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The NFL may not have a choice but to adopt college OT rules in 2023


pf9

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The NFL is the last big 4 sports league that allows regular season games to end in ties.

But because the NFL has broadcast contracts with all the major corporations that control the Big 4 TV networks as well as a majority of the major cable networks, this could change.

From 1989-2011, only 4 games ended in ties.

Since 2012, with rule changes eliminating the ability of team with the first possession of OT to win with a field goal, as well as shortening regular season OT to 10 minutes, there have been 9 ties, 1 virtually happening every year.

The lowest point of the current OT rules came when a Sunday Night Football game between Seattle and Arizona ended in a tie in 2016. It was the first tie nationally televised by a broadcast network since 1983.

Network executives have long disapproved of ties, but NBC, as the Game of the Week broadcaster was most visibly upset.

Thus, the major media conglomerates with which the NFL does business could sever ties with the NFL after 2022 if college overtime rules aren't instituted. They know that if they leave the NFL behind, the league will face an uphill battle in trying to secure TV coverage. The CW would be out as an NFL broadcaster because it is partially owned by CBS.

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3 minutes ago, pf9 said:

The NFL is the last big 4 sports league that allows regular season games to end in ties.

But because the NFL has broadcast contracts with all the major corporations that control the Big 4 TV networks as well as a majority of the major cable networks, this could change.

From 1989-2011, only 4 games ended in ties.

Since 2012, with rule changes eliminating the ability of team with the first possession of OT to win with a field goal, as well as shortening regular season OT to 10 minutes, there have been 9 ties, 1 virtually happening every year.

The lowest point of the current OT rules came when a Sunday Night Football game between Seattle and Arizona ended in a tie in 2016. It was the first tie nationally televised by a broadcast network since 1983.

Network executives have long disapproved of ties, but NBC, as the Game of the Week broadcaster was most visibly upset.

Thus, the major media conglomerates with which the NFL does business could sever ties with the NFL after 2022 if college overtime rules aren't instituted. They know that if they leave the NFL behind, the league will face an uphill battle in trying to secure TV coverage. The CW would be out as an NFL broadcaster because it is partially owned by CBS.

I can see the Broadcast networks being upset with a game ending in a tie.  1 per year in a season of 256 total games is a small amount.   Can it be avoided, sure.  Are the college OT rules the best process, I'm not sure.  

the idea that the Major media conglomerates would sever ties with the NFL is not going to happen.   I am pretty sure that other networks on cable TNT, TBS, etc would be happy to step up and fill the void to have broadcasting rights to the NFL.   Of the 4 major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) I am sure 1 of them would step up and gladly take more NFL broadcasting rights if the others were unwilling to do so over the concept of a recent average of 1 tie per season

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3 minutes ago, squire12 said:

the idea that the Major media conglomerates would sever ties with the NFL is not going to happen.   I am pretty sure that other networks on cable TNT, TBS, etc would be happy to step up and fill the void to have broadcasting rights to the NFL.   Of the 4 major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) I am sure 1 of them would step up and gladly take more NFL broadcasting rights if the others were unwilling to do so over the concept of a recent average of 1 tie per season

I agree with this in a sense. None of the Networks are going to kill a golden goose on something that happens so infrequently.

This being said, I DO see the league changing to College Football OT rules, simply because of fans liking the college solution better. 

So, it'll happen eventually.

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11 minutes ago, ET80 said:

I agree with this in a sense. None of the Networks are going to kill a golden goose on something that happens so infrequently.

This being said, I DO see the league changing to College Football OT rules, simply because of fans liking the college solution better. 

So, it'll happen eventually.

The NFLPA would have to agree to a change.   College OT can be a lengthy process and an OT game on Sunday that goes 4-5 sessions with a team having a upcoming Thursday night game would not sit well.  

Some modifications that would limit the number of OT periods should be considered.   Moving the XP farther back?  2 point conversion being farther back?   Scoring a TD in less plays?

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2 minutes ago, squire12 said:

The NFLPA would have to agree to a change.   College OT can be a lengthy process and an OT game on Sunday that goes 4-5 sessions with a team having a upcoming Thursday night game would not sit well.  

Some modifications that would limit the number of OT periods should be considered.   Moving the XP farther back?  2 point conversion being farther back?   Scoring a TD in less plays?

Have both teams start from their opponent's 20 at the same time. Both teams have their defense and offense on the field at the same time. Unlimited downs. No kicks. First team to score wins.

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17 minutes ago, TXsteeler said:

Have both teams start from their opponent's 20 at the same time. Both teams have their defense and offense on the field at the same time. Unlimited downs. No kicks. First team to score wins.

How are you splitting the officials?

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College football overtime is terrible and gimmicky. If anything I'd change the playclock to 25 seconds so the first team that gets the ball can't effectively run the clock out with their first possession. That's where you get so many ties. The receiving team attempts these 7 and 8 minute long drives that either end with missed field goals or punts. So now the second team has to score in 90 seconds.

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10 hours ago, pf9 said:

The lowest point of the current OT rules came when a Sunday Night Football game between Seattle and Arizona ended in a tie in 2016. It was the first tie nationally televised by a broadcast network since 1983.

That was easily one of the most exiting games I've ever seen, and I in general don't mind seeing ties at all. 

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If they change it, it will be because it is what the NFL wants to do. The networks are in no way going to be able to force them. There are an abundance of other networks, not to mention streaming services that would be falling over each other trying to get the right to air or stream NFL games and generate that ad revenue/subscriptions. The networks really don't have that strong of a negotiating position to force changes on the NFL.

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