Formal CBA talks between the NFLPA and players' union are "expected to resume in October," according to Mike Florio of PRO FOOTBALL TALK. The league "wants to finish the CBA so that it can pivot to the networks." The goal "apparently is to launch the TV-rights talks by December." The fact that ratings have started strong in '19 will "create even greater motivation to finalize the broadcast extensions while the Nielsen iron is hot, especially since" the '20 ratings could "drop during what could be a very heated presidential election" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 9/29).
LESS IS MORE: NBCSPORTS.com's Peter King writes there "should not be an increase in the number of regular-season games." If the NFL "goes to 17, without some limit to the number of snaps every player can play," there should not be "one word about how much the commissioner and the owners care about the health and safety of the players" (NBCSPORTS.com, 9/30). ESPN's Bomani Jones said of the NFL looking to add games, "This league that has always protected the quality and urgency of the games, we have a scarce number of games that's why it's so intriguing, why are you going to set two or three of those on fire?" ("High Noon," ESPN, 9/27). CBSSN's Jason La Canfora said, "I don't know that (a 17-game schedule is) really the endgame solution and I'm also not convinced talking to people at the high levels of the league and with individual teams that 18 games is ever entirely off the table until we actually see a CBA that doesn't include it." He added, "Cutting the preseason, going to 18, adding one playoff game in each round is what the NFL is selling to the union, saying, 'That will grow the pie so much bigger for all of us that maybe you can get 51 percent or over 50 percent of revenues. But we've got to be sure that the pie's going to be that big.' That's the league's way of doing it, doesn't mean that'll happen" ("That Other Pregame Show," CBSSN, 9/29).
