The NFL has wished to broaden the common season to 18 video games for years. It accepted 17 as a compromise, a stepping stone towards extra.
And it’s only a matter of time earlier than the NFL makes its transfer to maneuver the road between regular-season and preseason video games from 17 and three to 18 and two.
Per a supply with information of the scenario, the NFL Gamers Affiliation is already bracing for it. And one of many issues the NFLPA has to ponder is whether or not and to what extent the gamers need it.
There’s a way, we’re advised, that loads of younger gamers are high-quality with it. Their votes depend the identical because the older gamers who bristle at including to the workload.
Though feedback from the Commissioner in late April boosted the dialog, the reality is that the problem first returned to the entrance burner when Browns G.M. Andrew Berry defined on PFT Reside from the Scouting Mix that Cleveland had proposed a two-week delay within the commerce deadline to account for the seventeenth regular-season recreation — and in anticipation of an 18th.
After the chatter first resurfaced in late February, new union president Jaylen Reeves-Maybin didn’t dismiss the likelihood when requested about it, saying merely that “when the time comes, we’ll deal with” it.
The time appears to be coming.
An merchandise posted Thursday morning by Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com gathers quotes from varied gamers as to the potential for including one other regular-season recreation. Gamers like Colts middle Ryan Kelly have spoken in opposition to it. Steelers security Damontae Kazee sounds way more pragmatic.
“It may be optimistic for either side,” Kazee mentioned. “Individuals take a look at it as one other week to feed your loved ones. . . . I like it.”
Extra video games will imply extra money, that’s for positive. The problem for the NFLPA will likely be to make use of it as a springboard for greater than an growth of their fair proportion.
The fundamental actuality is that the query in the end can be resolved by means of a battle that isn’t honest. The house owners are prepared to close down soccer for a full season to get what they need. The gamers should not. This imbalance ensures that, when push involves shove, the union will cry uncle.
The query turns into whether or not the league can get the union to just accept the inevitable earlier than the expiration of the present CBA, in 2030. What can the league provide the gamers to get them on board? Will the league do what the union needs?
Ideally, the league would implement an 18th recreation as of 2030, since that would be the first yr of the subsequent broadcast contracts. If/when (when) the league pulls the plug early on the present TV offers, it’ll have one other 16 regular-season video games to supply within the subsequent wave of billion-dollar preparations.
So, sure, it’s coming. And, sure, loads of gamers will welcome the additional recreation examine.
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