At first glance, the NFL with thirty-one teams seemed like a bit of an awkward fit. The four major sports leagues, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL, all played with thirty or more teams, and it seemed like the NFL was just an afterthought. After all, it was the smallest group of teams in the big four! But despite appearances, the NFL functioned just fine with its thirty-one teams.
I remember being a fan of the NFL growing up and watching it with my dad. We’d be sitting in front of the TV, watching all the different teams playing each other and I’d get so excited. It’s amazing to think that in the NFL, every game is a competitive one, with teams in different divisions competing against each other in the same division. This was something the other sports leagues didn’t have, and it was something unique and exciting about the NFL.
What I really liked about the thirty-one team format was that it created rivalries. When teams from different divisions play each other, it’s basically a mini-game within the larger competition. Rivalries between teams in different divisions also created unique rivalries that weren’t present in the other sports leagues. I remember there being some great rivalries between teams from the AFC and the NFC that made the games even more exciting.
The thirty-one team format also allowed for more regular season games for each team, something that was really important for teams that were struggling to make it to the playoffs. Teams could play more regular season games and gain more experience with different opponents, while also potentially increasing their chances of making it to the playoffs.
I think one of the most important things the NFL had to do when it launched with thirty-one teams was to keep everyone in the game. The competition is so close that any team can potentially come out on top at any time, so the league had to make sure that all teams felt like they had a chance to make it to the playoffs. To do this, the NFL implemented the concept of a wild card team. A wild card team was a team that was outside of the division but still got the chance to make it to the playoffs. This gave teams the chance to stay in the competition even if they weren’t in the same division as any of the other teams.
The thirty-one team format also allowed for more teams to compete at a higher level on a regular basis. With the larger division sizes, teams had more opportunities to compete with each other and progress to the playoffs. This gave teams a chance to continue to build on their success and create a competitive environment for all.
It was the concept of rivalries that made the thirty-one team NFL so unique and exciting. Teams were no longer just competing against other teams in their division, they were also playing against teams that they may not have had the chance to compete against if it weren’t for the thirty-one team format. This made every game even more exciting as teams from different divisions competed against each other in different divisions.
Overall, I think the thirty-one team format worked really well for the NFL. It provided something unique that wasn’t present in the other sports leagues, and it gave teams the chance to stay in the competition even if they weren’t in the same division as any of the other teams. This created some great rivalries between teams from different divisions that increased the competition and excitement. Plus, the thirty-one teams allowed for more chances for teams to make it to the playoffs, and for teams to play more regular season games. All-in-all, it was a great move for the NFL.