NFL approves Thursday flex scheduling, but Packers fans might not have to worry

The National Football League on Monday approved flex scheduling for Thursday games in weeks 13-17, but it seems unlikely the Green Bay Packers will be affected this season.

In reality, because the league also agreed to allow unscheduled week 18 games to include Thursdays as well as Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, the flex scheduling includes weeks 13-18, more than one-third of the total schedule.

On the plus side, for this season at least, Packers fans are less likely to be involved in flexing. Teams cannot be made to play more than two Thursday nights in a season, they cannot be made to flex more than once, and the Thursday night flexing can be used only twice in a season total. A 28-day notice will be given for schedule changes. The procedure is only for the 2023 season, unless it is not used, in which case it will carry over to 2024.

The Packers are already scheduled for two Thursday games, although one is for Thanksgiving morning and it's not clear if that counts, but in weeks 13-17, Green Bay already plays on a Monday night and two Sunday nights. And since their opponents are the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings, it seems unlikely those games will be moved out of a national time slot.

But it's useful to keep in mind that in the NFL, the chances are never zero.

Monday night games also can be flexed beginning this year.

The Packers were one of eight teams that voted against the proposal, but proponents got the 24 votes they needed for approval. It allows the league to reschedule games from Sundays to Thursdays (and vice versa) to shore up the Thursday Night Football lineup streamed on Amazon, which paid $1 billion for rights to the games.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, others voting against were the New York Giants, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.

If games are flexed, it will cause chaos for fans who are not within overnight traveling distance of games, which will especially affect Green Bay Packers fans. More than 80% of fans attending games at Lambeau Field live 50 miles or more from Green Bay, according to a 2009 study.

For an in-depth look at some of the issues for fans involved in flex scheduling, follow the link to this story:

More:What does the NFL flex proposal mean for Packers ticket holders? Nothing good, according to fans

Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/.