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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL approves schedule change on a trial basis

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 5/22/23

Fans who've already purchased tickets to some games late in the 2023 season might want to carve some extra time out of their schedules.

On Monday, NFL owners passed a measure to allow "Thursday Night Football" to potentially flex games this season by a 24-8 vote.

Per Pro Football Talk, both New York franchises, Green Bay, Chicago, Las Vegas, Detroit, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh voted against the rule. Earlier in the day, Raiders owner Mark Davis blasted the idea. When it was first discussed earlier this offseason, Giants co-owner John Mara described it as "abusive" toward fans.

The league did amend its initial idea. Whereas games flexed on Sunday and Monday night are mostly subjected to a 12-day notice, TNF must give teams a 28-day heads up that a game will be moved. It also can only flex two games.

PFT notes that if Amazon, which airs TNF, declines to use flex scheduling this season, the rule will extend to 2024. Otherwise, it will run on a one-year basis before a decision would be made as to whether it sticks for the long haul next offseason.

NFL Network's Peter Schrager pointed out the five games that can potentially be flexed, scheduled from Weeks 13-17.

Here are the TNF games on the schedule that could be subject to change:

Week 13- Seattle at Dallas
Week 14 - New England at Pittsburgh
Week 15 - LA Chargers at Las Vegas
Week 16 - New Orleans at LA Rams
Week 17 - NY Jets at Cleveland @gmfb @nflnetwork
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) May 22, 2023

According to Yahoo! Sports' Frank Schwab, the Saints at Rams in Week 16 is the likeliest game to be moved to Sunday with odds of -500.

NO at Rams is -500 to be flexed. Maybe NE-Pitt shaky too. The rest actually look pretty good (though that changes fast) https://t.co/4qsuhtHWnG
— Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) May 22, 2023

New Orleans wouldn't oppose that as that game marks the Saints' second Thursday night game in 2023. They host the Jaguars in Week 7.

Among the other games on the schedule, Schwab notes the Patriots at Steelers in Week 14 is the only other one that looks like a viable option to be flexed out of its slot. Neither Aaron Rodgers nor the Cowboys are leaving primetime. Justin Herbert is always fun to watch. Plus, head coaches Brandon Staley and Josh McDaniels are gold when it comes to unintentional comedy.

Introducing flex scheduling to Thursday night is a win for Amazon but a loss for fans. People travel from all over the country to attend games every week, and flexing games—even with a 28-day notice—still could throw travel accommodations through a loop.

Plane tickets and hotel rooms are booked months in advance, and if a game that was originally slated for a Thursday night is moved to a Sunday afternoon, that could be a major change. Fans who may have originally planned on flying home on Saturday or Sunday afternoon would have to change those arrangements if a game gets moved from Thursday.

The NFL is much less concerned about the money people spend to get to its games than it is about appeasing its media partners who spend billions to air them. Not that anyone needed a reminder, but the league made sure to emphasize that point on Monday.

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