About the NFL

The NFL, or National Football League, is the professional football league of the United States. There are 32 teams, which are divided into two conferences, the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL sets all standards for everyone associated with the league, including players, coaches and franchise owners.

Features

The 32 NFL teams play the majority of their games on Sundays. There are some exceptions to that rule. Monday Night Football, which was started in 1970 and Thursday Night Football, which was started in the 1980s are the usual exceptions to the rule. These games are scheduled to coincide with programming requirements by the networks that carry them. During the post season, there are some games on Saturday nights as college football, which is usually played on Saturdays.

Time Frame

The NFL season consists of games beginning in early August through early February. This includes four pre-season or exhibition games per team throughout August. The regular season lasts 17 weeks during which each team plays 16 games and has one 'Bye week' or off week. The top 12 teams then go into the playoff season, which usually starts in January. The climax of the season is the Super Bowl, which is almost always in early February.

Geography

NFL teams can be found all over the country. While most teams enjoy a considerable amount of time in a host city, there are some teams which have relocated. One example of this is that the Los Angeles Raiders are now the Oakland Raiders. There are NFL teams in New Orleans, Houston, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Baltimore, among others. The main NFL office is located in New York City.

Significance

NFL games bring an economic boost to the cities which host games. Sales from tickets, accommodations, food, fan memorabilia and other game day activities are examples of where this economic boost comes from. Additionally, the NFL has revenue from broadcasting games on the radio, Internet, on television and on video tapes and DVDs. Many private companies benefit from having NFL players endorse their products.

Considerations

The NFL holds its players to a code of conduct. This makes it possible for children to look up to some NFL players as role models. Sadly, this isn't always the case. NFL players have been known to do things that make the league as a whole cringe. Michael Vick, for example, was convicted of crimes surrounding a dog fighting ring. For his crimes, he received prison time. Some other players have shown poor sportsmanship on and off the football field. In almost every case, the player is fined and/or suspended by the NFL.