NFL Preparing for all Options: Including No Fans

[K-9]

23 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

I know i am just optimistic, but i think it is way to early to call that yet. I mean we are 4 months from training camp, 5 from games. Lord knows what all the computer and AI in this world can do with treatment options. I think i am in the great majority of people in the middle on this thing...not a hox or overblown, but at some point the risk/reward becomes to great and we open things up soon..and we build herd immunity 

I don’t see my view on things as pessimistic, just realistic. In the absence of a vaccine, there will be a resurgence; it’s just the nature of viral pandemics, especially this particular virus. Tens of thousands of closely packed people in the two largest population centers in the country on a regular basis sets the table nicely. 
 

I’ll remain hopeful though.

[Greg S]

47 minutes ago, shoshin said:

I have been trying to picture this. MLB will be the first league to give this a shot. It probably works fine for baseball since it's a quiet crowd. Football would be hard to imagine in an empty stadium. It would be like watching a scrimmage but where the game had meaning. 

 

Or watching a Chargers home game.

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

34 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

Yes - but so do all the other teams who were in that window

 

That doesn't make me feel better. If the Bills had two prime years to win a Super Bowl and one of those years was forfeited, that is not a good thing.

[RiotAct]

11 minutes ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

That doesn't make me feel better. If the Bills had two prime years to win a Super Bowl and one of those years was forfeited, that is not a good thing.

yep, I hear you.  

 

And my answer was rooted in the fact that all of our key guys will get another year older without being able to actually play.  I have no idea what would happen as far as contract lengths, terms, and stuff like that.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, hjnick said:

They are learning more and more about this COVID every day.

 

- Anyone under 40 and that's in great health without any underlying medical problems has almost a 0% chance of dying from this.

 

- I think once the antibodies test comes out we will find out that ALOT of ppl have already had COVID, didn't know it and were asymptomatic.

 

- You cannot trust the mortality rate from other countries, especially China. 

I trust the numbers in the US and right now it shows a mortality rate of approximately 4.9% ( 49 times the death rare of flu). It’s great that most people won’t die from this, but can you guarantee that all those infected people who won’t suffer much aren’t gonna infect the millions of people who will? 

6 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

 

Yea, I prooly phrased that wrong..not imnplying you were pessimistic, but more that my view I understand is relaying on some unknown happening...a therapeutic with great success, much greater numbers of asymptomatic people than we realize and letting people get out, something else that we can't foresee. 

 

I agree on that the atatements from CA and NY sure make the view of no sports seem more realistic...but let's not forget even 8 weeks ago we were told by the experts " this was on par with the seasonal flu"..things can change quick...

 

And at the end of the day, I am a BUffalo fan, i always think things are better than they are!!!!

I, too, have great hope for therapeutic remedies. But those will take some time as well. 

[plenzmd1]

10 hours ago, HappyDays said:

Right now I would say there is practically a 0% probability that there are NFL games played in Los Angeles or NYC, at a bare minimum. The question isn't IF there will still be restrictions into September, but how many there restrictions there will be and if the NFL will be able to work around them. I think the NFL will cobble together a season somehow - there's too much money on the line - but it's going to be very different from what we're used to. 

thats the rub..lets say you cant play there..how can you play anywhere? Jets play the Bills...no Jet games at home, so all their fans from the City come to Orchard park to watch ...same as playing in Met life no? 

 

Such a freaking mess, lord knows what it is like in 3 months let alone 6

[HappyDays]

 

 

10 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

thats the rub..lets say you cant play there..how can you play anywhere? Jets play the Bills...no Jet games at home, so all their fans from the City come to Orchard park to watch ...same as playing in Met life no? 

 

Such a freaking mess, lord knows what it is like in 3 months let alone 6

 

I think they might have to do neutral locations for every team in a very controlled environment. That's the only possibility in my mind. If even one player tests positive during the season the league would have to shut down for the rest of the year. But they cant give certain teams a competitive advantage because they happen to play in lax states. So I think we'll see an NFL season without home or away games.

