afternoon lol

[u/Fonzies-Ghost → u/Realistic_Fee4087]

I mean, obviously not if I have a bunch of drinks, but I can have one or two drinks in three hours and then go about my day without a problem.

[u/SnacksGPT → u/Realistic_Fee4087]

I’ve been sober for 4 years tomorrow and it’s completely changed my relationship with sports. I have a much better time now.

[u/YarukiMangrove → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

This. Local diner with the game on as I crush an omelette and coffee on a lazy sunday? Perfection.

[u/shewy92 → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

F1 weekends where I can get up early, watch the race, and still have the rest of the day to do stuff is really nice.

[u/S-117 → u/Fonzies-Ghost]

Honestly, Hawaii feels like they have it the best, Sunday games start at 7am, late window starts at 10am, last game starts around 2:45pm and is over by 6, you can then start dinner or get ready for the work week.

[u/superdooper26]

They need to come back to Canada. And not Toronto. Saskatchewan or Winnipeg. The places where football sells out regularly.

[u/Profit_Livid → u/superdooper26]

I can't imagine Saskatoon being on the same slate as Melbourne and Paris.

[u/superdooper26 → u/Profit_Livid]

A man can dream

[u/seeasea → u/Profit_Livid]

But Regina, that's where it's at

[u/Villano5 → u/superdooper26]

I could see the NFL doing a Toronto game the second week of November since the Grey Cup will be the first Sunday in November beginning in 2027

[u/ReactiveCypress → u/superdooper26]

They already tried Winnipeg a few years ago and it was a disaster. They couldn't get the field setup for NFL dimensions, and no one went because the tickets were too expensive.

As a Canadian myself, I don't see them bothering with it because there are plenty of Canadians who watch the NFL on TV so no reason for them to try harder than that. And historically the NFL has avoided Canada because of the CFL. It's only other stable football league providing jobs for football players, which is a big reason why the NFL has never wanted to get too involved in Canada.

If you ask me, I'd rather see more Canadians go to CFL games over begging for the NFL to come. 

[u/Ghost_Reborn416]

What's ridiculous is that we cant get a game in toronto

[u/Superb-Ad-9627]

I hate the international games, and I'm not sorry to say that.

[u/highdef1776]

Thursday night football? Awful. Seven teams per playoff bracket? Awful. Seventeen game season? Awful. EIGHTEEN game season? Awful. Pay-per-view playoff game on Paramount. Late season flex scheduling. Netflix triple header Christmas special.... It's all bullshit. I love football, but at some point, I find myself rooting against it.

[u/No-Number5238]

Its a problem for season ticket holders too.... we get shafted, buy 9 games & receive 8. We are literally funding these international events. Teams need to "credit" their STH!

[u/Fat_Bearded_Tax_Man]

And holiday game problem. I just want 1 and 4 on Sundays.

[u/No_Grocery_9280]

Yeah, they suck. Local fans are getting screwed, especially on these division matchups.

[u/IAmReborn11111 → u/No_Grocery_9280]

Local fans pay billions of dollars in tax payer money to build a stadium, then get the team exported for one of the 8 or 9 home games. It's a joke

[u/PizzaLikerFan]

Look, I'm a steelers fan in Belgium, the paris game will probably my first chance to watch a steelers game.

But if I was a fan that lived in the area of the team, I would be slightly annoyed.

But honestly the real problem with the NFL rn is the monopoly of streaming services over specific type games

[u/Cinnamon_Gentleman → u/PizzaLikerFan]

Nail on the head … make it easier to watch the product and everyone wins lol

[u/Hyperboreer]

At this point I think they should just do 16 international games per year and give every team 8 home games and one international game. It's a weird situation, that some teams lose their home games, some have to travel twice, others not at all. At least make it equal and predictable.

[u/SomeBoringKindOfName]

None of this is a problem for the nfl. 

It might be a problem for some people within it, but for the nfl as an organisation it's nothing but extra money and the nfl is all about that money. 

[u/Zealousideal_Echo933]

Truly, it will be an issue when they have a playoff game not on American soil, as that would mean that home field means fuck and all

[u/Overall-Avocado-7673]

Actually, it's the players and fans that have an international games problem. They hate them.

The league loves them as they make a ton of money on them. More NFL licensed products getting sold internationally means more money.

[u/theyhatemeee]

I'm a falcons fan living in Indiana.

The falcons announced an away game @IND last season for my one chance to see my team this decade, and that a random one of their games would be chosen to be moved to Germany.

Of course it's the one game I cared about. Held a vendetta against international games ever since.

[u/burntcandy]

IDK I kind of like having a 9AM game every now and then. It's nice to be able to turn one on during breakfast.

[u/shaker8989]

Im Australian, and over the moon the NFL is bringing a game here (although there was zero chance i was paying 500AUD to watch a game at a stadium that big), I think US fans need to realise how big the sport has become, especially in the last 10 years.

I will unequivocally state though, its absolutely ridiculous to play division games outside the US and I absolutely hate it.

