NFL Flexing Sunday Games to Thursday! Angering Fans! Could Bills be Next?

[Donuts and Doritos]

(see article) NFL flexing Chargers Broncos a Sunday 1:00 game to Thursday Night for the 1st time ever. Leaves angry fans scrambling to either change plans to attend or sell their tickets. Seems NFL Owners have forgotten their fans in pursuit of $.

 

Putting NFL games exclusively on Peacock, adding black Friday and Xmas day games, talking about a London SB, now this. At what point is it a step too far? What can fans do to change it (boycott games)?

 

With how exciting Josh is to watch wouldn't be surprised if Bills fans fall victim to this sooner rather than later. So thought it was worth a topic to discuss. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002186/2024/12/18/chargers-broncos-tnf-flex-fans-upset?source=user-shared-article

[GunnerBill]

15 minutes ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

Putting NFL games exclusively on Peacock, adding black Friday and Xmas day games, talking about a London SB, now this. At what point is it a step too far? What can fans do to change it (boycott games)?

 

 

I don't have an issue with any of the other stuff but this, moving a game that was scheduled for a Sunday to a Thursday at 4 weeks notice is completely ridiculous and totally insulting to fans who want to attend these games. 

 

It should never have passed at the league meetings and I wonder if the backlash will make them re-think. 

[eball]

34 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't have an issue with any of the other stuff but this, moving a game that was scheduled for a Sunday to a Thursday at 4 weeks notice is completely ridiculous and totally insulting to fans who want to attend these games. 

 

It should never have passed at the league meetings and I wonder if the backlash will make them re-think. 

 

This is one of those “WTF” moments where you wonder how the hell it passed.  Truly a slap in the face to the attending fans.

 

[RangerDave]

Getting refunds for your tickets is one thing.  And even that is bad because people bought tickets for a reason.  But will they reimburse people for all the travel costs, since many people travel to follow their team?  What about the time off from work?  What an idiotic and thoughtless idea.

[peterpan]

I could actually see this running afoul of some states consumer protection laws.
 

-I’m curious - what happened in the past when, the bills have moved games to Detroit because of snow storms?

 

do they reimburse the season ticket holders?

 

do they reimburse people who bought individual game tickets?

 

what about people who bought on secondary market?  

 

 

[Spiderweb]

9 minutes ago, peterpan said:

I could actually see this running afoul of some states consumer protection laws.
 

-I’m curious - what happened in the past when, the bills have moved games to Detroit because of snow storms?

 

do they reimburse the season ticket holders?

 

do they reimburse people who bought individual game tickets?

 

what about people who bought on secondary market?  

 

 

Nothing more than those greedy owners thumbing their noses at the very people that have made the NFL so financially successful. Disgusting.

[skibum]

I don't expect the NFL to flex any of the Bills' last three games against two unwatchable teams. 

[Bills!Win!]

This is perfect because the chargers don’t have fans 

[MadPerry]

18 minutes ago, peterpan said:

I could actually see this running afoul of some states consumer protection laws.
 

-I’m curious - what happened in the past when, the bills have moved games to Detroit because of snow storms?

 

do they reimburse the season ticket holders?

 

do they reimburse people who bought individual game tickets?

 

what about people who bought on secondary market?  

 

 

We were refunded for the game moved to Detroit 2 yrs ago.  I cant answer what happens on secondary market.  We were also given 1st chance at buying tickets for the relocated game.  I got club seats for $30 each I think.  

 

This situation is far different.  I'm annoyed enough at Sunday games getting moved to primetime.  To middle of the week means I likely cant go because of work, and I highly doubt there is any refund.  When you buy seasons you accept the terms.

Edited Thursday at 11:56 AM by MadPerry

[BuffaloBillyG]

4 minutes ago, Spiderweb said:

Nothing more than those greedy owners thumbing their noses at the very people that have made the NFL so financially successful. Disgusting.

I get the sentiment, but what makes the NFL so financially successful are the Network and sponsor deals. That's where the majority of cash flow is at and that's who they appease by showing better games on those networks.

[MadPerry]

2 minutes ago, skibum said:

I don't expect the NFL to flex any of the Bills' last three games against two unwatchable teams. 

And yet they just flexed this weeks game

Edited Thursday at 11:55 AM by MadPerry

[chongli]

50 minutes ago, MadPerry said:

And yet they just flexed this weeks game

 

They flexed the time slot only on Sunday because it was the best game for the CBS doubleheader. But they are not flexing any game to SNF featuring the Jets or Patriots. And flexing to TNF requires 4-weeks notice. So the Bills are safe, other than time-slot flexes between early and late games and network switches between FOX and CBS.

Edited Thursday at 12:46 PM by chongli

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, peterpan said:

I could actually see this running afoul of some states consumer protection laws.
 

-I’m curious - what happened in the past when, the bills have moved games to Detroit because of snow storms?

 

do they reimburse the season ticket holders?

 

do they reimburse people who bought individual game tickets?

 

what about people who bought on secondary market?  

 

 

We did get reimbursed for the Detroit snow game. I think all ticket holders were. If you recall they literally gave away tickets for that game. Still got 60K. Probably a lot of Detroit fans. If an NFL game got moved last minute to Buffalo and they offered free tickets, wouldn't you go?

[Monty98]

14 minutes ago, chongli said:

 

They flexed the time slot only on Sunday because it was the best game for the CBS doubleheader. But they are not flexing any game to SNF featuring the Jets or Patriots. And flexing to TNF requires 4-weeks notice. So the Bills are safe, other than time-slot flexes between early and late games and network switches between FOX and CBS.

The only way is if Buffalo and KC are tied going into week 18, and you'll either have one at 425 and 830 or both at 425 

[Cash]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't have an issue with any of the other stuff but this, moving a game that was scheduled for a Sunday to a Thursday at 4 weeks notice is completely ridiculous and totally insulting to fans who want to attend these games. 

 

It should never have passed at the league meetings and I wonder if the backlash will make them re-think. 

It’ll depend on how much backlash there truly is. If people just want to whine/whinge about it, but the stadium winds up full with no drop in ticket prices, the owners won’t care. 

Edited Thursday at 01:09 PM by Cash

[mannc]

1 hour ago, skibum said:

I don't expect the NFL to flex any of the Bills' last three games against two unwatchable teams. 

They already did.

[chongli]

13 minutes ago, Monty98 said:

The only way is if Buffalo and KC are tied going into week 18, and you'll either have one at 425 and 830 or both at 425 

 

They would have to be at the same time (4:25 Sunday--the only slot possible) so as not to give either KC or Buffalo an advantage by knowing the result of the other's game before one team played.

Edited Thursday at 01:14 PM by chongli

[QCity]

Love how John Mara is front and center complaining.

 

“To flex a game back to Thursday night, to me, is just abusive,” Mara told reporters then.

He added: “At some point, can we please give some consideration to the people who are coming to our games? People make plans to go to these games weeks and months in advance. And 15 days ahead of time to say, ‘Sorry, folks, that game you were planning on taking your kids to Sunday at 1, now it’s on Thursday night.’ What are we thinking about?”

 

Yeah guess what buddy, you voted for that Amazon deal. You voted for that Peacock deal. You're pockets are packed. Spare me your factitious outrage.

[chongli]

16 minutes ago, mannc said:

They already did.

 

Only to the late time slot, since it was the best game for CBS. Buffalo won't get flexed to SNF or TNF.

Edited Thursday at 01:24 PM by chongli

[ddaryl]

you buy plane tickets reserve hotels and they do this???

This is a BIG **ck You moment coming from the NFL