[jrober38]

10 hours ago, HappyDays said:

I think they might have to do neutral locations for every team in a very controlled environment. That's the only possibility in my mind. If even one player tests positive during the season the league would have to shut down for the rest of the year. But they cant give certain teams a competitive advantage because they happen to play in lax states. So I think we'll see an NFL season without home or away games.

 

 

To your second, I think they'll find a way to play in front of empty stadiums. The NFL knows it's fan base is very conservative

 

I think they'll come up with some sort of system where players are quarantined, tested every 3 days, etc to try their best to ensure a safe work environment. Not sure it will work, but if any league will prioritize money over health it's definitely the NFL. 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
gratuitous political comment removed

[MarkyMannn]

If it is contagious for fans, it is contagious for players.  The NBA shut down almost immediately once a couple players were C-19 positive.  Not to mention if you hold games the league is opening itself up for a lawsuit nightmare.  They would be obligated to shut down.  May not be even the league's decision once states rule against it as non-essential

 

Still, it is almost 5 months away so lets hope

[HappyDays]

5 minutes ago, jrober38 said:

I think they'll come up with some sort of system where players are quarantined, tested every 3 days, etc to try their best to ensure a safe work environment.

 

The biggest road block is getting the players on board. And for that matter all the coaches, referees, NFL sideline officials... Are you going to tell everyone involved with an NFL game that they can't come in contact with their family for 6 months straight? How else do you keep everyone quarantined to ensure that not even one person tests positive? When I think about it like that the logistics sound impossible.

[jrober38]

1 minute ago, HappyDays said:

 

The biggest road block is getting the players on board. And for that matter all the coaches, referees, NFL sideline officials... Are you going to tell everyone involved with an NFL game that they can't come in contact with their family for 6 months straight? How else do you keep everyone quarantined to ensure that not even one person tests positive? When I think about it like that the logistics sound impossible.

 

I totally agree.

 

I'm just saying the NFL will find a way because they're they league the most motivated by money, and it will probably all wind up as a train wreck because as you said, the logistics don't make any sense. 

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

No fans in the stands wouldn’t bother me at all. Sure I like to go to the games but as long as they are on TV, I’m good. Just please find a way to get the season in. 

[K-9]

10 hours ago, jrober38 said:

 

To your first post: EXACTLY!!!!

 

To your second, I think they'll find a way to play in front of empty stadiums. The NFL knows it's fan base is very conservative

 

I think they'll come up with some sort of system where players are quarantined, tested every 3 days, etc to try their best to ensure a safe work environment. Not sure it will work, but if any league will prioritize money over health it's definitely the NFL. 

 

NFL fans, regardless of who they side with politically,  will have absolutely ZERO say in the matter. None. 
 

Just as it should be.

[TroutDog]

11 minutes ago, K-9 said:

NFL fans, regardless of who they side with politically,  will have absolutely ZERO say in the matter. None. 

It’s time to listen to experts and ONLY experts. The rest is too suspect. 

[CaptnCoke11]

 No fans is a deal breaker for me.. Just shut it down if that’s the case 

 

[Mr. K]

Imagine if football lost is luster because of a lack of crowd kinda like WWE for the kiddos

[Buffalo Boy]

4 hours ago, Nester said:

It’s going to be like watching a practice.

i doubt empty arenas will hold my interest in any pro sport.

Disagree.

The game itself will be different as crowd noise is a definite hinderance the farther you get from center.

DB, WR and Safeties will de able to hear Playa crystal clear which will cause the game to truly be based on skill.

Plus, we will be able to hear A LOT more of the trash talk, which will be fascinating.

[Locomark]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Mitch Morris? 

He's the durmmer on the Josh Fallon late night show.

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

Ehhh.

 

NFL is a product first, entertainment second, sport third.

 

who wins or loses doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.  Who won the super bowl last season?  See!  It didn’t really effect anything.

 

Play a few exhibition games (8 games) at a neutral site.  Call it a day around Christmas and we will see everyone back in 2021.

[HOUSE]

Studio football is not for me, you can't trust  anyone now days