Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, reports that the NFL is “actively is calculating the revenue that would be lost by reducing the preseason by as many as two games.”
Florio points out that the NFL has the unilateral right under the CBA agreement to reduce the number of preseason games without consulting the NFL Players Association.
According to Florio, the goal of reducing the preseason would be to either increase the number of regular games, which would require approval from the NFLPA, or expanding the playoffs.
Under the current agreement the NFL and the NFLPA split the league’s revenue 50-50, so they would need to find a way to offset the loss of revenue somehow.
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers previously criticized the length of the preseason and the quality of games following the season-ending injured to WR Jordy Nelson.
“A lot would have to happen,” Rodgers said of changing the number of preseason game. “The fans, I think, are paying close to full-price tickets. It’s not just the coaches’ and the players’ decision.”
“At the league level, we continue to study the preseason,” Packers president Mark Murphy said. “Those of you that have been around the league for a long time, it’s changed dramatically. The way the players train in the offseason, the preseason games are just significantly different. The fourth [preseason] game, very few starters across the league play. They’re all on Thursday. So there are some that look and say, ‘Why do we play that game?‘”
We’ll have more regarding the possibility as the news is available.
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