Bills contact NFL about scheduling disadvantage

[Nanker]

????

Opponents are based on the final standings, dude. Please, get it together just a little bit before posting.

You're the one who's adding a straw man here. ICSWIM didn't mention the opponents - you did, and that's not under discussion anywhere in this thread until now. What's being discussed is the timing of games - which is something that the NFL scheduling team takes great pride in and go to great lengths with interviews on the NFL radio network to discuss what great pains they took in scheduling while taking into consideration things like Jets/Giants use of the same stadium and dates around the Jewish high holidays. Those guys don't give two ***** about Buffalo.

[eball]

If I recall, Chris Brown put an article up on the Bills site about this issue back before the season started, and one of our posters created quite the chart showing just how much Buffalo was negatively impacted compared with the rest of the league. It's not a "new" issue, although I agree I don't know what was behind the timing of Brandon's statement.

 

With respect to Simon's comment about the Toronto series -- it's an interesting point. I wonder if Toronto would have ever happened if the Bills had been remotely competitive; the series began 7-8 years into the current "no playoffs" run.

[Prickly Pete]

You're the one who's adding a straw man here. ICSWIM didn't mention the opponents - you did, and that's not under discussion anywhere in this thread until now. What's being discussed is the timing of games - which is something that the NFL scheduling team takes great pride in and go to great lengths with interviews on the NFL radio network to discuss what great pains they took in scheduling while taking into consideration things like Jets/Giants use of the same stadium and dates around the Jewish high holidays. Those guys don't give two ***** about Buffalo.

 

It's about the bye-week scheduling. How can they be tailoring the bye week schedule against/ or for the Bills, without knowing who each of the teams opponents will be? It all has to interlock, so complaining now isn't any more effective than any other time.

 

They are pissed because they now have no hope for the playoffs.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Marauder'sMicro

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

????

Opponents are based on the final standings, dude. Please, get it together just a little bit before posting.

It's my understanding that every team in the NFL, including the Bills, already knows the identity of their opponent for 14 of the 16 regular season games in 2014. Do you think it's a coincidence that every team in the AFC East plays each team in the AFC North and each team in the NFC South once this year? It's not. Every year the Bills play 6 games against AFC East teams, 4 games against another entire AFC division, 4 games against an entire NFC division, and two other AFC games. If I recall correctly, the NFC division and the "other" AFC division we play rotates each year on a pre-determined schedule. As a result, the Bills play every AFC team at least once every three years, and play every NFC team exactly once every four years.

 

But since you've "got it together," you already knew that, right?

 

While it's true that the opponent's identity for 2 AFC games won't be known until the 2013 regular season standings are final, there's no reason why the league couldn't start working on the 2014 schedule now if it wanted to. I don't know when the scheduling work for 2014 games actually starts, which is why I can't evaluate the timeliness of the Bills' recent scheduling complaint without additional information.

 

Comprende?

Edited November 14, 2013 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

When you willingly create a self-inflicted scheduling disadvantage every year, you don't have a lot of room to complain about somebody else doing it to you unwillingly.

forget the factthat we are like 23 to 24 million below cap as well??????

[Nanker]

Kudos to The Big Cat for being all over this when the schedule first came out this year.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Nanker

[Prickly Pete]

It's my understanding that every team in the NFL, including the Bills, already knows the identity of their opponent for 14 of the 16 regular season games in 2014. Do you think it's a coincidence that every team in the AFC East plays each team in the AFC North and each team in the NFC South once this year? It's not. Every year the Bills play 6 games against AFC East teams, 4 games against another entire AFC division, 4 games against an entire NFC division, and two other AFC games. If I recall correctly, the NFC division and the "other" AFC division we play rotates each year on a pre-determined schedule. As a result, the Bills play every AFC team at least once every three years, and play every NFC team exactly once every four years.

 

But since you've "got it together," you already knew that, right?

 

While it's true that the opponent's identity for 2 AFC games won't be known until the 2013 regular season standings are final, there's no reason why the league couldn't start working on the 2014 schedule now if it wanted to. I don't know when the scheduling work for 2014 games actually starts, which is why I can't evaluate the timeliness of the Bills' recent scheduling complaint without additional information.

 

Comprende?

I'm aware of all that, but those 32 games can throw off many well laid plans. They release the schedule in April.

 

Regardless, I don't think it's a coincidence that the week the Bills are eliminated is the week they complain. It's certainly more likely that, than somehow THIS is the week the NFL is starting to work out next season's schedule.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Marauder'sMicro

[MattM]

If I recall, Chris Brown put an article up on the Bills site about this issue back before the season started, and one of our posters created quite the chart showing just how much Buffalo was negatively impacted compared with the rest of the league. It's not a "new" issue, although I agree I don't know what was behind the timing of Brandon's statement.

 

With respect to Simon's comment about the Toronto series -- it's an interesting point. I wonder if Toronto would have ever happened if the Bills had been remotely competitive; the series began 7-8 years into the current "no playoffs" run.

 

The Toronto series is the price paid to even HAVE a team in WNY, one of the smallest markets and one of the most economically depressed parts of the country over the last 20 years. I find it hard to believe that people still don't get that. They need that money to remain competitive in revenue, particularly when you consider things like new stadiums with more (non-shared) luxury box revenue in places that actually have corporate HQs/sponsors in their towns. The NFL is about making $ (despite its non-profit status). If you'd prefer they just leave altogether (which may still happen when Ralph dies), then go ahead and take the Toronto series away from them....

 

PS I was born and raised in WNY and am not Canadian, but I understand modern sports and the need to access this additional revenue stream in order to stay in WNY.

