Football (North America: NFL, CFL, Arena Football, minor leagues)

[Roadgeekteen]

At least there will be an NFL Draft, albeit in a very different format, as all teams will pick from their own headquarters instead of gathering at the league's big offices in New York. It's going to be televised on ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network, and will definitely be the most interesting draft ever, given the current state of the world in general.

As for the season, it's a whole different story, but the upside is, the NFL (and college football) are lucky that they play late in the year, so they should start on time.

But won't training camp be delayed and possibly preseason?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Don't sports leagues make the vast majority of their money off of TV?

Traditionally, yes.  The XFL v.2 had a different plan.  It gave the TV rights away for nothing.  Thus it was irrelevant how many were watching on TV.  All the league made was the live gate; along with small amounts from in-stadium billboards and logo wear. 

Even if it sold every single ticket at the full list price, it could not have made money.  And it was alleged that they "papered the house" (gave away free tickets to add to the excitement), which is probably true.  This was supposed to be for this year and the next.  As the league belong to 'raslin promoter Vince McMahon he was going to subsidize it from his 'raslin profits and hope to get a legitimate TV deal for 22.   

Thus the world shut down SAVED not cost McMahon $$ relative to this football venture, as he lost money on every game. 

Then to make sure he wasn't going to lose anymore $$$, McMahon had the XFL file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.
https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/29030763/xfl-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy-suspending-operations

[ET21]

At least there will be an NFL Draft, albeit in a very different format, as all teams will pick from their own headquarters instead of gathering at the league's big offices in New York. It's going to be televised on ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network, and will definitely be the most interesting draft ever, given the current state of the world in general.

As for the season, it's a whole different story, but the upside is, the NFL (and college football) are lucky that they play late in the year, so they should start on time.

But won't training camp be delayed and possibly preseason?

They may go on, just with no fans. Long as team members take precautionary measures, the season should start but don't expect fans in the stadiums

[Roadgeekteen]

At least there will be an NFL Draft, albeit in a very different format, as all teams will pick from their own headquarters instead of gathering at the league's big offices in New York. It's going to be televised on ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network, and will definitely be the most interesting draft ever, given the current state of the world in general.

As for the season, it's a whole different story, but the upside is, the NFL (and college football) are lucky that they play late in the year, so they should start on time.

But won't training camp be delayed and possibly preseason?

They may go on, just with no fans. Long as team members take precautionary measures, the season should start but don't expect fans in the stadiums

Do you think fans will return later in the season?

[webny99]

They may go on, just with no fans. Long as team members take precautionary measures, the season should start but don't expect fans in the stadiums

Do you think fans will return later in the season?

I think there's a 10% chance that fans are in stadiums by December 2020, and that might even be high.
Massive gatherings are highly unlikely until there's either a COVID-19 vaccine, or a suitable alternative figured out. Maybe something like temperature checks at the entrances could work.

[jeffandnicole]

For my Football season tickets, I have my payments split into 4 installments.  They took the first payment in March, but didn't take the second payment in April.  Not sure what they're doing going forward.

What will suck though is with Eagles tickets, I generally had an easy time selling tix for the games I didn't want to go to, and at decent profits.  That probably won't happen this year.  I also wonder if they do have fans in the stadium, how they'll work seating.  If they want 6 foot distances around a single person, that will mean no one in about 3 or 4 adjoining seats to the left and right, and 3 rows in front or back.  That will equate to a lot of empty seats.

And I'll still be in a row where someone needs to get up every 10 minutes! LOL

[NWI_Irish96]

For my Football season tickets, I have my payments split into 4 installments.  They took the first payment in March, but didn't take the second payment in April.  Not sure what they're doing going forward.

What will suck though is with Eagles tickets, I generally had an easy time selling tix for the games I didn't want to go to, and at decent profits.  That probably won't happen this year.  I also wonder if they do have fans in the stadium, how they'll work seating.  If they want 6 foot distances around a single person, that will mean no one in about 3 or 4 adjoining seats to the left and right, and 3 rows in front or back.  That will equate to a lot of empty seats.

And I'll still be in a row where someone needs to get up every 10 minutes! LOL

People who are going to lose out from the profits of scalping tickets are not among those I feel sorry for in this pandemic.

[Roadgeekteen]

Gronk to Tampa! 

[Roadrunner75]

For my Football season tickets, I have my payments split into 4 installments.  They took the first payment in March, but didn't take the second payment in April.  Not sure what they're doing going forward.

What will suck though is with Eagles tickets, I generally had an easy time selling tix for the games I didn't want to go to, and at decent profits.  That probably won't happen this year.  I also wonder if they do have fans in the stadium, how they'll work seating.  If they want 6 foot distances around a single person, that will mean no one in about 3 or 4 adjoining seats to the left and right, and 3 rows in front or back.  That will equate to a lot of empty seats.

