Should American football be played on Christmas?

Question

I'm an Aussie and I was shocked when I looked at the NFL schedule that there is a game on Christmas Day! Why do they have a game on Christmas Day and how will the players react? Don't they deserve a break?

I like American football too (it's one of the FEW things I like about your country) but don't you think it seems weird to have a football game on Christmas Day even if it is Monday Night Football?

Answer 1

I don't think they should. They should have the day off to spend with their families. But I guess Christmas is really only exciting in the morning, so the players can play in the afternoon. They have a love for the game and that's one thing they have to sacrifice, I guess. If I was the family member of a football player I would be upset. Merry Christmas!

Answer 2

The players LOVE to play on Christmas Night! It's a chance to be in the spotlight, and that doesn't happen on a National level in the NFL too often. See most games are played on Sunday afternoon, which means the games are only televised to a regional market. But the night games are Nationally televised, which is a big deal. In fact, it is such a big deal, that this Christmas there are actually TWO games being played.

Also, there are plenty of people who have to work on Christmas, not just NFL players. As a restaurant manager I had to open Christmas morning a few years ago, because our place was located near a movie theater. Christmas Day is actually one of the busiest days of the year for movie theaters, and they have to be fully staffed. My wife works retail, and thought she is off Christmas Day, she has to work today (Christmas Eve) and she has to be to work at 6am the day after Christmas. All those places people go shopping, be it at the crack of dawn the morning after Thanksgiving, or last minute Christmas Eve, require a large staff of people to operate. In fact, many retail stores require that every single employee they have work those days. This limits the ability to ever take a Holiday vacation, or have relatives visit (who wants to visit when you will be working everyday?). All of these people make significantly less than a Pro
Football Player, and I never hear anyone ask if they should have a break. In fact, those same people have to deal with all the unhappy ******* returning their unwanted presents the week after the Holidays... Joy to the World.

Answer 3

I do not think their should be games on Christmas.

Ya it's great for fans and the players love to play the game (or some of them at least), but TV networks already schedule big time NBA games on Christmas. If the NFL puts games on Christmas, they are clearly putting football on a way higher level than the NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, etc.

This year it's the Lakers vs. Heat.
Wade vs. Kobe
The Heat, who are underachieving, need to play well for playoffs
(If he plays) Shaq and Kobe against each other
A leading scorer (Kobe) on national TV

All of these hyped up things will be diminished if an NFL game is played. I understand it this year because you never take away Monday Night Football, but the NFL should never go out of their way and schedule something on Christmas that isn't a Sunday or a Monday. The NBA deserves some hype.

Answer 4

there are 2 games, actually. dallas-philly and the jets-miami. there have been plenty of christmas day games through the years, when christmas falls on a weekend, what are you gonna do? it's no different than thanksgiving day games. FYI thanksgiving is a major holiday here. the players will have tuesday off to celebrate christmas with their families. remember, these guys are making millions a year to play a game, and they have a long offseason coming up soon here, let's not feel too bad for them.

Answer 5

NFL on Christmas Day is just as much a tradition as anything else.

Same as on Thanksgiving Day.

Gifts, then dinner and a football game. How could it be any merrier?

Answer 6

Personally, I appreciate pro football on ANY day that it is played.
I believe that EVERYDAY is a HOLY DAY and if you worship a God, unless HE says 'thou shalt not play football on such and such day', then my answer to your question is...dunt dun du daaa...YES!
Having said that...
Only a few alluded to the FACT that Christmas is a CHRISTIAN HOLY DAY.
This country has gotten so deep into it’s capitalistic structure, it has managed to alienate AND pander to just about every religion and ethnic group whenever necessary and sometimes at the SAME TIME.
Along with the practitioners of Paganism, there are practitioners of other religions, CHRISTIANS INCLUDED, that are helping to make a tradition of Professional Football on Christmas Day and other HOLY DAYS as well.
To some EVERYDAY is a HOLY DAY.
For Christians EVERY SUNDAY is a HOLY DAY.
There are some whose HOLY DAYS are Friday and Saturday.
The practice of capitalism in this country manages to make monetary profit with just about EVERY HOLY DAY that I know of and probably some that I don’t know of.
Until Christian football players and Christians in general decide to and find a way to make an impact against this practice; football on Christmas Day will continue to be the tradition that ‘they’ are MAKING it to be.

Answer 7

I admit it is a little strange, and yeah you would think the players would want to be home with family. Although the Cowboys shouldn't be bothered by it, after all they play Thanksgiving every year. I mean I can even understand the one game. It is more that they did a double header that I don't really get.

Answer 8

I believe you don't brake tradition. I believe football should be played on X-mas.The players will react as always, play to their full potential.They do deserve a break and some will get it soon enough, when they don't make the playoffs.

Answer 9

There's no reason why not --- most players actually welcome the opportunity to play on a holiday in front of a national audience.

There is also no reason the players can't have their families with them, and that they enjoy Christmas together. The game will only take 3 to 3.5 hours.

Answer 10

Because we like it!,We love it!, We need some more of it! We could care less what you sissy Auuusssies think. "Oh my, I'm shocked those Americans play football on Christmas." The players react just fine. They are not sissy's like you. Break? re-read last line.