Preseason Football Games Suck
According to an interview with USA Today, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabu, commented on what his perception is regarding how NFL owners felt about limiting preseason games:
“A number of clubs will not have any interest in change. Other clubs feel that it has worked so well that perhaps we can continue to evolve it and end up with fewer preseason games.”
Is it just me, or does playing all of those preseason games a waste? NFL coaches utilize the preseason to evaluate players, especially first year ones, and most them will probably tell you that there is some usefulness to them, however, they are no more than practice games, and therefore, we need implement some changes for the benefit of the fans so that they won’t be as meaningless to us.
First, if these preseason games are just practice, then how come NFL owners cannot lower ticket prices? Attendees rarely get to see the starting unit together, and if they do, then it’s usually third game, which is usually the dress rehearsal, and then the unit is only on the field for 30-45 minutes and the coaches are careful not to open up the playbook, since they don’t want to reveal too much prior to the first game of the regular season.
On the other hand, if NFL owners refuse to lower ticket prices; why not set up special times prior to the games for autographs and photo sessions with the fans? Football fans that would pay the regular season ticket prices would not just feel like they are attending a boring scrimmage game, but rather having fun interacting with their favorite rookies and veterans players of the team. This would also help players develop rapports with fans and give them something exciting and different to look forward to during the preseason.
Second, preseason games increase the risk of player injuries, however, the reality, according to Mr. Tagliabu, is that players are going to get hurt because of the nature of the game. “You always cringe at seeing a player hurt. But Gale Sayers got hurt and football players have been getting hurt for six decades. So it's part of the game. It's a very physical game. As Chuck Noll used to say, it's a collision sport, not a contact sport, and those kinds of things will happen at any time of the year,” said Tagliabu.
Did Gayle Sayers get hurt in the preseason or regular season Mr. Tagliabu?
“A number of clubs will not have any interest in change. Other clubs feel that it has worked so well that perhaps we can continue to evolve it and end up with fewer preseason games.”
Is it just me, or does playing all of those preseason games a waste? NFL coaches utilize the preseason to evaluate players, especially first year ones, and most them will probably tell you that there is some usefulness to them, however, they are no more than practice games, and therefore, we need implement some changes for the benefit of the fans so that they won’t be as meaningless to us.
First, if these preseason games are just practice, then how come NFL owners cannot lower ticket prices? Attendees rarely get to see the starting unit together, and if they do, then it’s usually third game, which is usually the dress rehearsal, and then the unit is only on the field for 30-45 minutes and the coaches are careful not to open up the playbook, since they don’t want to reveal too much prior to the first game of the regular season.
On the other hand, if NFL owners refuse to lower ticket prices; why not set up special times prior to the games for autographs and photo sessions with the fans? Football fans that would pay the regular season ticket prices would not just feel like they are attending a boring scrimmage game, but rather having fun interacting with their favorite rookies and veterans players of the team. This would also help players develop rapports with fans and give them something exciting and different to look forward to during the preseason.
Second, preseason games increase the risk of player injuries, however, the reality, according to Mr. Tagliabu, is that players are going to get hurt because of the nature of the game. “You always cringe at seeing a player hurt. But Gale Sayers got hurt and football players have been getting hurt for six decades. So it's part of the game. It's a very physical game. As Chuck Noll used to say, it's a collision sport, not a contact sport, and those kinds of things will happen at any time of the year,” said Tagliabu.
Did Gayle Sayers get hurt in the preseason or regular season Mr. Tagliabu?
As former San Francisco Linebacker, Ken Norton Jr. put it, "[They're] not real games, but the injuries are real."
So what’s the basis behind playing preseason games?
Some coaches will tell you that preseason games are important because of the need to developing continuity and team chemistry, especially nowadays, because NFL rosters change so much due to the NFL Draft, retirement, salary cap, and free agency, however, this is, for the most part, what mini-camp and training camp is for, therefore, preseason games have limited value. Instead, we can scale back the preseason games and have teams play fewer games and then the NFL we can extend the regular season or offer an extra Bye Week or something else beneficial. I would take an extra 1-2, meaningful, regular season game(s), instead of the boring ones.
When the new NFL Commissioner is chosen, one of the biggest issues that he should address is making the NFL a complete league. Other than the preseason, the NFL is the best sport in America today, and if the necessary changes are made, it would make it not only better for the fans, but for the players, too.
