Post by southwest on Apr 2, 2017 17:19:26 GMT -6
Adopt online streaming, in a big way.
No US-based major sports league has truly embraced free online streaming, but their fans sure have. There are very few legal ways to watch your favorite team online, but many that are not legal. Sure, the NFL has experimented with yahoo a bit, which was cool, and if you subscribe to specific cell phone or tv providers , you have some options, but there is no solution for the mass market. MLB.tv is the closest thing that exists, but it costs a not insignificant amount of money, and the NFL has no comparable service. Imagine this: you log onto Fox or CBS’s website, and are able to watch any game. Keep the games with the TV providers, and they will probably accept re-working the contract – especially because they get the revenue off the commercials. You get added viewership from those people who for whatever reason can’t camp out in front of a TV for 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon, plus it helps those fans who support an out of market team. A lot of those fans would even tune in at times they normally wouldn’t. I virtually always get the Cowboys on Fox where I am at. I really hate the Cowboys. (Some trade back in the 90’s still stings.) Given the choice between watching Dallas beat up on the Eagles, or playing the XBOX, sorry NFL, you lose. But if I could watch the Vikings instead, you’d have my eyeballs, even if it was a terrible game. The NFL broadcast model might have worked well in the 1980’s, but it desperately needs to recognize reality in 2017.
Fire Goodell
Say what you want to about Roger Goodell, and I’m sure his momma loves him very much, but as a commissioner, he has alienated a vast segment of the country for one reason or another. The NFL owners would be better served ending the PR Disaster that has been his tenure. Bring in a new commissioner with a primary directive of PR and outreach. Have him (or her, that would be a huge win) outsource player discipline, preferably to a committee. The ideal committee would be 2 high level league officials, 2 current players, 2 team officials, and the commissioner serving as president and tie breaker. The same sort of position that the Vice President holds in the US Senate. Allow the League to pick 3 members, and the union to pick the other 3, one from each category to ensure fairness. This would require a change in the CBA, but would be so broadly palatable that I am sure it could get done.
Expansion and Realignment
The NFL has become so popular, that it is only natural to expand. This also broadens the potential fanbases, and allows more merchandise to be sold. It also keeps the NFL in the news as markets are decided on, mascots and colors are created, etc. The NFL and Ownership groups should front most or all of the costs of stadium construction to keep this as a massive positive for the taxpayers, and they certainly can afford to do so. The recently abandoned cities of Saint Louis, San Diego, and Oakland can have preference if it seems desirable, but also take bids from Mexico City and Toronto, as well as any other interested US cities. (I’ll get to Europe in a bit.) A few other cities that could potentially support a team would be Portland, OR; San Antonio, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; or a second team in Chicago, IL. They could easily add 8 teams, for a total of 40. That would put 18 teams in each the AFC and NFC. Keep the existing divisions, but realign them to make the most geographic sense, while respecting historic rivalries. For Example
NFCN Minnesota, Chicago Bears, Green Bay, Detroit, St Louis (expansion)
NFCE Dallas, Washington, Philly, NYG, Oklahoma City (expansion)
NFCW Seattle, LA Rams, Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego (expansion)
NFCS Atlanta, Tampa, NO, Carolina, Mexico City (expansion)
AFCN Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Chicago (expansion)
AFCE Buffalo, NE, NYJ, Indianapolis, Toronto (expansion)
AFCW Las Vegas, KC, Denver, LA Chargers, Oakland or Portland (expansion)
AFCS Houston, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Miami, San Antonio (expansion)
Expand to 18 games, with proper safeguards
By expanding conferences to 5 teams, that will add two more conference games per team, to make up for this go to an 18 game schedule. In order to keep the players as safe as possible, and prevent the year from dragging out forever, do the following: 1. Eliminate the HOF Game and the Probowl, and replace them both with a player skills competition of the previous year’s “pro bowl” players to take place at the HOF the week before the preseason games start. 2. Cut preseason games down to two. 3. Add an extra bye week, to be made up by dropping the “bye” week before the Super Bowl where the Pro bowl currently resides. 4. Create a rule that a player cannot participate in more than 64 quarters of football in the regular season. Leave it up to the teams if that means they pull their starters in the 4th quarter of blowouts, sit them for a couple games, or some combination thereof. It adds a new strategic wrinkle for coaches. Additionally, expand rosters to compensate. Teams will be able to have 70 players on the active roster, but only able to dress 50 for games. End overtime in Regular season games, and end the games in a tie. For the playoffs, keep playing full 15 minute quarters until someone has the lead at the end, no more sudden death.
Bring back NFL Europe
The NFL is the only major, US sports league without some kind of D-League, and it seems silly that there isn’t one. Bring back NFL Europe with 10-12 teams, and allow any NFL team to sign players from their rosters. Set the games to be played from March through July, which fills a major void in the NFL calendar. Stream all games free online. Allow anyone over the age of 18 to play, and any player who has played in NFL Europe for at least two years but less than 5 years, and never in the NFL, to be NFL draft eligible. Any player with 5 or more years in the league is an automatic free agent. This will be attractive to those who want to play football but do not want to go the college route, as well as players who may not qualify for big colleges. Hold open tryouts locally as well to build interest. It will also allow NFL talent evaluators a better way to find talented players at the margin. Allow NFL Coordinator and lower coaching positions to also coach in Europe, as a way to build their resumes. Subject these positions to the Rooney Rule to help advance more minority coaches.
What do you think folks? What would you do differently? Would any of these ideas ever fly, or are they lead balloons?
