Key takeaways:
– Game plan: Every team would play 18 regular-season games, 2 preseason games would be cut, and each team would have one overseas game each season. It’s all about growing the cap and keeping labor happy while expanding the footprint. 💥📈
– Revenue and reach: The league’s TV footprint is massive—nearly every top program is NFL, and streaming audiences are huge (an Amazon Thursday game recently drew about 31 million streams). The plan hinges on continued revenue growth to fund the cap. 📊💰
– International push: The league wants to make overseas games a bigger priority, with teams like the Jaguars already leading the way on international appearances (they’ve played the most overseas). 🌎🏟️
– Timing and history: The idea follows a long arc from 14-game seasons (1961–1977) to 16 games (1978–2020) and a 17th game added in 2021. The 18th game would stretch the season further and could affect the calendar in big ways. 🗓️
– Super Bowl impact: Adding a game could push the Super Bowl into Presidents’ Day weekend, and there have been discussions about making the day after the Super Bowl a national holiday—though no concrete movement has occurred yet. 🔥🏆
Exciting times ahead as the league weighs growth, international appeal, and the future of the NFL schedule. 🚀🏈
