How is the NFL Schedule Created?

[pyite32]

Is it done manually week by week, or do they have a computer program that they can input certain requirements (ie home vs away, every team plays once on Thursday, etc) then it has an algorithm that spits out the schedule?

I can't find the info through google, so it may not be know but I figured I would pose the question.

[ActualSpamBot]

They have a formula (who plays who home and away) which is fed into a computer which then generates something like 500 possible schedules.

From there, it is narrowed down by humans to remove obviously unfair schedules (like a team having 8 straight home games followed by 8 straight road games) and schedules with impossible conflicts in them (like ones that have the Ravens and Orioles both playing at home at the same time.)

Once they've narrowed it down to reasonably fair, conflict free options, they further narrow it down to the most compelling schedules such as ones with all divisional matchups in weeks 16 and 17, and ones that have a healthy spread of "premiere matchups" like our game against New England or Pitt's rematch against Denver spread throughout the season to maximize casual fan interest.

At this point they're usually looking at a very small number of options (according to Rich Eisen this year there was only one schedule which met all of those criteria) which they present to the Commish to finalize and approve.




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[Mista T]

4 games Inter-conference rotation = play each NFC division every 4 years, alternating home/away each time (e.g. Ravens hosted Landover 2008, visit andover 2012, will host them again 2016)

4 games Intra-conference rotation = play each AFC division every 3 years, alternating home/away each time

2 games = play one game each against the remaining two AFC division teams which had same standing (e.g. this season, play first place Patriots and Texans)

6 games = division rivals home & away

[pyite32]

4 games Inter-conference rotation = play each NFC division every 4 years, alternating home/away each time (e.g. Ravens hosted Landover 2008, visit andover 2012, will host them again 2016)

4 games Intra-conference rotation = play each AFC division every 3 years, alternating home/away each time

2 games = play one game each against the remaining two AFC division teams which had same standing (e.g. this season, play first place Patriots and Texans)

6 games = division rivals home & away

Right, that's not what I am asking. I know all the criterea that go into the schedule every year, I just wonder is it a manual or computerized process.

[Mista T]

I just wonder is it a manual or computerized process.

Both. See this NFL video (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d80fc6b67/Making-the-schedule):


"724 trillion scheduling possibilities every season"


"despite using a computer to help narrow down options, the final decisions are made by humans"

[pyite32]

Both. See this NFL video (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d80fc6b67/Making-the-schedule):

Thank you!

[Ravenswintitle]

They said on SiriusNFL, they know they've done a good job when all 32 teams complain

[Ravens75]

4 games Inter-conference rotation = play each NFC division every 4 years, alternating home/away each time (e.g. Ravens hosted Landover 2008, visit andover 2012, will host them again 2016)

4 games Intra-conference rotation = play each AFC division every 3 years, alternating home/away each time

2 games = play one game each against the remaining two AFC division teams which had same standing (e.g. this season, play first place Patriots and Texans)

6 games = division rivals home & away

Here:

http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/schedules/nfl_future_afcn.htm

[Shas]

How is the NFL Schedule Created?.

932

[flraven]

932

I agree with Shas, although the computer/human thing does sound more like it.

[Trackmaster]

Well, they don't try to maximize divisional games in the final two weeks, they made a rule that the final week HAS to be a divisional game after the Colts tanked another week 17 match up because they had already cemented their seed. Having the final week being divisional matchups increases the odds that teams will still be playing for something in the final week, as they're so important for tiebreakers.

I would prefer if they put certain parameters into a schedule, and then accepted whatever the computer gave them. That way, it not be equal for every team every time, but it would be fair, and it would be impossible for the league to have any favoritism towards one team.

[Mista T]

932

Two games with Steelers in three weeks? That picture does look about right!

[The Fanatic]

Pretty good piece on how the schedule is made in the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/sports/nfl-schedule-makers-try-their-best-to-please-everybody.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all)

[Julius_Caesar]

If you are the New England Patriots the NFL basically picks whatever schedule will guarantee at least 13 wins.

[arnie_uk]

yeahh, because they played the nfc division we played last year, while being in a weaker division than our own.. no conspiracy
If you are the New England Patriots the NFL basically picks whatever schedule will guarantee at least 13 wins.

[BcRaven]

With apologies to the Bard - the three top NFL execs :

1 WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 WITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
3 WITCH. Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!
ALL : Double, double toil and trouble.

and let us screw the birds that abide in the mid-lantic region of Baltimore forevermore ... Bc

[Ravenswintitle]

Pretty good piece on how the schedule is made in the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/sports/nfl-schedule-makers-try-their-best-to-please-everybody.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all)

that's a good article and I had to laugh at the Harbaugh story at the end

[purplepoe]

that's a good article and I had to laugh at the Harbaugh story at the end

A few years ago one of the local radio stations had a guy on that knew the ins and outs of how the schedule was made. It was VERY interesting. For instance, each team puts in a ton of requests every offseason regarding the schedule. Everyone probably remembers how the Ravens caught flack (which was a joke) when they asked to have a Steeler game at home at night instead of repeatedly going up there for a night game. Franchises that have baseball teams in their cities have to deal with that in Sept. Other outside things are considered as well.

He also mentioned certain things the league does. IIRC if a team starts off on the road for first two games to start the season they are guaranteed to to not have a 3 game road trip during the season. That might not be exactly right. I wish there was audio available because it was very interesting. There were many different things he covered with regard to how the schedule is made.

PP