With the possibility of a neutral-site AFC Championship Game still real, a discussion has begun about the future of conference title games and their venues.
According to Bob Fescoe of 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City, the NFL could use this unique situation as a "test case" toward having neutral-site AFC and NFC Championship Games annually, saying he was told the move is "inevitable."
"The league is looking at this as a test case, and if it goes well, don't be surprised if we start neutral site AFC and NFC Championship Games," Fescoe said. "Two mini Super Bowls and one big Super Bowl is what the league is looking at."
After canceling Week 17's Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills contest following Damar Hamlin's terrifying cardiac event on the field, NFL owners passed a resolution to adjust the AFC bracket, opening the door for a neutral-site title game.
Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic points out that the Chiefs, one of the teams a possible neutral-site conference championship could impact, was founded by Lamar Hunt, who was ironically a massive proponent of them.
Not only was Hunt in favor of eliminating home-field advantage in the conference finals, but he also lobbied the league to make the change following the notorious "Freezer Bowl" AFC Championship between the Bengals and San Diego Chargers in 1981.
Kaplan says it's surprising that the NFL has yet to make a move before now, considering how quickly it has turned things like the draft and free agency into huge events.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk even speculated about the NFL realizing what a "cash cow" the change could be for the league.
While it's easy to fathom the NFL moving the conference championships to different stadiums yearly, it might be a hard sell for teams and fans who pay for season tickets.
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