Should NFL Games be played in such cold weather?

[MacNut]

Of course they do. They'll hold most of it in Boston just like the NFL is hosting most of it in NYC this year.

Boston is what 25 miles from Foxborough?

 

[Shrink]

And the individuals involved have to take responsibility for intentionally placing their health and well-being in jeopardy by exposing themselves to these extreme conditions.

This pretty much says it for me.

It's not like the NFL is putting a gun to anybody's head.

 

[zioxide]

Boston is what 25 miles from Foxborough?

Something like that. It's about 25 min north of Providence and 35 min south of Boston.

 

[MacNut]

Something like that. It's about 25 min north of Providence and 35 min south of Boston.

Would the league want everything that spread out.

 

[citizenzen]

And the individuals involved have to take responsibility for intentionally placing their health and well-being in jeopardy by exposing themselves to these extreme conditions.

There are plenty of people who will be at that game because their work requires it. They won't be there voluntarily.

One more note for anybody who says, "Well the Ice Bowl was cold too ..."

The Ice Bowl happened over 50 years ago. The Freeze Bowl in Cincinnati happened over 30 years ago. Since those bygone days, much has changed in the NFL in regards to looking out for player's safety ... and much more will be done in the future. There is simply no good reason to put the players, the fans or those working in support of the game at risk because of this extreme weather event.

 

[pdjudd]

Extreme cold is something the NFL can deal with and something that all teams can prepare for. Green Bay has an advantage physically but lets be honest - all the teams are using massive propane heaters on the sidelines and the players have heated equipment (Aaron Rogers has a helmet heater). Not to mention that these guys are used to playing outdoors in cold weather. All the staff is well bundled up and so are the fans.

The problem is delaying these things for days is that it throws off other plans for everybody else. Not to mention that there are many other staff members and travel accommodations and such that get affected.

Cold is something that can be dealt with and if the cold is too much, fans won’t go. I doubt that will happen though.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

While I don't profess to be an expert in matters of an NFL nature, I still say get out there and play you great bloody tarts.

 

[MacNut]

There are plenty of people who will be at that game because their work requires it. They won't be there voluntarily.

One more note for anybody who says, "Well the Ice Bowl was cold too ..."

The Ice Bowl happened over 50 years ago. The Freeze Bowl in Cincinnati happened over 30 years ago. Since those bygone days, much has changed in the NFL in regards to looking out for player's safety ... and much more will be done in the future. There is simply no good reason to put the players, the fans or those working in support of the game at risk because of this extreme weather event.

So what do you propose, take teams out of cold weather cities? That won't go ever well in Chicago, Green Bay, New York, Minnesota, or Boston.

 

[ucfgrad93]

There are plenty of people who will be at that game because their work requires it. They won't be there voluntarily.

They chose to work there.

So what do you propose, take teams out of cold weather cities? That won't go ever well in Chicago, Green Bay, New York, Minnesota, or Boston.

I don't think the Broncos had any problems selling out their game on the 12th.

 

[MacNut]

They chose to work there.



I don't think the Broncos had any problems selling out their game on the 12th.

Citizenzen is implying that these games should not be played at all. So that would mean relocating the teams.

 

[jknight8907]

There are plenty of people who will be at that game because their work requires it. They won't be there voluntarily.

One more note for anybody who says, "Well the Ice Bowl was cold too ..."

The Ice Bowl happened over 50 years ago. The Freeze Bowl in Cincinnati happened over 30 years ago. Since those bygone days, much has changed in the NFL in regards to looking out for player's safety ... and much more will be done in the future. There is simply no good reason to put the players, the fans or those working in support of the game at risk because of this extreme weather event.

They're probably self-responsible enough to put on appropriate clothes, don't you think?

 

[Peace]

There are plenty of people who will be at that game because their work requires it. They won't be there voluntarily.

One more note for anybody who says, "Well the Ice Bowl was cold too ..."

The Ice Bowl happened over 50 years ago. The Freeze Bowl in Cincinnati happened over 30 years ago. Since those bygone days, much has changed in the NFL in regards to looking out for player's safety ... and much more will be done in the future. There is simply no good reason to put the players, the fans or those working in support of the game at risk because of this extreme weather event.

I find it very hard to believe that any company can force an employee to attend a football game. If they can it should be illegal.

 

[MacNut]

This country doesn't shut down because it gets cold out, construction workers, firemen, police officers all have to be outside in sub zero temps.

 

[triptolemus]

There are plenty of people who will be at that game because their work requires it. They won't be there voluntarily.

I work in Health & Safety. While I do recognize that the temperatures expected in Green Bay present a risk to stadium workers, a reasonable person would have to believe that the Packers organization has procedures in place to deal with it.

Off the top of my head...

• limiting exposure to employees by eliminating certain jobs and rotating workers
• heat-up areas
• personal protective equipment, such as hand/body warmers, face masks, gloves, etc.
• changes of clothing
• hydration procedures, hot beverages, avoiding caffeine
• training to recognize hazards and symptoms of exposure to conditions such frostbite, trench-foot, and hypothermia.
• close supervision and monitoring of employees to quickly detect exposures

The fans are on there own, but I'd bet there will be areas where they can warm up, too. As for the players, nobody catches a football with a frozen arm, so I'd say the teams are looking after the players and coaching staff, too.

Or do you really believe that the evil NFL just throws everyone out into sub-zero temps to fend for themselves? I appreciate your concern for the safety of workers, players, and fans. But your insistence that nothing is being done to control the hazards is foolish.

 

[MacNut]

Football routinely is played in the elements. Except when the elements endanger life and limb.

