Avg. NFL game length by decade? Started by Veeshik_ya

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Avg. NFL game length by decade?
Started by Veeshik_ya, Apr 10 2014 08:17 AM

7 replies to this topic

#1 Veeshik_ya
Forum Visitors
Posted 10 April 2014 - 08:17 AM
Has anyone done any research or know if research exists regarding average NFL game length, in real time?

For example, the average NFL game today takes about 3 hours and ten minutes to play, give or take.

Assuming as decades go back, particularly in eras involving less television time outs, etc. the games were shorter.

How long did it take to play a game in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s, etc.?

#2 Mark L. Ford
Administrators
Posted 10 April 2014 - 08:53 AM
It would be interesting to see if there was that type of study-- looking at gamebooks, I see that a game at San Francisco on September 17, 1950 (Yanks 30, 49ers 25) lasted only 2 hours, 17 minutes. Flash forward to San Francisco on September 17, 2006 (49ers 20, Rams 13) and the game time was 3 hours, a bit shorter than average, but also about 45 minutes longer than the pre-TV days. A 49ers fan, Michael Kjar, alerted me to this link that is freely displayed on 49ers.com

http://media.49ers.com/Game+Books/

#3 Rupert Patrick
PFRA Member
Posted 10 April 2014 - 05:34 PM
Mark L. Ford, on 10 Apr 2014 - 08:53 AM, said:
It would be interesting to see if there was that type of study-- looking at gamebooks, I see that a game at San Francisco on September 17, 1950 (Yanks 30, 49ers 25) lasted only 2 hours, 17 minutes. Flash forward to San Francisco on September 17, 2006 (49ers 20, Rams 13) and the game time was 3 hours, a bit shorter than average, but also about 45 minutes longer than the pre-TV days. A 49ers fan, Michael Kjar, alerted me to this link that is freely displayed on 49ers.com

http://media.49ers.com/Game+Books/

Very nice. The 49ers have joined the Broncos as the only teams to make their historical gamebooks available.

#4 Mark L. Ford
Administrators
Posted 10 April 2014 - 05:54 PM
There's the bucpower.com site that has gamebooks, starting with

http://www.bucpower.com/1976front.html

#5 Mark L. Ford
Administrators
Posted 10 April 2014 - 06:15 PM
The Members Only site has a pretty substantial collection of gamebooks as well...

Chiefs: All (1960-1983)
Dolphins: All (1966-1999)
Jets: All (1969-1973)
Patriots: All (1960-2002)
Raiders: All (1960-1992)

And we have incomplete collections for these teams:
Browns: 1961-1995, 1999
Eagles: 1956-1994
Lions: 1969-2010
Seahawks: 1976-1982
Steelers: 1969-1983

#6 oldecapecod 11
PFRA Member
Posted 10 April 2014 - 08:45 PM
I've never paid much attention to the Game Books because I really don't care about them.
However, the "search" aspect of the exercise is interesting.
As a random selection, I chose the Minnesota Vikings because:
a. I was just offered a "free" e-book and the name was familiar;
b. I think quite highly of Bud Grant and Judge Page;
c. Hubert Humphrey did not seem like a bad guy; and,
d. the Vikes were not included in the list provided by President Ford above.

The 2013 MV (that is not Martha's Vineyard although their colors are the same.) -
the 2013 MV Game Books ARE on line and the 2012 Game Books may be also but you might have to follow a different route.
----------------------------------------
2013
GO TO
http://en.wikipedia....ame_summaries_2

Scroll Down and you will see:
Game summaries[edit]
Week 1: at Detroit Lions[edit]
Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
1 2 3 4 Total
Vikings 7 7 10 0 24
Lions 3 10 14 7 34
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Date: September 8
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: None (domed stadium)
Game attendance: 62,461
Referee: John Parry (132)
TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin
Recap, Game Book <<<<<-----<<<<< VOILA!
----------------------------------------
2012
I went this Route but you can probably go directly to #4.

https://www.google.c...F-8&rlz=1I7TSNF
http://espn.go.com/n...nnesota-vikings
http://espn.go.com/n...ameId=330908008
http://espn.go.com/n...ameId=330908008

#4
http://espn.go.com/n...ameId=330908008
YOU CAN
This is Play-by-Play. What can be better?
=========================================
For those who like this stuff, I hope this helps.
Maybe there is a method like this for all the teams.
(I liked it better when there were only eight teams.)

#7 Reaser
PFRA Member
Posted 10 April 2014 - 09:08 PM
For recent Game Books, NFL.com has them, I believe back to 2009?

#8 BD Sullivan
Forum Visitors
Posted 11 April 2014 - 11:03 AM
Up until the merger, the networks usually put games in a 2.5-hour block, since the ad influence wasn't as great, there were limited stoppages, etc.