The NFL has asked teams if they would be interested in the league being able to flex games from Sunday to Monday, according to a report from Sports Business Journal.
Much of this will revolve around the future of television agreements with the networks. The deal with ESPN expires following the 2021 season, and CBS, NBC and FOX are up after 2022. Changes would not take place before 2023.
The NFL has asked teams for feedback on the prospect of radically expanding flex scheduling, including the possibility of moving games from Sunday to Monday in mid-season, sources said.
… Even though the NFL has not started formal negotiations with any networks, ESPN has let it be known that it wants to incorporate flexible scheduling as part of a new “Monday Night Football” deal.
The SDB report adds ESPN has told the NFL that it would put “Monday Night Football” back on ABC if it ends up with the rights.
There are other concerns, of course, such as travel and season-ticketholders.
Most clubs’ concerns have centered around road trip logistics and expenses, particularly with any potential flex involving “Monday Night Football.” Flights and hotel rooms would have to be booked for an extra day to account for the unknown, or altered at the last minute, which could become exorbitant.
