The future of the NFL

[MJWalker45]

Just now, neo_prankster said:

 

That and rip up that exclusive deal with EA.

This!!!!! I only just got Madden 17 because it was on sale for $20. I'd have paid full price for NBA2K17 if it hadn't been on sale at Walmart.  NFL2K18 with those same create options would be amazing. Unfortunately the NFL is pretty protective about anything that is part of their branding.

[neo_prankster]

1 minute ago, MJWalker45 said:

This!!!!! I only just got Madden 17 because it was on sale for $20. I'd have paid full price for NBA2K17 if it hadn't been on sale at Walmart.  NFL2K18 with those same create options would be amazing. Unfortunately the NFL is pretty protective about anything that is part of their branding.

 

Too bad the other developers don't have the courage to make an unlicensed, fully customizable game.

 

[IceCap]

4 minutes ago, neo_prankster said:

 

Too bad the other developers don't have the courage to make an unlicensed, fully customizable game.

 

There were a few attempts. They just weren't that good *shrug*

[waltere]

On 06/02/2017 at 6:16 AM, SabresRule7361 said:

Flacco/Luck are in a midair career staal

 

The same place the Carolina Hurricanes have been stuck for the last 10 years?

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

On 2/6/2017 at 1:16 AM, SabresRule7361 said:

The AFC needs someone else to step up.

 

Brady isn't exactly a spring chicken, Big Ben's getting up there, Flacco/Luck are in a midair career staal, Rivers is getting older.

 

Probably the next great AFC QB whom I thought had a chance to crash the AFC party this year got hurt.

 

I mean, compared to the NFC parity- where I could see Dallas/Detroit/Arizona breaking through next year- the AFC has had the same QB's dominating forever.

 

And one of them- Peyton- is gone. The others won't play forever ala Blanda/Favre.

 

Because when other great QB's retired in different eras, others stepped up.

 

Ahem...

 

[OnWis97]

On 2/5/2017 at 6:13 PM, neo_prankster said:

Even with the Super Bowl in progress as of this post, I personally still have questions about the future of the NFL.

 

How much longer can Goodell remain as commissioner before he is forced out for good?

 

When Goddell leaves office, what can the league do to regain credibility?

 

How will talent be evaluated should the talent pool dwindle in the next 10-15 years?

I don't think Goodell, or any commissioner is a threat to the NFL's future or its dominance.  As was pointed out in another thread, the damn Pro Bowl draws more viewers than almost any non-football event in the United States.  There are fans (myself included) who have a little NFL fatigue that has probably grown from the Thursday games, the pushes for 18 games and overseas teams, and the nauseating dominance of national media coverage (for me the last one is the key).  But I think all that's really happened is that the NFL hit "peak dominance."  It turns out that there is a limit to which the NFL can dominate and be ever-present.  But that limit still places it as the most popular sport in the US by a huge margin.  

 

Regarding the bold, I am not sure whether the potential dwindling talent pool you refer it is a nod to the CTE issues...but it's a fair question.  The only threat to the NFL's dominance is probably that.  Nobody cares about steroids.  People don't like domestic violence stories but aside from wanting the actual perpetrators out, it seems not to matter much regarding continued fandom.  The head-injury issue may threaten to do two things: 1) turn fans away or 2) keep people from playing it.  So far, anecdotally, anyway, I don't see that happening.  I know youth football is not getting quite as many players as it used to, thanks in part to the number of sports there are, the disappointing trend of year-round specialization, and possibly the head injury issue.  So we'll see there...but my sense is that kids are still playing it at a high enough rate that it's not in too much danger.

 

Who knows though? Maybe some day Tom Brady, Brett Favre, or Jerry Rice will have a headline-grabbing case of early-onset dementia that ends up impacting both fandom and participation.  

 

In any case, CTE is a potential threat to the NFL.  But I don't see anything else as a threat.

[StaatsBrett]

I would like to see the return of the old style of turf just in color because the logoswhere pretty crisp

[Sport]

2 hours ago, OnWis97 said:

I don't think Goodell, or any commissioner is a threat to the NFL's future or its dominance.  As was pointed out in another thread, the damn Pro Bowl draws more viewers than almost any non-football event in the United States.  There are fans (myself included) who have a little NFL fatigue that has probably grown from the Thursday games, the pushes for 18 games and overseas teams, and the nauseating dominance of national media coverage (for me the last one is the key).  But I think all that's really happened is that the NFL hit "peak dominance."  It turns out that there is a limit to which the NFL can dominate and be ever-present.  But that limit still places it as the most popular sport in the US by a huge margin.  

