Roger Goodell aims for 16 International NFL games per year, tied to 18-game regular season expansion
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed NFL’s future plans for expansion at the Liberty Media Investor’s Day.
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Roger Goodell (Image via Sky Sports)
The NFL’s global ambitions are reaching new heights. Commissioner Roger Goodell has unveiled a bold vision: staging 16 international games annually. It is tied directly to a plan to expand the league to eighteen games in the regular season.
The plans align with the rise of the sporting industry in recent years and the future possibilities. According to the Sports Global Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2033 Report, the industry is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 5.9%. Furthermore, PwC identified that franchise valuations are on the rise as well as overall gaming experiences. They also considered the internationalization of sport as an emerging trend, highlighting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game in Germany last year.
Speaking at Liberty Media’s investor day, Goodell informed of the NFL’s plans via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal.
We hope to be 16 [international games] within five years. We’re looking at a change from the 17-and-three format to maybe 18 regular season games and two preseason games. And that will open up more inventory to allow us to play more globally.
Roger Goodell said
With the growing popularity, the NFL would need to expand into the potential markets and play more games. Earlier, the Dallas Cowboys COO had also hinted at the 18-game regular season. Considering the International series, it would be interesting to see how it pans out especially with players drawing conflicts with the commissioner for eight global games next season.
The current setup also allows for 16 International games. With each team playing 17 games per season, the schedule could consist of eight traditional home games, eight traditional road games, and one neutral-site game. With all 32 teams participating in a neutral-site game, it would result in a total of 16 such games.
In 2024, there were five international games on the regular season schedule. The first International game took place in Week 1 with the Green Bay Packers playing the Philadelphia Eagles on a slippery surface in Brasil. There were three games in the United Kingdom before wrapping it up in Munich between New York Giants and Carolina Panthers. The final game in Munich attracted huge popularity in the country with reports stating people came in all jerseys.
Roger Goodell’s push for an 18-game season could extend NFL calendar to Week 20
In early May, CBS Analyst Jonathan Jones broke down how the NFL will expand to eighteen games and the intense workings of such a deal. The idea of expanding the regular season games while decreasing the number of pre-season games exists.
The 18+2 model, as it is referred to in NFL circles, traces its origins to Commissioner Roger Goodell. He introduced the concept during Super Bowl week and revisited it in May 2024 at the league meetings in Nashville. Furthermore, for the new system to be implemented, the NFLPA has to agree with the new proposal. With the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in place through the 2030 season, the league cannot add an 18th regular-season game before then without the NFLPA’s consent.
Jones analyzed what concessions players might seek in exchange for agreeing to the expanded schedule ahead of the CBA’s expiration. One notable possibility is an additional bye week, which would stretch the regular season from 18 weeks to 20 weeks.
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Mohammed Bazim
(406 Articles Published)