You might not be familiar with the NFL’s Mike North, but there’s two things you must know about him:
1. He’s the VP of Broadcast Planning and has an overseer role in making the 2024 NFL schedule, even if a computer does much of the heavy lifting.
2. He’s a sad Pirates fan. Like the rest of us.
North joined Rich Eisen Thursday afternoon to discuss the process of putting together each year’s schedule. And he made an interesting point of how they consider baseball season in determining if football teams play home or away. North conceded they look at what baseball counterparts are doing, citing the Baltimore Ravens road stretch. In October, they play three of four away from home due to the Orioles’ success.
“Being respectful of the fact, to your point, that the Orioles may well be there down the stretch in October,” North told Eisen on the Rich Eisen Show. “Should they be working around Ravens games.”
No longer one of the worst teams in baseball, Baltimore went 101-61 in 2023 before being swept in the ALDS. Regarded as a contender and off to a strong 2024 start, the NFL schedule-makers don’t want to risk the overlap. So what’s the concern? The Orioles play their game, the Ravens play theirs. No one is Bo Jackson and playing both sports? The issue are all the logistics around the game.
“Are we going to have trouble with the parking lots? With municipal services, with police? It might be a really fun day in Baltimore to have both of them playing there at the same time. But is that really the right thing for the market and for the fans? Yeah, no question, the Orioles are impacting the Ravens’ schedule. The Phillies are impacting the Eagles’ schedule.”
Know who remains one of the worst teams in baseball? Your Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite star pitchers like Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, the Pirates can’t buy a run. Until their offensive fortunes turn around, they won’t interfere with what the Steelers are doing.
“The Pirates, not yet impacting the Steelers’ schedule. But one of these years my beloved Pirates are going to be there in October and we’re going to have to think about that.”
Though it could be a long wait, it’s a point worth filing away. If the NFL still exists by the time the Pirates are consistently good, the Steelers may become a road team during October to avoid a conflict, especially knowing Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park are within blocks of each other. Like the Ravens, the Eagles aren’t home much in October, having a bye the first week, two road games and one home contest.
While North says there’s no impact, it still feels like there’s some. The Pirates repeated early-September home games appears to be the reason why the Steelers consistently begin the season on the road. Since 2014, Pittsburgh has started away from home in every season but one, last year when the Pirates were on the road during the NFL’s opening weekend. This year, the Buccos are at home and the Steelers begin the year at Atlanta. That impact might not be as large as competitive baseball teams changing an entire month’s schedule but an impact all the same. So North’s point there’s no impact might not be entirely accurate.
Still, if Jared Jones and Paul Skenes become an ace duo and Rowdy Tellez figures out his job is to actually hit the baseball, watch out. The Steelers are going to be playing plenty of October road games.
