Similar to my article recently outlining some ways to improve the Evil Empire...errrr...I mean the NCAA, I decided I would do a similar article on a few ways to improve the NFL. I will probably limit this to only 2 or 3 ideas for right now, that way I can stretch this out for a while into 2 or 3 different articles (gotta make sure I don't run out of material with no football on the horizon). We all know that many of the changes made in the last few years have seemingly taken some of the enjoyment out of the game for players, coaches, and fans. I am going to focus these articles on not just on field improvements, but also potential broadcast improvements, and ways to improve marketing and other off field aspects of the game. So hold on tight because here is what I would do if I could as a super fan of the game....
#1 - The first and foremost thing I would address as commissioner of the NFL would be to put together fan committees, I think I would have 33 committees (1 for each market), and then each market committee would have 1 leader that would meet at 280 Park Avenue with recommendations to present to the commissioner and the owners in the market they live in. These committees would be made up of fans from all different demographics, I would try to include people of all ages, races, and sex. I would include super fans such as myself, casual fans, and people with little or no interest in the NFL. The purpose of these committees would be to let the league know what the fans think and want, if the game really is for the fans then the commissioner/owners need to understand where we come from, what we want to see done, and how we think the game could be made better. Right now I feel there is a huge disconnect between the NFL, its executives, the players, and the fans. No sides seem to be working together for the betterment of the league, and even when there is labor peace, the fans are disconnected from the rest of the NFL. We are the ones that make the NFL so successful, we pay all their salaries, and at some point the fans are going to lose interest if this gap keeps widening. I honestly believe that this would be a great first step in limiting the damage that the league is causing with its fans, and the beginning of maximizing the potential of what the NFL could be. Ultimately we are all partners; the owners, executives, players, and most importantly the fans.
#2 - This idea relates to #1, kind of a continuation. We don't want an 18 game regular season schedule. There I said it. And this is big coming from a super fan such as myself who literally cannot get enough football. I literally cover the NFL year around, from the draft, to rookie training camps, OTA's, to weight lifting sessions, training camps, preseason (I actually love it), to every football site there is, I follow all the twitters from anybody associated with the league, my TV's are constantly tuned to NFL Network and the NFL shows on ESPN, I read all the magazines,etc and I do it on my own time because I love the product; I don't get paid to do any of it...I am literally OBSESSED!!!! And still I do not want an 18 game regular season. To extend the regular season would make more games irrelevant, it is already hard enough for regular fans (not ones like me) to keep interested when the superstars get hurt, and the season is already as long as it is. You guys in the suits have to remember that when its all said and done this league encompasses our full attention for 9-10 months (only downtime for most fans is between draft and training camps). All the polls that I have seen conducted from SI, ESPN, Profootballtalk.com, and even on Twitter have shown that we don't want it, so quit trying to convince us that we do.
The only way that you could have convinced us that that it was good, was if you would have been sincere and said that you wanted to expand the season for the "good of the game" or "for the benefit of the fans". But the way that you have gone about it is just convincing us that the only reason you want it expanded is so that you can make more money off of us. Between the high priced game tickets, exorbitant concession prices, gouging on sports accessories (hats, shirts, jerseys, etc), fact that we pay a premium for almost anything we use on a daily basis because they advertise with you, the extra money on our cable package to have ESPN and NFL Network, etc. we pay a lot of money to follow and keep up with the NFL each year. And now you want more?!?!?!?!? Seriously what are you thinking, how truly disconnected from your customers are you?!?!?!?!? Owners/commissioner, take your greedy hands out of OUR pockets, the fans and consumers, and put them back in yours, we don't want more games JUST so that you can make more money. In the future, try improving the game for the fans who are your customers, then maybe we will give you more of our hard earned money.
You seem to have taken us for granted, what do we have to do to show you our power? We are the reason you are as successful as you are, and we can take it all back. Keep that in mind as you navigate ways to "grow the pie" and "keep costs down". Remember who your "customers" are, because it seems you have forgotten......
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