According to Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy, we will soon learn whether the team will open the 2024 season in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers would be designated the road team in this neutral site contest. The Pack remains one of two teams being considered for the game in Sao Paulo. The Cleveland Browns remain the other option. Here are the good and bad aspects of opening the season in Brazil for the Packers:
Why Opening the 2024 Season in Brazil Would Be Good for the Packers
The big reason the NFL wants to play games overseas is to open the game up to new markets. By playing in Sao Paulo, the league hopes to grow the game. According to a recent poll, the Packers are the most popular team in Brazil. 12.3 percent of American football fans in Brazil say they back the Pack.
This would provide the Packers with a “road game” that would have the feel of a “home game” due to fan support. They would not have to sacrifice a home game to play overseas, which is very important to the economy of Green Bay.
Playing Week 1 in Brazil would also give the Packers a longer window to prepare for a non-Sunday game. By getting that out of the way in Week 1, the Packers would have almost two weeks to get ready for the game. This contests will be taking place after the open week between the end of the preseason and the start of the regular season.
It would also give the Packers two extra days to prepare for their Week 2 game whether that’s in Green Bay or elsewhere.
By playing Friday night in Brazil, the Packers would also be less likely to schedule more Thursday games later in the season. That means fewer short weeks which are a disadvantage for the team, especially if it’s a road game.
It’s also always good to have the exposure of nationally televised games and having that on opening day adds juice to the start of the season.
Why Opening the 2024 Season in Brazil Would Be Bad for the Packers
Like all athletes, football players are creatures of habit. They enjoy their routines and count on that “normalcy” to help them prepare for games. The trip to Brazil and the entire experience would be a variation on that routine.
The Packers would have a long trip on their hands to get to Brazil. It would be a longer trip than any other NFL road game with the exception of going to Europe. Even though the time zone difference from Green Bay to Sao Paulo is just one hour, the trip is certainly anything but routine.
In addition, there may be travel issues for the Packers getting to Brazil. Green Bay’s Austin-Straubel Airport is not as big as other airports. Murphy admitted the Packers may not be able to fly directly from Green Bay to Sao Paulo because of the length of the runways. That would mean making a connection in Chicago or Atlanta or another international airport. That complicates the Packers travel time and makes the trip more challenging. It is also a reason the NFL may opt for the Browns to play in Brazil over the Packers.
Because the game is in Week 1, the Packers will not have a bye week after the game. The NFL doesn’t start byes until later in the season. When the Packers traveled to London in 2022, they lost the following week to a Jets team they should have beaten. The game was at Lambeau Field, but the team played poorly in part due to the unusual travel time from the previous week. Can Jordan Love and the rest of Matt LaFleur’s team handle the changes in schedule?
There are advantages and disadvantages to the Packers playing in Brazil. We should very soon find out whether the team will open the season against the Eagles or elsewhere.
Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
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