BREAKING NEWS: Bucs vs. Phins moved to week 11

I'm not posting a link because it's all speculation at this point, but due to Hurricane Irma the Bucs-Phins game could be moved to Thursday.

Selfishly, I hope the game does get moved.  I won't be around Sunday so I'll have to watch the game on DVR at night.  But I could definitely watch live on Thursday!

Obviously safety is the main concern.  Probably makes sense to move the game as a precaution.

Do you have the NFL Sunday Ticket?

I am hoping if moved to Thursday the game can be watched on that service, I read something about a flaky TV broadcast that happened in the 90s due to a hurricane. Something about local stations only, but I think DirecTV pulls the locals in?

white1 wrote:Do you have the NFL Sunday Ticket?

I am hoping if moved to Thursday the game can be watched on that service, I read something about a flaky TV broadcast that happened in the 90s due to a hurricane.  Something about local stations only, but I think DirecTV pulls the locals in?

I do have Sunday Ticket. I didn't even think about that...I just assumed the game would be shown. I don't know how that would work. I'd like to think that DirecTV would have a plan in place for situations like this, but maybe not?

Direct TV will only show the Sunday Ticket games that are in the lineup on Sunday. Although this game is a reschedule for inclement weather, They are under no obligation to show it. I think because the NFL is moving the game to another day the NFL Network is obligated to show it.

Either way, the NFL needs to make a decision ASAP. It's already Tuesday afternoon...if the game is being moved to Thursday, they obviously don't have much time.

Both teams have a week 11 bye, so that is a possibility too.

Scouring the internet for news on the game, it seems more and more likely that it will be moved to week 11.

My issue is that the NFL with it's 9B a year business can't figure out an alternate venue! If they were really worried about a f--king hurricane then move the damn game. If it's too close to call, move the damn game. Weather reports have indicated that it will be a CAT 4 or less by the time it hits the coast of Florida. Heavy Rain and Wind is still very possible. Why would you subject the players or the fans to these types of conditions. The football game wont even be enjoyable.

According to Bleacher Report the league is heavily favoring the bye week scenario. This will absolutely be the worst idea ever. Not to be a party pooper but hurricane season has just started. What happens when there's another. The bye week option being removed you need to move the game.

Best case scenario, the game is obviously gonna be moved, but have they even considered moving the game to Monday?

Update (sort of): The league issued a statement saying that the game won't be played in Miami on Sunday. Sill working on either a neutral site on Sunday or moving to week 11.

So the Fins are down to six home games now?

I'm assuming all season ticket holders are still being charged the same though, amirite?

Sounds like the game will be held in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia...OR it may still be moved to week 11.

Man, the NFL really is quick at making decisions, aren't they?

And yes, if the game is moved to Pennsylvania the Phins would have 6 home games this season. Awesome. I think I'd rather see them play 16 games in a row.

Given the choice, I'd rather keep the home game and move it to Week 11 instead of losing it to a neutral site.

There is precedent: we had our bye Week 1 in 1992 thanks to Hurricane Andrew. That game with the Pats was moved to week 6. Didn't seem to hurt us much that year, it was our most successful season of the 1990's (11-5, AFC Championship Game)

It's a logistical nightmare. Better to just go ahead and play in Week 11. Let the players stay home with their families.

Just read on rotoworld that the game has officially been moved to Week 11.  I think that's the best move for everyone involved.

Note: I changed the thread title to reflect this update.

Yeah. Grudgingly agree. Atlanta was one of the neutral sites being thrown around, had dreams of securing last minute, cheap tickets and attending this week. Oh well.

Smartest thing to do.

Scot, are you in South Florida yet?

I am not totally in agreement that this is the best move. Couple of things to consider:

1) Was it moved from a financial standpoint or was it moved to protect players? IMHO It's all about the money moving the venue this close to the game doesn't insure maximum profits. Players have been lobbying about 4 preseason games for years but here we are with 4 weeks of preseason.

