The NFL expanded its reach for Week 1 of the 2024-25 season, filling the Friday night time slot on opening weekend with a game in Sao Paolo, Brazil between the Eagles and the Packers. During a high-scoring first half, many people noticed players slipping and sliding all over the field, leading some to conclude that the surface may be dangerous.
Former NFL player JJ Watt, a surefire Hall-of-Famer when he becomes eligible, spoke during the game about why the field may be slippery by comparing it to soccer.
“Soccer fields are made for speed and agility. Smaller bodies gliding across the surface with minimal contact,” Watt wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “They are not properly conditioned to have the size & strength of NFL players cutting, pushing and driving all game on them. This is common at international games.”
Watt points out that this is a common complaint during the NFL's international games over in Europe, where they commonly play in London and Germany. After the recent kickoff rules were implemented to help improve player safety, it will be interesting to see how the league responds to this recent wave of safety-related gripes.
How the NFL was allowed to have a Friday night game in Week 1
The NFL isn't used to playing on Friday nights, but the Week 1 clash between the Eagles and Packers on Friday represents a shift from the norm. The league has recently implemented games on Black Friday right after Thanksgiving, but those contests are played in the afternoon.
In fact, there is a rule that dictates why the league cannot play games on Friday nights. The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 dictates that the time is reserved for high school and college football, according to Chris Vannini of The Athletic.
“The NFL can do a Friday night game tonight because the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 protects Friday nights and Saturdays for high school and college football from the 2nd Saturday in September to the 2nd Saturday in December,” Vannini wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Eagles and the Packers are playing in Sao Paolo on the first Friday night of September, so it falls outside the range protected by the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. It is the only Friday night game on the schedule for this season.
So enjoy Eagles-Packers, but don't get too used to having the NFL on four out of five nights over the weekend. The league will be back to regularly scheduled programming starting in Week 2.
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