Why Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon wants to play 18 regular-season games

PHOENIX — The prospect of adding another game to the NFL regular season isn’t going away any time soon. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged in February that an 18-game schedule is not close, and the NFL Players' Association has long been against the expansion of the regular season because of health concerns. But the possibility of an 18th game is something the owners want, and something Colts principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon would like to see.

“I think, as long as the players want it, which I think they would, because it would mean more revenue, and I think ultimately a better product, I think it’s reasonable and something we should work towards,” Irsay-Gordon said. “I think we do need to look, also, into the way we do our offseason program. ” A move to an 18th regular-season game would have to be collectively bargained with the NFL Players’ Association, and for that reason it’s not something that could suddenly happen at the NFL’s annual meeting at the Arizona Biltmore this week.

Expanding the regular season is always going to be a topic of discussion, though, because the way NFL teams treat the preseason has made it a tougher ticket to sell than ever before. Wary of exposing their best players to injury, NFL teams have increasingly limited their starter’s playing time in preseason games. An 18th regular-season game puts another premier ticket on the schedule in the place of a game that isn’t easy to sell.

“If we can make it work, I do think that it would be good,” Irsay-Gordon said. “Preseason is, as far as the fan product goes, I know the commissioner’s been open that it’s not the best product that we have. I would say, for development of our team, I don’t think we can get rid of it.