Nailed it.... (edit) Please let the Panthers open the Season on Thursday night against Denver....

[Adb6368]

I seem to recall reading last year or the year before that the NFL does not like the idea of having the last game of the PY being the first game of the season. They usually save that for a little later on. Don't think it will happen but would be pretty cool if it did.

[The_Rainmaker]

1 hour ago, Jeremy Igo said:

Would be a great thing for the Panthers to open the season on Thursday night. 

 

This will be the only time a Thursday night game will ever be a good thing. Full week to prepare as the 4th preseason game doesn't even really count as a game and is at home, no travel. Starters won't play. Then after, 10 days to prepare for week 2. 

 

Sounds like a 2-0 start to me. 

Yes, and it better be a beatdown and nothing else. 

[Cookie Lyon]

I hope this does happen. It would be AWESOME!

[Smithers]

Opening against Arizona is more likely to happen on opening nights.  The Denver game will be a Monday night game.

[Kevin Greene]

2 hours ago, Bartin said:

It would feature endless highlights from the Super Bowl. I don't think I'll be ready for that week 1.

Our charts will be trending upward. Since the final seconds of SB50 the Donkeys begin their downward spiral.

Take heart, the future is ours.

[Matthias]

Won't happen.  Denver would get blown off the stage.  You always schedule a JV squad to play against for homecoming.

[RoaringRiot]

2 hours ago, O-Ther said:

I think New England has to play in Denver this year, so I'd bank on that being the opening game. Would still prefer us, just wouldn't lay money on it

I thought this too, but then someone was talking about how the network may choose to protect that game so it couldn't be the opener. I can't quote who or where I saw that so that's the best I got for ya.

[j2sgam]

Had a SB rematch ever happened on opening day? Thought the SB champ got the season kickoff & not champ got MNF opener? Haven't paid much attention to who plays when since Smitty broke his leg on the 1st MNF of the season...

[Peppers90 NC]

This would ruin my snowboarding plans on that trip

[O-Ther]

3 hours ago, RoaringRiot said:

I thought this too, but then someone was talking about how the network may choose to protect that game so it couldn't be the opener. I can't quote who or where I saw that so that's the best I got for ya.

To expand on this, the Thursday Night Kickoff game and the Thanksgiving primetime game are contracted to NBC in their TV deal. The past 2 years, CBS had exclusive simulcast rights with NFLN for 9 regular season Thursday Night games and lent Jim Nantz and Phil Simms to NFLN to announce the remaining 6 Thursday Night games. However, on Feb 1st this year, the deal was changed. CBS and NBC will each simulcast with NFLN 5 Thursday night games, with CBS doing the first 5 and NBC doing the next 5.

With all that said, this could be related to what you've heard about a network wanting to protect that game. There is probably some behind the scenes maneuvering going on. CBS wouldn't want to lose that juicy ad-selling matchup, since they have the AFC contract. Of course NBC would push for it to be the Kickoff game covered by their contract. Fox won't push us to appear, even tho they have broadcast rights for NFC road games, because the Kickoff game contract NBC has would supersede Fox's broadcast rights in this case. I'm sure you're aware of this, I'm just laying it out there for people reading the thread.

[PntherPryd]

I'm not the first to point this out but the Kickoff Game will be a ratings beast with pretty much any top combo of teams.  The SB rematch will be a ratings beast pretty much whenever they decide to air.  

Extremely doubtful the NFL shoots their wad and puts their primo rematch into the kickoff slot, no matter which network is involved in the dealings.

 

[Davidson Deac II]

My guess would be at Seattle for our opening game, and it would be a national broadcast (thur, sunday night or monday night). 

[KendrickPanther]

Having our players watch them hand out rings sounds really distracting.

[Wundrbread33]

On April 7, 2016 at 6:24 PM, Saca312 said:

Ealy gonna pick off Mark Sanchez just like this.

Man...one of the best team defensive performances...

 

...that no one will remember.... :(