NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is steadfast in his support of increasing the regular season from 16 games to 18. And he insists that that’s what the fans want.
In fact, Goodell said today at his annual “State of the League” press conference that it was interest from the fans that made him and the majority of league owners decide to push for an 18-game season.
“We started this with the fans,” Goodell said. “The fans have clearly stated that they don’t like the preseason. We have a 20-game format, 16 regular season games and four preseason games, and the fans have repeatedly said the preseason games don’t meet NFL standards. And that is the basis on which we started this 18-game concept, taking two low-quality preseason games and turning them into two high-quality regular season games.”
A recent Associated Press poll, however, found that fan interest in an 18-game season was lukewarm at best. And NFL players are just about unanimous in their opposition to the 18-game season.
So is Goodell right that the fans want an 18-game season? Or is Goodell using the fans as cover for something that’s really being pushed by the owners, and by Goodell himself? Let us know where the fans stand, PFT Planet.