In March, an official vote didn’t happen on late-season Thursday night flexing because the league didn’t have the votes, unofficially, to push it through.
It’s currently anticipated that a formal vote will happen when the owners meet in Minneapolis later this month, per a source with knowledge of the situation.
The last time around, 22 teams favored the proposal, eight opposed it, and two abstained. The vote wasn’t regarded as a formal one, with the measure eventually tabled until May.
Sometimes, an item gets tabled as a face-saving way of killing it. For Thursday night flexing, it’s simply a matter of getting two team that voted “no” to flip to “yes.”
It shouldn’t be hard. Deals can be made; they get made all the time. A little wink, a little nod, and there’s a deal, that’a a deal.
The proposal continues to be a horrible one, in our opinion, “abusive” to fans (as Giants co-owner John Mara has said) and oblivious to various consequences to players and others flowing from a late-season shift in an otherwise settled schedule. But the league office wants the ability to boost late-season Thursday night audiences.
Within two weeks, that power likely will be secured.