From Labor Day Start to a Five-Night Football Extravaganza: Is the NFL’s Decision to Change Kickoff Weekends Paying Off?

In 2000, the NFL made the decision to stop opening its season on Labor Day weekend. The league announced that the following Sunday and Monday would be the last time it would start the season on this day. The reason given was that people wanted to enjoy their last days of summer, so from 2001 onwards, the NFL season would kick off on the weekend after Labor Day.

However, while football is often seen as a family-oriented sport, it is also a business. The NFL determined that starting the season on Labor Day weekend was not beneficial for maximizing TV audiences, as people were generally busy with end-of-summer activities. Nevertheless, with talks of expanding the season to 18 games and adding a second bye week, the NFL may need to reconsider its stance on Labor Day weekend.

The world has changed significantly since the NFL moved its start date to after Labor Day. Technology has made it possible for people to watch games anywhere on their portable devices. As such, there is an opportunity for opening weekend to be a five-night event with games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. Given that federal prohibition against Friday and Saturday games doesn’t begin until September’s second Friday, Labour Day Weekend could be used for multiple standalone games.

While there is no indication that the NFL has revisited its decision about working during Labor Day Weekend, it could be something worth considering. Just like how Thanksgiving and Christmas draw in millions of viewers and generate significant revenue for the league when games are played then, doing so during Labour Day Weekend could potentially enhance its season kickoff and engage fans in new ways.

In conclusion, although there are reasons why the NFL moved away from starting its season on Labor Day Weekend over twenty years ago; it may want to reconsider its stance in light of changing circumstances such as technology advancements and discussions about expanding seasons or adding another bye week.