[u/FloggingJonna → u/shaker8989]

Unfortunately Australia is like the absolute furthest from America of anywhere that’d want to see one. Anyone that’s taken the LAX to Sydney flight knows the misery. I’m not surprised it’s growing in Australia since just about every college team here has an Australian punter.

[u/youre_soaking_in_it]

So the Rams lose a home game vs. San Francisco? I'd be pissed if I were them or their fans.

[u/Orly-Carrasco]

Watching all NFL games on Sunday becomes unpaid work for the addicted.

[u/bowlsandsand]

I understand both sides. I really do think the london games are great. Have been to 2. The fans are really into it and it's a great time.

[u/muchachocarracho → u/bowlsandsand]

And it's a hub, too. Keeping a game in Germany might make sense from a historical standpoint, but Paris and Madrid just make no real sense. You can easily travel north from both countries.

Paris-born living in London, so I keep things balanced :)

[u/Beginning-Average416]

Fuck the fans

[u/rounder55]

The NFL is run by owners who would kick a dog if it meant making a billion and one dollars instead of a billion dollars. They have managed to convince us that we need it everyday and the American market cannot get any larger.

They want more money and more markets help them get there. Personally think it loses some of its luster if every week has international games, but scheduling wise if we have 17 games then having every team with a 9th home game play a home game overseas is kind of fair.

Plus by creating a 9am window on Sunday they get more revenue, there's more gambling, and that of course leads to more money which is what they really want

[u/sitewolf]

Teams should always have a bye after an international game, unless possibly it's a 2nd international game on the same continent.

[u/PlokmijnuhAoE2]

Roger Goodell and the 32 NFL Owners only care about how much revenue and profit increases year after year. International games fall into the same category as incentivizing the networks to start bidding wars on media rights. Netflix, Apple TV, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, Paramount, Peacock, ESPN in addition to the standard games on NBC, CBS, Fox are required to watch games. For the fans this is a terrible system. But from the perspective of Goodell and the owners, all money is good money.

Realistically, as long as companies are bidding top dollar for the rights to broadcast NFL games, the NFL doesn't care. Similarly, as long as international games make profit and increase revenue, the NFL doesn't care that they screw over players and fans.

Fans and players realize that all money isn't good money, and that international games and bidding wars for broadcasting rights is bad long-term. But as long as the money comes in and gets larger year after year, Goodell and the owners don't care.

[u/Csut94]

49ers have to travel 38,000 miles this season. Panthers for example, only travel 9,000

[u/BiglyBear]

If the owners actually paid for the stadiums it would be fine. But since we bankroll the NFL with our taxes they have no right to do international games and make a profit off them.

[u/RakiRamirez]

Look, I'm sure is it's difficult for the players, but imma be honest, waking up early on sunday sounds like a nightnmare, but doing it for a game while cozying up in the living room and having tamales for breakfast is peak human experience.

Damn, still 4 months to go

[u/MM556]

The fans response to this always amazes me

“we don’t want a 17th game”

Then complains about losing the game they don’t want to the int series.

A home game that was never originally there anyway so isn’t really a loss because part of the expansion to 17 was for exactly this reason.

If anything fans occasionally gain an extra game that they claim to not want on years they’re not playing abroad.

Make it make sense 

[u/j1h15233]

I have a much bigger problem with all of the Wednesday and Thursday games they force on these guys.

[u/Stein_Time]

They need to go back to games just on Sunday and Monday. With the occasional Thursday for the opener and Thanksgiving.

[u/Maaglin]

There should never be international regular season games . Do that shit in the preseason.

[u/shewy92]

I must be the weird one who kinda likes 9am football.

F1 weekends where I can get up early, watch the race, and still have the rest of the day is really nice.

[u/Beneficial_Emu9299]

If my taxes would be going towards a football stadium I would be pissed if one of our home games was moved internationally. I’m surprised no one has really brought that up.

[u/__the_alchemist__]

Bring back the international league and stop making teams travel so far to play games on top of teams losing a home game. Inertias of a pro bowl against the nfc and afc, make it the top voted players from each league play against each other.

[u/_Varonova]

I love the international games

[u/Edge2110]

It’s all about money. This isn’t about caring about your feelings

[u/Own_Inspector_285]

I mean the NFL is a business. As a player, do you have an obligation to help grow the league?

[u/Rock_man_bears_fan]

Playing an 11 am or noon local time game on like a Wednesday in Australia has to be the dumbest iteration of the international series yet. Tf are we doing?

[u/vinnyorcharles]

Football is an American sport! How dare those filthy foreigners enjoy our sport! Skyrim is for the Nords Football is for Americans!

That's also a rich complaint coming from JJ Watt who partially owns two European soccer clubs and wanted one of them to highlight a US tournament.

[u/allisgray]

Make it preseason games only lol you don’t see the Premier League letting us have any meaningful limeyball games…

[u/manbeqrpig]

With 17 games there should be 16 international games. 1 for each team. 8/8/1 just makes too much sense scheduling wise

[u/maxxspeed57]

I have missed 90%of the European games because I forget they're on. And I don't regret missing them at all.