Lambeau playoff games in February, anyone?
A report says that concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, and how long it could take to fans to feel comfortable returning to games, could lead to a delay of the NFL season and a Super Bowl much later in February than normal.
Sports Business Journal reports that the NFL and officials in Tampa, the site of Super Bowl LV, are discussing possible contingency plans to move the Super Bowl back one week from the scheduled date of February 7 – to February 14, the Sunday that happens to be Valentine’s Day.
They are also apparently considering moving it as far back as February 28.
This would also involve a move of the regular season back multiple weeks, eliminating the bye week and the week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl.
Typically, the NFL season is scheduled to start the weekend after Labor Day, but this would set up a start of the season in late September or even mid-October.
The NFL is set to release the schedule early in May, but it certainly could pivot early games to later weeks after the scheduled regular season if necessary.