There will be an NFL Triple-header on Christmas (a Thursday)

[HT02]

I understand that things are different for every family and to some watching football will be welcome as reflected in some of the comments.   

 

For families who don't see each other often and want to spend time talking to each other and reflecting on why we are all together its a little disappointing to be forced to choose between one one of only 17 games (excluding play-offs) and social time with families and worship is unfortunate.  

 

There is a reason the NFL avoided Christmas day for years and I understand that times of changed, I just think one day isn't too much to ask.  

[WotAGuy]

8 minutes ago, HT02 said:

For families who don't see each other often and want to spend time talking to each other and reflecting on why we are all together its a little disappointing to be forced to choose between one one of only 17 games (excluding play-offs) and social time with families and worship is unfortunate.  

Well, another way to look at it is you have two fun, enjoyable things to pick from. Just because you can’t have your cake and eat it too isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s all in how you choose to look at life. 

Edited April 1 by WotAGuy

[ColoradoBills]

23 hours ago, WotAGuy said:

The problem is the Christmas games are too secular. They need to call it the Jesus Bowl, have the refs dressed as Magi and have the players jump into a manger after TDs. 

 

Maybe get John Madden calling the game like Harry Caray did for baseball.

 

 

[Doc Brown]

21 hours ago, WotAGuy said:

Well, another way to look at it is you have two fun, enjoyable things to pick from. Just because you can’t have your cake and eat it too isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s all in how you choose to look at life. 

I think the point is that we should be able to enjoy one of 17 Bills games and spend a day with your family not glued to the TV.  I feel the same way and wish they'd ban football on Thanksgiving too.

[Gregg]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/nfl-on-christmas-lions-president-hints-detroit-could-play-in-holiday-tripleheader-as-well-as-thanksgiving/ar-AA1CaqM9?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=ede86a05df824483b9c87b0ce5af7de1&ei=14

 

Lions president Rod Wood hints the Lions could play on Christmas along with their yearly Thanksgiving Day game.

[HurlyBurly51]

Good.  I like football and don't like basketball😀

[Just Jack]

 

[Thrivefourfive]

On 4/1/2025 at 2:04 PM, HT02 said:

I understand that things are different for every family and to some watching football will be welcome as reflected in some of the comments.   

 

For families who don't see each other often and want to spend time talking to each other and reflecting on why we are all together its a little disappointing to be forced to choose between one one of only 17 games (excluding play-offs) and social time with families and worship is unfortunate.  

 

There is a reason the NFL avoided Christmas day for years and I understand that times of changed, I just think one day isn't too much to ask.  

Sounds like you have it figured out. God, Family, Bills. Go with that 😊

[corta765]

On 4/2/2025 at 3:09 PM, Gregg said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/nfl-on-christmas-lions-president-hints-detroit-could-play-in-holiday-tripleheader-as-well-as-thanksgiving/ar-AA1CaqM9?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=ede86a05df824483b9c87b0ce5af7de1&ei=14

 

Lions president Rod Wood hints the Lions could play on Christmas along with their yearly Thanksgiving Day game.

lol yea the lions have not earned the right for another day nor should they ever get that request. 3 good years does not make up for a half a century of ineptitude and bleeding eyes on thanksgiving

[corta765]

On 4/2/2025 at 2:48 PM, Doc Brown said:

I think the point is that we should be able to enjoy one of 17 Bills games and spend a day with your family not glued to the TV.  I feel the same way and wish they'd ban football on Thanksgiving too.

 

I 100% agree with you about Christmas games when the holiday isn't on Sunday as it is such a forced unneeded thing, but now the cans open and they will never put it back. I have barely watched any of the Xmas games outside of the night Ravens 49ers game two years ago and I only watched that in the background. I have already resigned myself that the Bills will play this year on Xmas and just hope it is at night so Xmas is over otherwise it will just be background noise at this point.

 

Thanksgiving I am the opposite as my wifes family had a big party during the Cowboys which was a blast and I did not mind the other two. I actually have hoped we would get black friday as it would be a really awesome party to watch.

 

In general the NFL is getting dangerously close to ruining its greatest asset which is scarcity of games. At some point trying to make tentpole games all over the schedule will go too far and viewers will not come the way they think. Part of the uniqueness that drove the NFL was you had most of the games Sunday with then the night cap and MNF. If you were in either night game it was special and it also highlighted the league itself. The amount of games they are moving off the Sunday slate means lesser matchups and in general a lack of uniqueness. One thing I have started enjoying with week 18 is they only have one night game Sunday and at most 3 on Saturday so you just have the whole league at once with the best matchup or two winning out as a standalone. Call me nostalgic or I am just getting old (heck yea lol) but I would love to see the league retreat back a little in terms of primetime. Thursday night I do really love because it kick starts my weekend as in Fall I have a lot of Fridays off with work, but some of the games really are just dogs and the player safety issues are no joke.

[Doc Brown]

12 minutes ago, corta765 said:

In general the NFL is getting dangerously close to ruining its greatest asset which is scarcity of games. At some point trying to make tentpole games all over the schedule will go too far and viewers will not come the way they think. Part of the uniqueness that drove the NFL was you had most of the games Sunday with then the night cap and MNF. If you were in either night game it was special and it also highlighted the league itself. The amount of games they are moving off the Sunday slate means lesser matchups and in general a lack of uniqueness. One thing I have started enjoying with week 18 is they only have one night game Sunday and at most 3 on Saturday so you just have the whole league at once with the best matchup or two winning out as a standalone. Call me nostalgic or I am just getting old (heck yea lol) but I would love to see the league retreat back a little in terms of primetime. Thursday night I do really love because it kick starts my weekend as in Fall I have a lot of Fridays off with work, but some of the games really are just dogs and the player safety issues are no joke.

