The NFL voted to add flexing to the “Thursday Night Football” schedule during Weeks 13-17. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
EAGAN, Minn. — An NFL proposal that narrowly failed in March has now passed.
NFL TV watchers, rejoice. NFL game attendees: beware.
NFL team owners approved a proposal that will allow Thursday night games to be flexed to Sunday and vice versa.
The proposal will carry some of the same restrictions that games flexed in and out of the Sunday night slot have already held. Flexes are only permitted during the final five eligible weeks of the regular season — Weeks 13 to 17, as “Thursday Night Football” isn’t on the Week 18 schedule — and no more than two games per season can be flexed.
Still, the proposal was controversial.
NFL team owners including the New York Giants’ John Mara and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Art Rooney blasted a version of this proposal in March.
Sure, a TV product would be more appealing, all understood. But was that enough to disrupt travel plans for fans who actually attend the game?
The crux of the change — shifting two abstainers in order to amass the necessary 24 of 32 votes — was expanding the window of required notification.
Games may now only be flexed with at least 28 days’ notice. That’s nearly double the 15-day requirement a March resolution proposed.
This developing story will be updated.
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