Throughout commissioner Roger Goodell’s reign he’s steadily made numerous changes to the game some good and some bad. He’s changed OT rules, replay rules, contact rules and is even trying to eliminate kickoffs but his latest endeavor is being met with fierce opposition. Read more after the jump.
Goodell is considering expanding the playoffs from 12 teams to 14 or 16. The expansion would come with a cut in preseason games making it a 16 and 2 format with just two weeks of preseason. Goodell has spoken of the poor quality of preseason games as many people don’t tune in since most of the leagues biggest players usually don’t participate due to fear of injury. The new format would eliminate two weeks from the preseason.
With the expansion of the playoffs, more teams would be involved in essence heightening the playoff run and more fans tuning in which would mean more TV money, which is of course the bottom line. The problem with this however is more mediocre teams making it into the postseason. Each year at least one or two subpar teams make it to the playoffs and with the expansion that would only allow more. The playoffs are about the best of the best facing off and it should stay that way.
This idea has been introduced before and hasn’t gone through but I wouldn’t be surprised if Goodell pushed for it and got the owners to agree after all we did just go through a lockout over money.
