The NFL flexed, and once again fans were muscled out.
For the first time in league history, the league moved a Sunday game into Thursday prime time, pitting the Broncos at the Chargers on Dec. 19. The NFL wanting viewers to watch the Broncos is a welcome change, indicating they have finally been forgiven for burning retinas with the Nathaniel Hackett-Russell Wilson pairing in 2022.
But it stinks for fans with plans. Like those in Broncos Country who bought plane tickets and arranged a SoCal weekend around watching their favorite team at SoFi Stadium. Forget the money involved in changing flights and hotel dates — there will be upcharges, count on it — but moving the game is a horrible inconvenience. Thursday is a workday. So is, um, Wednesday. And Friday.
The reaction on my Twitter feed articulated the anger:
• “(Furious) man. Not sure how I am going to convince (wife) we need to leave Thursday”
• “My friend was going now he will have to eat his flights”
• “My girlfriend gave me this trip as a birthday present and now she can’t go”
• “First game in years I will have to miss!!”
Instead of flying out Saturday morning for two days of fun, fans have to take off work. That doesn’t work for many folks, even with the mandated 28-day league notice for the switch. Giants owner Wellington Mara recognized this when owners proposed it in 2023, calling flexing Sunday games to Thursday nights “abusive” to fans. The criticism was echoed by Raiders owner Mark Davis. The measure, nonetheless, passed.
And a league that hogs revenue found a willing guinea pig in the Broncos. Denver had to sign off on playing two Thursday night road games after demolishing New Orleans earlier this season. Per the Associated Press, the Broncos are the first team to have two Thursday roadies following a Sunday game since 1926.
Why is the NFL doing this? For the same reason rock stars date supermodels — because they can.
Broncos coach Sean Payton clearly believes there is an advantage to getting extra rest leading into a possible play-in game at Cincinnati the following weekend. And the owners want to goose the Amazon ratings — maybe Al Michaels will have more energy than a sloth calling this matchup — despite the negative impact on traveling fans.
Remember, the NFL made roughly $20 billion in revenue in 2023, per Statista. Nearly two-thirds come from TV broadcast and media rights and 17% from ticket sales. The math means fans matter more as viewers than in-game spectators.
The Broncos are back in prime time. And the NFL does not care that it comes at the expense of diehard fans.
Spicy Nugget: Hard to avoid this thought when watching Denver: Is Jamal Murray going to make us angry and nervous all season? The Nuggets cannot win big without him at his best, and he has yet to play with any consistency.
QB Stories: Do you realize Green Bay’s Jordan Love has thrown an interception in nine straight games? Hard to take the Packers seriously as Super Bowl contenders with that many turnovers. And what about Cleveland’s Jameis Winston? He may not win, but because of his interviews, he never loses.
Rodgers That: News: The Jets fired general manager Joe Douglas. Views: That’s weird. I thought Aaron Rodgers was the general manager.
Cold Stove Season: While the baseball world mulls where Juan Soto will go — likely on a contract in excess of $600 million — or Blake Snell lands, there is no buzz around the Rockies. They re-signed backup catcher Jacob Stallings. Don’t be surprised if that is one of their biggest moves this winter.
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Mail Time
Fans second > Revenue FIRST = NFL
Kasey, Twitter
This is the sobering reality. The NFL, more than any other sports league, relies on TV rights deals. This is not changing based on contracts that span over the next decade. My humble advice? When booking for a Thursday night December road game in the future, get a refundable flight and don’t prepay the hotel.
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