No US-based major sports league has truly embraced free online streaming, but their fans sure have. There are very few legal ways to watch your favorite team online, but many that are not legal. Sure, the NFL has experimented with yahoo a bit, which was cool, and if you subscribe to specific cell phone or tv providers , you have some options, but there is no solution for the mass market. MLB.tv is the closest thing that exists, but it costs a not insignificant amount of money, and the NFL has no comparable service. Imagine this: you log onto Fox or CBS’s website, and are able to watch any game. Keep the games with the TV providers, and they will probably accept re-working the contract – especially because they get the revenue off the commercials. You get added viewership from those people who for whatever reason can’t camp out in front of a TV for 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon, plus it helps those fans who support an out of market team. A lot of those fans would even tune in at times they normally wouldn’t. I virtually always get the Cowboys on Fox where I am at. I really hate the Cowboys. (Some trade back in the 90’s still stings.) Given the choice between watching Dallas beat up on the Eagles, or playing the XBOX, sorry NFL, you lose. But if I could watch the Vikings instead, you’d have my eyeballs, even if it was a terrible game. The NFL broadcast model might have worked well in the 1980’s, but it desperately needs to recognize reality in 2017.
Fire Goodell
Say what you want to about Roger Goodell, and I’m sure his momma loves him very much, but as a commissioner, he has alienated a vast segment of the country for one reason or another. The NFL owners would be better served ending the PR Disaster that has been his tenure. Bring in a new commissioner with a primary directive of PR and outreach. Have him (or her, that would be a huge win) outsource player discipline, preferably to a committee. The ideal committee would be 2 high level league officials, 2 current players, 2 team officials, and the commissioner serving as president and tie breaker. The same sort of position that the Vice President holds in the US Senate. Allow the League to pick 3 members, and the union to pick the other 3, one from each category to ensure fairness. This would require a change in the CBA, but would be so broadly palatable that I am sure it could get done.
Expansion and Realignment
The NFL has become so popular, that it is only natural to expand. This also broadens the potential fanbases, and allows more merchandise to be sold. It also keeps the NFL in the news as markets are decided on, mascots and colors are created, etc. The NFL and Ownership groups should front most or all of the costs of stadium construction to keep this as a massive positive for the taxpayers, and they certainly can afford to do so. The recently abandoned cities of Saint Louis, San Diego, and Oakland can have preference if it seems desirable, but also take bids from Mexico City and Toronto, as well as any other interested US cities. (I’ll get to Europe in a bit.) A few other cities that could potentially support a team would be Portland, OR; San Antonio, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; or a second team in Chicago, IL. They could easily add 8 teams, for a total of 40. That would put 18 teams in each the AFC and NFC. Keep the existing divisions, but realign them to make the most geographic sense, while respecting historic rivalries. For Example
NFCN Minnesota, Chicago Bears, Green Bay, Detroit, St Louis (expansion)
NFCE Dallas, Washington, Philly, NYG, Oklahoma City (expansion)
NFCW Seattle, LA Rams, Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego (expansion)
NFCS Atlanta, Tampa, NO, Carolina, Mexico City (expansion)
AFCN Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Chicago (expansion)
AFCE Buffalo, NE, NYJ, Indianapolis, Toronto (expansion)
AFCW Las Vegas, KC, Denver, LA Chargers, Oakland or Portland (expansion)
AFCS Houston, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Miami, San Antonio (expansion)
Expand to 18 games, with proper safeguards
By expanding conferences to 5 teams, that will add two more conference games per team, to make up for this go to an 18 game schedule. In order to keep the players as safe as possible, and prevent the year from dragging out forever, do the following: 1. Eliminate the HOF Game and the Probowl, and replace them both with a player skills competition of the previous year’s “pro bowl” players to take place at the HOF the week before the preseason games start. 2. Cut preseason games down to two. 3. Add an extra bye week, to be made up by dropping the “bye” week before the Super Bowl where the Pro bowl currently resides. 4. Create a rule that a player cannot participate in more than 64 quarters of football in the regular season. Leave it up to the teams if that means they pull their starters in the 4th quarter of blowouts, sit them for a couple games, or some combination thereof. It adds a new strategic wrinkle for coaches. Additionally, expand rosters to compensate. Teams will be able to have 70 players on the active roster, but only able to dress 50 for games. End overtime in Regular season games, and end the games in a tie. For the playoffs, keep playing full 15 minute quarters until someone has the lead at the end, no more sudden death.
Bring back NFL Europe
The NFL is the only major, US sports league without some kind of D-League, and it seems silly that there isn’t one. Bring back NFL Europe with 10-12 teams, and allow any NFL team to sign players from their rosters. Set the games to be played from March through July, which fills a major void in the NFL calendar. Stream all games free online. Allow anyone over the age of 18 to play, and any player who has played in NFL Europe for at least two years but less than 5 years, and never in the NFL, to be NFL draft eligible. Any player with 5 or more years in the league is an automatic free agent. This will be attractive to those who want to play football but do not want to go the college route, as well as players who may not qualify for big colleges. Hold open tryouts locally as well to build interest. It will also allow NFL talent evaluators a better way to find talented players at the margin. Allow NFL Coordinator and lower coaching positions to also coach in Europe, as a way to build their resumes. Subject these positions to the Rooney Rule to help advance more minority coaches.
What do you think folks? What would you do differently? Would any of these ideas ever fly, or are they lead balloons?
... and neither is this Chris guy.