Charting all the games in 2023: NFL schedule spreads to record 350 hours of TV

2024-12-24 08:22:39 source: category:Back

Football fans can watch more NFL games this season than ever before. The 2023 NFL schedule continues a four-decade evolution where the league has found new days, new times and even new countries to expand its nearly $20 billion footprint, according to Front Office Sports.

This year is no different: The NFL kicks off the holiday shopping season with its first-ever Black Friday game that pits the Miami Dolphins against New York Jets in Week 12. That, of course, follows the now traditional three games on Thanksgiving.

And is another tradition in the offing with a third Christmas Day game?

NBA vs. NFL on Christmas Day in 2023

The NBA has traditionally circled Dec. 25 as its day to shine on the national stage. This year the NFL will cast some shade on the NBA's Christmas Day plans.

In previous years when Christmas fell during the weekend, the NFL scheduled two or fewer games. This year's three games with at least four likely playoff contenders start at 1 p.m. and run through the evening. NBA commissioner Adam Silver might want to commiserate with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred about how that's worked out with World Series games, which are no longer broadcast on Sunday nights.

NFL adds a fifth international game in 2023

The NFL International Series started in 2007, but it wasn't until 10 years ago that the league tested out a 9:30 a.m. ET game — essentially filling the day with football. This year's slate of 9:30 a.m. international games expands from four in 2022 to five, starting in Week 4.

Americans spend about nine hours a day sleeping, according to a 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics report. That leaves 15 hours for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and staff, who will offer nearly as many hours of football programing as waking hours during a quarter of NFL Sundays this season.

NFL creates record number of time slots in 2023

Combine five international games with Thursday night games, multiple special holiday games and end-of-season Saturday games and you have 107 different slots for games this year – up from 103 in 2022. It's interesting to step back and visualize just what nearly 350 hours of NFL programing looks like.

Number of time slots grows 41% since 2000

This will be the first season in more than two decades without Tom Brady quarterbacking a team. In Brady's 23-year career, the NFL added 31 time slots, a 40.8% increase. While fans got more football each week, the NFL gained more time to sell to advertisers. Players' paychecks have risen, too, but the trade off: shorter recovery weeks and a 17-game schedule, up from 16 in 2000. That year, Christmas fell on Monday and only the Titans and Cowboys played a Monday night game.

NFL provider list continues to expand

Considering how many games are scattered throughout every week now, some may be concerned about Sunday afternoons and their NFL Sunday Ticket or RedZone subscriptions, but only three fewer games will played on Sundays this season (225) than the 2000 season. Still, you'll need a good internet connection, a few subscriptions and the list below to keep up with where every game will be broadcast this season.

Searchable list of all 2023 NFL games

The searchable list below shows each scheduled and unscheduled matchup for the 2023 season. For example, if you just want to see the Kansas City Chiefs' schedule, just type "Chiefs" into the search bar. Or, if you'd like to see the Week 9 games, just type WK 9.

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