But when it comes to whether the weather will be so cold that it’s too cold from a safety standpoint, the NFL has no predetermined temperature reading that would postpone a game.

“We don’t have a number, no,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tells PFT via email.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...et-temperature-at-which-its-too-cold-to-play/

For all parties involved, there are few viable options. The NFL could play the game on Saturday, when the temperature will spike to a balmy 25 during the day. That would entail possibly moving one of the Saturday playoff games to Sunday, or playing three on Saturday, with the Green Bay game perhaps landing in the currently vacant 1:00 p.m. ET time slot. Alternative, the NFL could flip the order of the games on Sunday, with 49ers-Packers kicking off (and in turn ending) well before the wind chill warning kicks in at 6:00 p.m. local time.

Moving the game to Monday definitely won’t work. That day, the projected high temperature is 14 below.

 

[pdjudd]

Since those bygone days, much has changed in the NFL in regards to looking out for player's safety ... and much more will be done in the future.

And there has been a lot in place since then to make sure players and fan’s can stay warmer. Technology has improved too.

Or do you really believe that the evil NFL just throws everyone out into sub-zero temps to fend for themselves? I appreciate your concern for the safety of workers, players, and fans. But your insistence that nothing is being done to control the hazards is foolish.

This. The NFL has ways to combat extreme cold conditions. They won’t cancel a game unless it’s absolutely necessary given that canceling these things is not an easy thing to do and rescheduling is even tougher. The league can cancel the game, but I doubt they will - The packers and the Niners both know what they are going to get into and they have more than enough heating to save them. And it isn’t as if Lambeau Field doesn’t have no heating at all period.

 

[triptolemus]

They chose to work there.

This doesn't quite get it done in the eyes of OSHA...

 

[zioxide]

Would the league want everything that spread out.

25 minutes is "spread out"? Maybe for Rhode Islanders who can drive across their entire state in 40 minutes, but for the rest of the country, that's nothing.

We have trains from Providence and Boston that go directly to Gillette on game-days too. They could run more trains if they were to host a Super Bowl here.

 

[VitoC]

One more note for anybody who says, "Well the Ice Bowl was cold too ..."

The Ice Bowl happened over 50 years ago. The Freeze Bowl in Cincinnati happened over 30 years ago. Since those bygone days, much has changed in the NFL in regards to looking out for player's safety ... and much more will be done in the future. There is simply no good reason to put the players, the fans or those working in support of the game at risk because of this extreme weather event.

I said "Well the Ice Bol was cold too..." and it doesn't negate the fact that the Ice Bowl still happened in the conditions that it did and nobody died. Your argument has been invalidated. Go home. You lost. Oh, and nobody gives a ****.

 

[citizenzen]

So what do you propose, take teams out of cold weather cities? That won't go ever well in Chicago, Green Bay, New York, Minnesota, or Boston.

Haven't proposed that at all.

If anything, I'd require that all of those cities plan to construct domed stadiums when its time to replace their current ones.

Citizenzen is implying that these games should not be played at all. So that would mean relocating the teams.

Again. Not true.

There are alternatives that haven't been taken.

For instance, the Green Bay game could have been switched to today where temperatures are in the 20s-30s.

Or the game location could have been switched to the Vikings Stadium in Minneapolis where the game could be played indoors.

... your insistence that nothing is being done to control the hazards is foolish.

I have never said that, "nothing is being done to control the hazards."

I imagine that a great deal is being done in an attempt to control the hazards.

Go home. You lost. Oh, and nobody gives a ****.

I am home. I realize I am in the minority. And I do realize that many of you don't give a ****.

That is quite apparent.

 

[MacNut]

Haven't proposed that at all.

If anything, I'd require that all of those cities plan to construct domed stadiums when its time to replace their current ones.



Again. Not true.

There are alternatives that haven't been taken.

For instance, the Green Bay game could have been switched to today where temperatures are in the 20s-30s.

Or the game location could have been switched to the Vikings Stadium in Minneapolis where the game could be played indoors.



I have never said that, "nothing is being done to control the hazards."

I imagine that a great deal is being done in an attempt to control the hazards.



I am home. I realize I am in the minority. And I do realize that many of you don't give a ****.

That is quite apparent.

The Metrodome is closed plus it would be unfair to the fans to move the game this late. The only option was to move the start of the game.

 

[rdowns]

Haven't proposed that at all.

If anything, I'd require that all of those cities plan to construct domed stadiums when its time to replace their current ones.



Again. Not true.

There are alternatives that haven't been taken.

For instance, the Green Bay game could have been switched to today where temperatures are in the 20s-30s.

Or the game location could have been switched to the Vikings Stadium in Minneapolis where the game could be played indoors.



I have never said that, "nothing is being done to control the hazards."

I imagine that a great deal is being done in an attempt to control the hazards.



I am home. I realize I am in the minority. And I do realize that many of you don't give a ****.

That is quite apparent.

Switching the game to today was really their only option. No way can 2 NFL teams and a broadcast network move all the gear needed to play in that short amount of time.

 

[citizenzen]

Switching the game to today was really their only option.

An opportunity lost.

No way can 2 NFL teams and a broadcast network move all the gear needed to play in that short amount of time.

No way they can't travel 5 hours?

Maybe not if they started today.

But these conditions forecast days ago.

 

[63dot]

I expect the man boobed fans being shirtless painted green and yellow. The combination of blubber, beer, and adrenaline gets them through four quarters.

 

[VitoC]

I expect the man boobed fans being shirtless painted green and yellow. The combination of blubber, beer, and adrenaline gets them through four quarters.

I personally know one of the men who will be that fan tomorrow.