What would your reaction be to the NFL moving the league’s biggest annual game, the Super Bowl, back a day from Sunday to Saturday?
A new Change.org petition has proposed just that.
A fan named Frank Ruggeri posted the petition and used the following points as the rationale for his proposal:
- It will bring in more money for the league
- It will bring more visitors to the game
- The NFL will get more television viewers because most government employees have the day off
- More children will be able to enjoy the game, either on TV or at a venue
- Most NFL Playoff games are on Saturday
- Ticket prices will be higher because more visitors will attend
As of Monday afternoon (January 20th), the petition has just short of 5,000 signatures, which is Ruggeri’s goal. It will probably reach and eclipse that mark with ease as the story becomes more viral.
Presumably, the basis for Ruggeri’s proposition is that playing the Super Bowl on Saturday would allow a lot more adults (who have to work on the Monday after the Super Bowl, especially government employees) and children (who have to be at school on Monday morning after the game) to enjoy it unencumbered by time constraints.
It is true that the NFL plays some of its playoff games on Saturday (two on Wild Card Round weekend and two on Divisional Round weekend), but it still plays the majority of its 11 playoff games (seven) on Sunday, including the Super Bowl.
Whether or not it would bring the league more money or draw more attendees to the location is highly debatable. It is already a week-long extravaganza in the host city each year (Miami this year) and results in a ton of revenue being generated directly and indirectly from the game.
It is not likely that this proposal will go anywhere with the league, but it is at least interesting to ponder what moving the game would be like.
Hat tip to KSAT