2) Hurricanes are seasonal. It's like New Year's Day. It will always come the same time every year. In a $9B a year business, you would think that they would have a contingency plan laid out to insure the safety of its players and the fans. Irma is one hurricane in the beginning of the season. This in no way insures that there won't be another. What's the plan if there is another? No more bye weeks to change the game too.

3) Why was the conference call on Wednesday to make a decision on Friday? The Forecast was predicting the path the whole week. I believe in the safety of everyone first and foremost. I get it. But the reason why this meeting took place so late is to the league money is first and foremost. The point being is that this decision should have been made ways before today.

JMP wrote:Scot, are you in South Florida yet?

Not yet, still in MD. Probably the beginning of next month. Still have fam in Broward and lots of friends in SWFL.

scotgif wrote:

JMP wrote:Scot, are you in South Florida yet?

Not yet, still in MD. Probably the beginning of next month. Still have fam in Broward and lots of friends in SWFL.

Sounds like it is going to be nasty down there. Best of luck to your friends and family - and everyone in the area.

Umix10 wrote:I am not totally in agreement that this is the best move.  Couple of things to consider:

1) Was it moved from a financial standpoint or was it moved to protect players?  IMHO It's all about the money moving the venue this close to the game doesn't insure maximum profits. Players have been lobbying about 4 preseason games for years but here we are with 4 weeks of preseason.

2) Hurricanes are seasonal.  It's like New Year's Day.  It will always come the same time every year.  In a $9B a year business, you would think that they would have a contingency plan laid out to insure the safety of its players and the fans.  Irma is one hurricane in the beginning of the season.  This in no way insures that there won't be another.  What's the plan if there is another?  No more bye weeks to change the game too.

3) Why was the conference call on Wednesday to make a decision on Friday?  The Forecast was predicting the path the whole week.   I believe in the safety of everyone first and foremost. I get it. But the reason why this meeting took place so late is to the league money is first and foremost.  The point being is that this decision should have been made ways before today.

I agree that there should be contingency plans in place for situations like this, and the decision should have been made much quicker. The NFL ends up looking bad - again - with how they handled this.

From what I heard, the reason they didn't move the game to a neutral site was due to concern about getting the teams back to Florida. The entire state could be a in a state of disaster, and there were no guarantees that everyone could be brought back home in a reasonable period of time. I'm sure the money played a role as well, but ultimately I think this is the right move. There's just too much uncertainty with this storm right now.

Something I heard Salguero say on his column........move Miami's game back from London to Miami. Give the players the break from traveling that distance and length of travel. They have a lot of time to reschedule the teams as opposed to rescheduling the whole thing!

Umix10 wrote:Something I heard Salguero say on his column........move Miami's game back from London to Miami.  Give the players the break from traveling that distance and length of travel.  They have a lot of time to reschedule the teams as opposed to rescheduling the whole thing!

I would definitely NOT be in favor of that. The storm is already impacting two weeks - week 1 and week 11. Now you're talking about impacting a third week - just doesn't make sense. Plus, the game is already set in London (tickets sold, advertising, activities surrounding the game, etc.)- the NFL isn't going to scrap it for no good reason, and they shouldn't.

Ultimately, it's not a big deal to move the game to week 11. It really shouldn't negatively impact the Dolphins or Bucs at all.

Umix10 wrote:Something I heard Salguero say on his column........move Miami's game back from London to Miami.  Give the players the break from traveling that distance and length of travel.  They have a lot of time to reschedule the teams as opposed to rescheduling the whole thing!

I'm actually in favor of this. For one thing, I cannot understand why the Fins don't have a bye following the London game but the Saints do. Seriously, WTF?!?!

Also, there's a really good chance of terrorist activity for that game seeing as how London's been taken over by Muslims.

If the UK fans don't like it, tough shit. What are they gonna do, fly over here and stage a protest? Just refund their money and move on, and let other teams do the London thing for a few years.

DolFan 316 wrote:I cannot understand why the Fins don't have a bye following the London game but the Saints do. Seriously, WTF?!?!

I'm not sure why, but I know that the Dolphins and Ravens both requested no bye week after their London trips, and the league granted the requests. I believe the Colts did the same thing last season.