No.  You're right.  It's that old saying that hogs get fat and pigs get slaughtered.  Even last year tv ratings were down 2.2% compared to 2023.  The NFL is still obviously king by a country mile but if they keep pushing the envelope interest in the league will wane.  

Edited April 4 by Doc Brown

[corta765]

43 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

No.  You're right.  It's that old saying that hogs get fat and pigs get slaughtered.  Even last year tv ratings were down 2.2% compared to 2023.  The NFL is still obviously king by a country mile but if they keep pushing the envelope interest in the league will wane.  

I am curious and willing to see over the next 4-5 years if the league sees KC regress and teams like BUF-BAL-DET-WSH etc new blood win the title if that drives ratings back up. I think the NFL let the networks go too far with KC-Taylor Swift watch and with KC winning sooo much in controversial ways it pushed people away. Also both NY teams and CHI being bad did nothing to help the ratings cause either. They are certainly getting fat on the golden goose, but I am really curious in 5 years if all those things I said change a bit if the NFL still says flat ratings or they comeback.

Edited April 4 by corta765

[In Summary]

On 4/1/2025 at 8:33 AM, Bills fan since 87 said:

 

Thanksgiving is the King of all holidays.  No stress of buying gifts. just food, family, alcohol and football.

Halloween is the best, even if not an official holiday. 

[BillsPride12]

22 hours ago, corta765 said:

In general the NFL is getting dangerously close to ruining its greatest asset which is scarcity of games. At some point trying to make tentpole games all over the schedule will go too far and viewers will not come the way they think. Part of the uniqueness that drove the NFL was you had most of the games Sunday with then the night cap and MNF. If you were in either night game it was special and it also highlighted the league itself. The amount of games they are moving off the Sunday slate means lesser matchups and in general a lack of uniqueness. One thing I have started enjoying with week 18 is they only have one night game Sunday and at most 3 on Saturday so you just have the whole league at once with the best matchup or two winning out as a standalone. Call me nostalgic or I am just getting old (heck yea lol) but I would love to see the league retreat back a little in terms of primetime. Thursday night I do really love because it kick starts my weekend as in Fall I have a lot of Fridays off with work, but some of the games really are just dogs and the player safety issues are no joke.

I think we're already there 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

On 3/31/2025 at 10:06 PM, Mike in Horseheads said:

+1 !  Pure greed

 

 

[corta765]

On 4/5/2025 at 12:35 PM, BillsPride12 said:

I think we're already there 

I think the 18th game which will force the season another week longer, addtl bye, and starting the NFL labor day weekend is the breaking point. The NFL is truly underestimating how many families labor day use that as a vacation/party weekend and how many college fans use it as the starting point for that season as virtually every CFB team plays. Also the NFL's insistence on making more games global which will eventually make every team abroad each season is not helping feelings for US fans.

[Gregg]

20 minutes ago, corta765 said:

I think the 18th game which will force the season another week longer, addtl bye, and starting the NFL labor day weekend is the breaking point. The NFL is truly underestimating how many families labor day use that as a vacation/party weekend and how many college fans use it as the starting point for that season as virtually every CFB team plays. Also the NFL's insistence on making more games global which will eventually make every team abroad each season is not helping feelings for US fans.

 

They can still start the season the week after Labor Day. Instead of the Super Bowl being played on the 1st Sunday of February they can push it back to the 2nd or 3rd Sunday. February is a slow sports month anyway as all you have is the NHL/NBA regular season. The 18-game season was always going to happen as a 17-game season is just dumb. As far as overseas games the NFL is trying to grow the popularity of the game in other countries, and it looks like it is working. More $$$ for the league so they will continue doing this.

Edited April 7 by Gregg

[corta765]

41 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

They can still start the season the week after Labor Day. Instead of the Super Bowl being played on the 1st Sunday of February they can push it back to the 2nd or 3rd Sunday. February is a slow sports month anyway as all you have is the NHL/NBA regular season. The 18-game season was always going to happen as a 17-game season is just dumb. As far as overseas games the NFL is trying to grow the popularity of the game in other countries, and it looks like it is working. More $$$ for the league so they will continue doing this.

I am not disagreeing on the $$$ piece, but NFL fans are fiercely loyal and protective of their teams games. Even if with an 18th game it is neutral site game for everyone, that is a potential home game being sacrificed every other year. The league already has fans feeling the games are rigged, refs suck, the league doesn't care about the actual cites supporting the teams etc... nothing about an 18th game is in the best interest of the US fans or the game itself. At some point the golden goose gets kicked and you have a very very hard time putting it back together if at all. I hope it doesn't come to that as I love the NFL, but the true unique elements of the sport (like scarcity of games and primetime games having some true value) are close to fading and that is not a good thing.

[uticaclub]

I grew up in a family where the women constantly fought and yelled at each other over nothing, think of the Real Housewives of Central NY. So, the men were left watching an NBA game that no one cared about. Having football on Christmas has been a welcome change.

Edited April 7 by uticaclub

[sullim4]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

They can still start the season the week after Labor Day. Instead of the Super Bowl being played on the 1st Sunday of February they can push it back to the 2nd or 3rd Sunday. February is a slow sports month anyway as all you have is the NHL/NBA regular season. The 18-game season was always going to happen as a 17-game season is just dumb. As far as overseas games the NFL is trying to grow the popularity of the game in other countries, and it looks like it is working. More $$$ for the league so they will continue doing this.

 

I suspect the NFLPA will get a second bye week out of an 18 game season with more international games - so it'll actually be a 20 week regular season.  That will cause the NFL to move the Super Bowl to Presidents' Day weekend and push up the regular season to labor day.