You have to hand it to the NFL. They manage to keep their sport as relevant as ever during the off-season, even as baseball is just starting and basketball and hockey are reaching playoff season. Yet, here I am posting something about football in April even though the regular season doesn’t start until September.
Last night, the NFL Network and ESPN both ran 3-hour specials in honor of the regular season schedules being released. Now, mind you, every team and every fan of every team already knew what opponents they would be playing in the upcoming season; we just didn’t know what order and when, and now we do. So for every football fan, yesterday they could watch and listen to analysts talk about specific matchups in November, when your team’s “Bye” week happens, and even pick the eventual Super Bowl winners. In April.
It’s brilliant. Why? Year-round relevancy and therefore supremacy.
What other sport has a 3-hour special on multiple networks just because the schedule comes out? In one week’s time, there will be another major event for football over three entire days: the NFL Draft. Televised for three days. During the peak of the season in basketball and hockey.
No other sport does this or could get away with it, which is what makes it brilliant strategy and marketing by the NFL and why football is truly America’s game.
Oh, and in case you wanted to check out your team’s schedule, here’s a link. I’m ready for football season, are you?