And I'll still be in a row where someone needs to get up every 10 minutes! LOL

People who are going to lose out from the profits of scalping tickets are not among those I feel sorry for in this pandemic.

Yes - So do the right thing and sell me one of your Eagles games at cost.   

[LM117]

Gronk to Tampa! 

The press release:

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/rob-gronkowski-trade-bucs-patriots-joins-tom-brady-draft

[Roadgeekteen]

Gronk to Tampa! 

The press release:

https://www.buccaneers.com/news/rob-gronkowski-trade-bucs-patriots-joins-tom-brady-draft

Tampa Bay Patriots! NFC south look out!

[webny99]

Even when the Bucs were mediocre-to-terrible, the NFC South was one of the more fun divisions. Now that they've got some star power too, all four teams will be exciting! I don't think there's any other divisions where that's the case. Maybe the NFC West, but the Rams seem to be in free fall, so who knows...

[Max Rockatansky]

Aren't you all assuming Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are even close to what they were in the prime days of the Patriots?  Gronkowski was retired and Tom Brady was pretty mediocre last year. 

[Roadgeekteen]

Aren't you all assuming Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are even close to what they were in the prime days of the Patriots?  Gronkowski was retired and Tom Brady was pretty mediocre last year.

Brady's supporting cast last year was a heap of trash. Let's see how he does with his new weapons.

[Henry]

Which begs the question: Will the Patriots or Steelers be the first to seven Lombardi Trophies? I predict a freefall for New England, now that their two biggest stars have gone south.

[Roadgeekteen]

Which begs the question: Will the Patriots or Steelers be the first to seven Lombardi Trophies? I predict a freefall for New England, now that their two biggest stars have gone south.

If Big Ben returns healthy than the Steelers. If he flames out I honestly could see the 49ers hit 7 first.

[NWI_Irish96]

Which begs the question: Will the Patriots or Steelers be the first to seven Lombardi Trophies? I predict a freefall for New England, now that their two biggest stars have gone south.

I wouldn't bet against San Francisco beating them both to 7.

[Rothman]

Which begs the question: Will the Patriots or Steelers be the first to seven Lombardi Trophies? I predict a freefall for New England, now that their two biggest stars have gone south.

Brady and Gronk are old. 

Still, the Pats are going to be in a rebuilding phase for a while.

[Roadgeekteen]

OMG the Packers drafted a quarterback, folks are MAD.

[Alps]

OMG the Packers drafted a quarterback, folks are MAD.

It made no sense. Are they trading Rodgers? Are they trading Love? Why draft him now with so many good years left on Rodgers instead of picking up some talent for the near term?

[Roadgeekteen]

OMG the Packers drafted a quarterback, folks are MAD.

It made no sense. Are they trading Rodgers? Are they trading Love? Why draft him now with so many good years left on Rodgers instead of picking up some talent for the near term?

Trying to do the same thing they did with Favre?

[Max Rockatansky]

OMG the Packers drafted a quarterback, folks are MAD.

It made no sense. Are they trading Rodgers? Are they trading Love? Why draft him now with so many good years left on Rodgers instead of picking up some talent for the near term?

Trying to do the same thing they did with Favre?

Aaron Rodgers was probably more of a sure thing even though he dropped in the first round when the Packers got him.  I mean it isn't too shocking, Aaron Rodgers is 36. 

[Alps]

OMG the Packers drafted a quarterback, folks are MAD.

It made no sense. Are they trading Rodgers? Are they trading Love? Why draft him now with so many good years left on Rodgers instead of picking up some talent for the near term?

Trying to do the same thing they did with Favre?

Aaron Rodgers was probably more of a sure thing even though he dropped in the first round when the Packers got him.  I mean it isn't too shocking, Aaron Rodgers is 36. 

The world is expecting some sort of trade now, though.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It made sense when the Packers drafted Rodgers because Favre was already into the annual retirement nonsense. Rodgers has no plans to retire anytime soon. Rodgers was also regarded as a potential #1 pick before the infamous fall, which Love wasn't. That 2004 team was also the last gasp of the late 90s glory teams, and they had a disastrous 2005 (Rodgers's rookie year) where they went 4-12; this team is coming off an NFC title game appearance and has some good pieces to work with going forward.

This Vikings fan doesn't get it.

[oscar]

Neither does this Packers fan.

By drafting Rodgers' possible successor now, the Packers run the risk that Rodgers will need to be replaced only after most or all of Love's cheap rookie contract (including the year 5 option) has run out. The team could've waited a year or two to reduce that risk. And I doubt that Love (passed over by three teams that took QBs ahead of him) is such hot stuff that the Packers couldn't wait for some QB at least as good to become available next year, or the year after.