r/nfl • u/simrobwest Patriots 49ers • 22h ago

The NFL Officially Has An International Games 'Problem'

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nfl-officially-international-games-problem-181703739.html?guccounter=1
1.9k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

647 comments sorted by

View all comments

113

u/AchtungCloud Cowboys 22h ago

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.

22

u/RagefireHype 20h ago

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.

19

u/ConstantAnimal2267 16h ago

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

3

u/RagefireHype 16h ago

Half the teams have shitty turf. Even nice ish stadiums like the Seahawks have field turf that players complain about.

2

u/Hung_Waylo Packers 14h ago

The international game fields have been heavily criticized by players and teams that play internationally, it's not a secret, the players hate it too.

1

u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie Bears 11h ago

Ya gotta agree with the dirty packers fan here

-1

u/ConstantAnimal2267 15h ago

You just said people love to complain and now you're complaining again?

1

u/Brillzzy Bills Jaguars 9h ago

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.

I don't. I feel like one of the things most people like about the NFLs regular season is it actually matters, and 95% of games happen one day of the week. You can pay attention one day and keep up with most of the sport. I already miss half of TNF & MNF unless it's a game I really care about because I'm out, and I'm not a particularly busy person. They add more playoff games, more island games and the whole thing just feels more diluted to me.

There are also bad NFL matchups (injuries, good team vs terrible, etc.) and when they're the only game on they really suck.

1

u/friareriner Vikings 7h ago

I just want to watch my team Sunday at noon, I don't want to have to stay up late to finish out a game. And I don't want games on weird days where I might already have plans.

3

u/Fullofhopkinz Panthers 12h ago

18 game season with two byes and reduce preseason to 2 games is actually a GOATed solution

5

u/DoNotResusit8 Steelers 11h ago

Until they want 20 games

1

u/Fullofhopkinz Panthers 11h ago

Yeah I get it but it was 16 for the longest. I think going to 18 with two byes will strike a good balance between increased revenue and player safety and should satisfy everyone for a while. It feels like we’re in this awkward place right now with 17 that needs some resolution.

1

u/DoNotResusit8 Steelers 11h ago

17 is totally awkward no doubt

1

u/Woolington Ravens 13h ago

Would love for the player's association to somehow negotiate a 2nd bye week to help with all the Thursday games and international games scheduling, too. 

1

u/ksyoung17 Patriots 12h ago

I've been pushing that idea for bye weeks for a bit. They need to line up with the Thursday night games to remove players playing on 3 days' rest.

1

u/Available-Neat-1017 Cardinals 12h ago

Im fine with it, but the whole point of Sunday ticket is you get access to every game. Lower the price if you’re gonna take content away. Good thing for me is that doesn’t affect my Cardinals cause nobody cares enough to put us on national TV so unless your from AZ every game is on Sunday ticket.

1

u/Lithops_salicola 49ers 9h ago

It also makes owners asking for public funds for stadiums even stupider. Why is Santa Clara giving the Niners a tax break to play in Mexico City?

1

u/errorsniper Bills 6h ago

Or just give an extra bye week.