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

I'm aware of all that, those 2 games can throw off many well laid plans.

Regardless, I don't think it's a coincidence that the week the Bills are eliminated is the week they complain. It's certainly more likely that, than somehow THIS is the week the NFL is starting to work out next season's schedule.

You might be right about the motivation for the Bills' complaint, or you might be wrong. Either way, your post up-thread was a bit snarky - - but hey, I sometimes get snarky when we lose, too, so no hard feelings on my end.

 

Anybody actually know when the 2014 scheduling process starts? If I have time later today, I'll try to do the google about it on the interweb tubes.

[Dibs]

forget the factthat we are like 23 to 24 million below cap as well??????

 

18.3M below our adjusted cap.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap-hit/

[Prickly Pete]

You might be right about the motivation for the Bills' complaint, or you might be wrong. Either way, your post up-thread was a bit snarky - - but hey, I sometimes get snarky when we lose, too, so no hard feelings on my end.

 

Anybody actually know when the 2014 scheduling process starts? If I have time later today, I'll try to do the google about it on the interweb tubes.

 

I was a bit snarky, for sure. We are all devoted Bills fans, so it can lead to irritability when they are so disappointing....

[Homey D. Clown]

I don't get your point at all. So because we play a game in Toronto, we have no right to complain that we have 6 games against teams coming off extended rest vs. only one other team has more than 3? Please explain your logic.

 

I think his point is very clear... how do you not get it???

 

To answer your question, yes... because our idiot team ceo handicaps his own team by creating another away game for his own franchise, he has no merit in complaining to the NFL for creating a handicap of their own. This one is apples to apples and couldn't be easier to understand.

[BuffaloBill]

 

When you willingly create a self-inflicted scheduling disadvantage every year, you don't have a lot of room to complain about somebody else doing it to you unwillingly.

 

Like it or not the Toronto game is a home game for the Bills.

 

One issue has nothing to do with the other. The point the Bills are complaining about, late in the season, is that they have a disproportionate number of rested teams to face.

 

Good for the Bills for raising the issue. They should have done so sooner.

[nucci]

That makes total sense. It is like if you smoked a joint, you can not complain if somebody gives you an overdose of heroin.

What??

[BringBackFergy]

Kudos to The Big Cat for being all over this when the schedule first came out this year.

Speaking of which...haven't seen The Big Cat in awhile. Given his penchant for statistics and fancy charts, is it possible Big Cat = Mike Lyons?? lol

[CodeMonkey]

From the article: The subject of the Bills scheduling disadvantage came up over the summer, but the team didn't formally contact the league about it until this week. Bills president Russ Brandon called the schedule 'disappointing.'

 

So why did the Bills wait to bring this up until now?

It's Brandon so it is sales/marketing related. Given the current standings and remaining tickets left this season, my guess is that he is trying to build a "us against the world" mentality among Bills fans in an attempt to sell more tickets the remainder of this season and for seasons renewals next season. Otherwise he would not have waited until more than halfway through the season to do it.

Edited November 14, 2013 by CodeMonkey

[iinii]

 

 

I get what your saying, but don't agree at all. They are two complete separate issues. The existence of the Toronto series doesn't alleviate the league's obligation to create a fair schedule.

Exactly.

[Dawgg]

When you willingly create a self-inflicted scheduling disadvantage every year, you don't have a lot of room to complain about somebody else doing it to you unwillingly.

Agreed. This is akin to the Bills' owner whining about the need for more revenue sharing for small market teams, all the while refusing to maximize revenue by selling the naming rights to the stadium and selfishly keeping it under his own name.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Yes, thank you.

My point is that while bye weeks are great for players they aren't really tactically significant. On the other hand, giving up one of only 8 home games every year is strategically significant and hints toward the fact that maybe the Bills all-encompassing goal isn't actually winning a championship.

When you intentionally put yourself at a competitive disadvantage, your complaints about being put at a competitive disadvantage tend to ring hollow.

 

 

I agree that the NFL should do a better job at creating a more equitable schedule.

But the Bills complaint would have a lot more weight if they weren't already creating a less equitable schedule themselves.

So you do not buy that it is an attempt to grow the brand and thus secure the Bills in Buffalo for a longer period of time?

[metzelaars_lives]

I agree that the NFL should do a better job at creating a more equitable schedule.

But the Bills complaint would have a lot more weight if they weren't already creating a less equitable schedule themselves.

Again... what??

 

I think his point is very clear... how do you not get it???

 

To answer your question, yes... because our idiot team ceo handicaps his own team by creating another away game for his own franchise, he has no merit in complaining to the NFL for creating a handicap of their own. This one is apples to apples and couldn't be easier to understand.

You people are taking crazy pills. This is the biggest stretch of a point I've ever heard someone try to make on this website, save for old crayonz posts. We play a game in Toronto because it helps us financially. They are still in our market. You can laugh all you want but if the Bills were playing good football, we would have a pretty nice homefield advantage up there. Yet because we play a game up there, you, Homey D Clown, are arguing that that gives the NFL free reign to schedule six games vs. teams coming off extended rest when only one other team has more than three (and they only have four)? What if they scheduled us eight games against teams coming off byes? Nope, sorry, can't say anything- we play a game in Toronto. What if they scheduled us on a Thursday night following a Monday night and the other team was coming off a bye? Nope, Toronto. OK, what if they scheduled us at 1 o'clock at home and then at 4 o'clock in San Diego on the same day? Nope, sorry, Toronto.

Edited November 14, 2013 by metzelaars_lives