The NFL’s primetime expansion has created the least equitable schedule ever

The NFL’s onslaught on primetime television reached its newest summit this year. The league’s schedule release showed off a massive primetime slate across multiple days and networks. But what’s the collateral damage of that, if any?

There is plenty to account for. The league’s attempt at expanding primetime games has resulted in much inequity.

Football analyst Warren Sharp noted that the lack of equity in the 2024 NFL schedule is at “a historic level in many areas” and presented his analysis recently.

the NFL controls WHEN you play, not WHO you play

I’ve identified the most important observations of the 2024 schedule you need to know

the schedule is less fair & equitable at a historic level in many areas

let’s deep dive into the worst issues 🧵https://t.co/BwonSLA39F

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 17, 2024

Sharp notes that schedule equity takes in many factors like “net rest edge,” and short week games, games off a road SNF or MNF game, and if you have to play three games in ten days, among others.

He wrote that there are 101 games on the 2024 NFL Schedule where one team has more rest than their opponent. Sharp writes that’s the “most in history,” and that “as recently as the late 2000s, the NFL wouldn’t release a schedule that featured even 30% of their games with one team having a rest adantage. We are now up to 37%.”

Sharp keyed in on the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and the San Francisco 49ers in his analysis. He wrote that the 49ers got screwed the most, the Bengals also got the short end, while the Ravens will benefit hugely from their rest they’ve received. Additionally, New England, Sharp writes, won’t play any games at a rest disadvantage at all.

There will also be nine instances when teams will play three games in ten days. That hasn’t occurred at all in any season in the last five years, but will nearly ten times this coming season. Sharp’s point continued on, noting that the NFL’s push to Christmas, while expected, has resulted in some chaos.

we understood this would happen when the NFL scheduled the Christmas games on a Wednesday

Sunday-Saturday-Wednesday would happen to 4 teams

sucks, but the NFL makes $150M from Netflix, so they want that $$$

but why are there FIVE other teams forced to play a…

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 17, 2024

Sharp’s detailed and thoughtful analysis definitely raises competitive integrity issues with the NFL’s primetime scheduling. Player safety has allegedly been paramount, but with these stark contrasts, not only are things inequitable, but that might be even more of a sham now.

[Warren Sharp]