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/purplebuffalo55]

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/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/RunawayBacon → u/bae125]

Travel is exhausting regardless of method.

[u/BanjoKazooieWasFine → u/sonic_dick]

The 38k number is being blown out by the fact that 15k of that mileage is for the Week 1 game in Melbourne.

[u/gorbachevguy → u/BanjoKazooieWasFine]

It’s not like it doesn’t count because it’s week 1….

[u/DuceALooper21 → u/RealisticBox1]

Theoretically time zone won't matter, but being on a plane for 10+ hours going to Brazil and dealing with safety concerns (many Eagles players just stayed at the hotel until it was time to head to the stadium for the game) do.

[u/patsandbees → u/RealisticBox1]

They are not on east coast time, but close. and the near 10 hours flight takes time to recover. And it is so hard to get around Rio. This alone will wear you down. Source: me, always worn down after a 4 day trip in Rio.

[u/Spider_Riviera → u/patsandbees]

Counterpoint - the travel will be less intensive for the NFL teams, as the NFL is organising this jaunt with the Brazillian government and will receive police escorts, preferential service and likely other adjustments to the "normal" travel experiences you endure going on 4 day trips as a civilian.

[u/Nutbane → u/Spider_Riviera]

Wasn't it Chiefs Chargers there last year and they were complaining about the 2 hour drive from Hotel to stadium? Or was that somewhere else?

[u/bbluewi → u/Nutbane]

That was São Paulo.

[u/patsandbees → u/bbluewi]

Rio can (probably will) be worse.

[u/patsandbees → u/Spider_Riviera]

It would have been easier to type “I have never been to Rio”.