 

Regarding the bold, I am not sure whether the potential dwindling talent pool you refer it is a nod to the CTE issues...but it's a fair question.  The only threat to the NFL's dominance is probably that.  Nobody cares about steroids.  People don't like domestic violence stories but aside from wanting the actual perpetrators out, it seems not to matter much regarding continued fandom.  The head-injury issue may threaten to do two things: 1) turn fans away or 2) keep people from playing it.  So far, anecdotally, anyway, I don't see that happening.  I know youth football is not getting quite as many players as it used to, thanks in part to the number of sports there are, the disappointing trend of year-round specialization, and possibly the head injury issue.  So we'll see there...but my sense is that kids are still playing it at a high enough rate that it's not in too much danger.

 

Who knows though? Maybe some day Tom Brady, Brett Favre, or Jerry Rice will have a headline-grabbing case of early-onset dementia that ends up impacting both fandom and participation.  

 

In any case, CTE is a potential threat to the NFL.  But I don't see anything else as a threat.

 

As long as colleges are willing to provide free education to football athletes there will always be people willing to risk longterm health for a shot at a better life. I don't see the talent pool dwindling to the point where it affects the quality of play at the NFL level. At least now, though, people know more about the risks involved when they choose to play football. 

 

What will probably happen instead is a fundamental change in the way we teach and play the game at the youth level. Something like not allowing full padded contact before the age of 13. Until that happens youth football will continue to see declining participation. 

[FlyEaglesFly76]

20 hours ago, Kaz said:

Still the GOAT football game

I take it you don't know Tecmo like Bo knows Tecmo?

[MJWalker45]

On Tue Feb 07 2017 at 9:00 AM, tigerslionspistonshabs said:

 

Ahem...

 

Pretty sad that I made it to the semi-finals with this guy but couldn't get there with Tom Brady! He's only fantasy football good.

[MJWalker45]

On Mon Feb 06 2017 at 9:29 PM, Ice_Cap said:

There were a few attempts. They just weren't that good *shrug*

2K Sports attempt that used former players was decent but if players can't use the real NFL players they won't touch it. I believe EA no longer has an exclusivity deal, it's more that the NFL won't allow as much customization as the NBA does. Probably because players would start making NCAA leagues inside the game.

[neo_prankster]

Now with the Raiders moving to Vegas, what will become of the league going forward? Will there be any real change? Or will things stay stagnant and fans tune the league out?

[Gothamite]

7 minutes ago, neo_prankster said:

Now with the Raiders moving to Vegas, what will become of the league going forward? Will there be any real change? Or will things stay stagnant and fans tune the league out?

 

Still making random assumptions without support.  

[Yippy]

3 hours ago, Gothamite said:

 

Still making random assumptions without support.  

I fail to see how that is a random assumption without support. For the first time in my adult life the topic of the NFL's ratings consistently made their way to the headlines of non sports news sources

[Gothamite]

Yes, there is a blip.  But ratings have gone up and down before. And the league is far from "stagnant".  I only wish they wouldn't keep monkeying with the rules. 

[2001mark]

Strange that I've reached peak offseason NFL coverage this year, i.e. I'm not tuned in to many details via NFL Network etc, & yet the league is having arguably one of its worst PR offseasons in history.

The 2017 season will be fresher than the previous handful because so much of the NFL offseason is white noise, easily avoidable. 

[neo_prankster]

Now, with the Draft having gone to Chicago and this year's Draft being held in Philadelphia, does Los Angeles have a shot to host the Draft after the Rams' new stadium opens?

[dfwabel]

1 hour ago, neo_prankster said:

Now, with the Draft having gone to Chicago and this year's Draft being held in Philadelphia, does Los Angeles have a shot to host the Draft after the Rams' new stadium opens?

If they the area gives the NFL enough tax breaks to host it, then yes. 

[BBTV]

I heard that it's all but a done deal that it's in Dallas next year, but after how well this one went, they really want to do it outdoors again, and there's a chance it could come back to Philadelphia.  If so, I really hope it's at a different location, as it crippled the neighborhood by the museum.