Changing the release date of the NFL schedule

[pf9]

I think the NFL should permanently move the release of the next season's schedule to after the NFL Draft.

The reason for this is because it would allow the opportunity to put teams in national TV slots based on who they draft.

The Jaguars drafting Trevor Lawrence would make them appealing for national TV, but it wouldn't work if the schedule is released before the draft, because the Jaguars might then not have any national TV games beyond the obligatory TNF appearance.

Like I want the Jaguars to play at the Rams for the night game on Thanksgiving. Appeal for such a matchup could greatly be increased if the Jags take Lawrence.

[pf9]

The NFL already released the 2020 schedule after the draft because of pandemic issues.

But making this the standard procedure could allow highly-touted rookies to get multiple national TV games regardless of how their team did the previous year.

[Wyld Stallyns]

The league has to make sure that the individual stadium’s events calendar can fit certain games that aren’t Sunday afternoon games. So they need to get that done earlier to reserve the date. Obviously in this time of no concerts, or other events it’s a non issue but once people get back to events happening year long these larger stadiums will be great for spacing people to get more ticket money. 

[ET80]

It's not that I don't like the idea - I do, actually - but it's less about what you're proposing and more about capitalizing on the momentum of the draft, which is an event in itself.

For that, yeah - makes sense.

What you're proposing isn't factoring in that some rookies don't start immediately - and nobody can really assume when said rookie gets on the field, right?

I mean, if you put the Chargers on last season in an attempt to get Justin Herbert on TV, you may have actually scheduled a game where Tyrod Taylor was the starter. Same with Miami - who wants a primetime matchup with Ryan Fitzpatrick headlining? If we could realistically predict when some rookies hit the field, then maybe... But so much of that is unpredictable (not like we can plan Tyrod getting his lung punctured like they were).

I like the change, just not the reason.

[squire12]

41 minutes ago, ET80 said:

It's not that I don't like the idea - I do, actually - but it's less about what you're proposing and more about capitalizing on the momentum of the draft, which is an event in itself.

For that, yeah - makes sense.

What you're proposing isn't factoring in that some rookies don't start immediately - and nobody can really assume when said rookie gets on the field, right?

I mean, if you put the Chargers on last season in an attempt to get Justin Herbert on TV, you may have actually scheduled a game where Tyrod Taylor was the starter. Same with Miami - who wants a primetime matchup with Ryan Fitzpatrick headlining? If we could realistically predict when some rookies hit the field, then maybe... But so much of that is unpredictable (not like we can plan Tyrod getting his lung punctured like they were).

I like the change, just not the reason.

Remember all those prime time games the NFL could have scheduled to showcase Ruggs and Judy?

Good thing they did and skipped over Jefferson.

Predicting rookie showcase is hard.  Stick to veterans that are more known entities 

[Malfatron]

the earlier the better imo

[pf9]

OK, the NFL schedule this year being released a few weeks after the Draft like last year.

Jags have taken Trevor Lawrence.

Jets have taken Zach Wilson (and I expected them to take Justin Fields).

So, given how highly-touted these QBs are, the teams should get a couple primetime appearances.

The Jaguars should play at the Rams on Thanksgiving night (on NBC) because the Rams have the longest active Thanksgiving drought among teams not playing at Detroit or Dallas (and the longest overall), and the Jaguars have the longest drought of their opponents, not appearing on the holiday ever. This would give the coveted Thanksgiving games at Detroit and Dallas to Arizona and Denver, respectively, because they have the longest active droughts among the home opponents of the Lions and Cowboys, respectively (though Arizona is also playing at Dallas, Denver is not also playing at Detroit; while the Broncos and Lions will play each other in 2021, the game is in Denver).

The Jaguars should also get an SNF or MNF appearance hosting the Dolphins, a rivalry which could be bigger if the Dolphins, now with a star QB of their own, were in the AFC South. It makes sense for that to be because the Dolphins and Jaguars are both in Florida.

The Jets play half of their schedule against teams that had 10 or more wins last year. In addition to home-and-homes with the Bills and Dolphins, they also play at Indianapolis and host New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Tennessee. One of the Bills games should be SNF or MNF to play on the Upstate NY VS. NYC angle. Tampa Bay's game at the Jets should be SNF definitely, because of Tom Brady's familiarity with the Jets, playing them twice a year as a Patriot.

[INbengalfan]

13 hours ago, pf9 said:

OK, the NFL schedule this year being released a few weeks after the Draft like last year.

Jags have taken Trevor Lawrence.

Jets have taken Zach Wilson (and I expected them to take Justin Fields).

So, given how highly-touted these QBs are, the teams should get a couple primetime appearances.

The Jaguars should play at the Rams on Thanksgiving night (on NBC) because the Rams have the longest active Thanksgiving drought among teams not playing at Detroit or Dallas (and the longest overall), and the Jaguars have the longest drought of their opponents, not appearing on the holiday ever. This would give the coveted Thanksgiving games at Detroit and Dallas to Arizona and Denver, respectively, because they have the longest active droughts among the home opponents of the Lions and Cowboys, respectively (though Arizona is also playing at Dallas, Denver is not also playing at Detroit; while the Broncos and Lions will play each other in 2021, the game is in Denver).

The Jaguars should also get an SNF or MNF appearance hosting the Dolphins, a rivalry which could be bigger if the Dolphins, now with a star QB of their own, were in the AFC South. It makes sense for that to be because the Dolphins and Jaguars are both in Florida.

The Jets play half of their schedule against teams that had 10 or more wins last year. In addition to home-and-homes with the Bills and Dolphins, they also play at Indianapolis and host New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Tennessee. One of the Bills games should be SNF or MNF to play on the Upstate NY VS. NYC angle. Tampa Bay's game at the Jets should be SNF definitely, because of Tom Brady's familiarity with the Jets, playing them twice a year as a Patriot.

Jags and Bengals should play a night game.  The Burrow/Lawrence angle is more than enough to drive that.  I'd say a TNF game, but those tend to be a lot of division games.