The GE debate schedule was announced seven months before the NFL released its 2016 schedule

[book_worm]

The general-election debate schedule was announced seven months before the NFL released its 2016 regular-season schedule.

The commission announced the 2016 debate schedule Sept. 23, 2015, setting the three presidential debates for Sept. 26, Oct. 9 and Oct. 19, and the vice-presidential debate for Oct. 4. The commission announced its schedule nearly seven months before the NFL announced its 2016 regular-season schedule, in April 2016.

The commission said Sunday that it started working more than 18 months ago to identify religious and federal holidays, Major League Baseball playoff games, NFL games and other events to schedule the debates.

"It is impossible to avoid all sporting events, and there have been nights on which debates and games occurred in most election cycles. A debate has never been rescheduled as a result," the commission said. "As a point of reference, in a four-year period, there are four general-election debates (three presidential and one vice-presidential), and approximately 1,000 NFL games."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/31/what-we-know-about-the-presidential-debates-and-the-nfl-schedule/

Hmm, maybe the NFL should change its schedule.

[grubbs]

1. They probably never imagined

That one of the candidates would be such a immature flatuating balloon knot that there would be a problem with any schedule they came up with.

[Wounded Bear]

2. K & R ......for visibility..nt

[caraher]

3. This is wrong on so many levels...

First, that anyone is bothering to dig into the details trying to find any merit whatsoever in Trump's transparent effort to lower the bar (or back out) in advance of debates.

Second, that the day the NFL releases its schedule has anything at all to do with whether or not there will be NFL games at the dates and times of the debates. Monday Night Football has only been around since when, the early '70s? The NFL has been playing on Sunday for as long as I remember and has had a prime time game on Sunday for at least a decade. The commission didn't need to wait until this spring to know they'd be up against a few games.

Third, that NFL games should be considered an important consideration, especially in a time when most people have the ability to record TV programs for later viewing.

Heck, even my Sunday "beer league" hockey team somehow manages to work around the conflicts that arise between our games and the local NFL team (we actually used to play across the street from the football stadium) - and that's a bunch of guys who obviously care more about team sports than average.