Traditions are wonderful things.
That is, until they fly in the face of common sense.
On Sunday night millions of people around the globe tuned in to watch the final NFL game of the season between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. It was a matchup that started slow, but built to a fevered pitch in the second half and was ultimately decided in overtime with the Chiefs claiming a 25-22 victory.
As they’ve done three times with head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes paired together, Kansas City showed once again why the second Sunday in February is their time to shine.
The question is, why is the biggest game of the season on a Sunday at all?
If you, like millions of Americans, were dragging at work on Monday following an overtime thriller in Las Vegas that lasted until after 11 p.m. eastern standard time, you may be among the growing chorus of football fans clamoring for the final game of the season to be moved to a Saturday.
For more than five decades the NFL championship has been played on a Sunday. It’s tradition, and as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in 2018 prior to the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement with the player’s union, it’s going to stay that way.
Goodell pointed to Sunday night as being the league’s best time slot for TV ratings, and the fact that NFL football is a Sunday staple in households all across the country, regardless of time zone.
Of course, Goodell isn’t wrong. He’s paid millions of dollars annually to ensure the NFL game is the best product it can be, reaching as many consumers as possible in person or on television.
But keeping the championship game on Sunday doesn’t pass muster when all things are considered. Would the NFL draw less viewers on a Saturday night? For the biggest game of the year? – Unlikely. Would playing on a Saturday ultimately benefit the fans? – Absolutely.
Not that the NFL is going to call and ask the opinion of anyone in Highlands, but it’s time for the biggest sporting event of the year to be played on Saturday.