• by David Goetzl , January 3, 2013

This isn’t the first time it’s been suggested. Popular New York sports talk show host Mike Francesa has lobbied for it, while surely others have as well.

It’s time to turn Super Bowl Sunday into what would amount to a national holiday. The NFL should extend its playoffs by two weeks, moving the Super Bowl to the day before Presidents’ Day, when much of America has off.

So, this year, the game wouldn’t be Feb. 3, but Feb. 17. If it were up to Congress to consider – football is important enough it arguably rises to the level of national importance – who knows what would happen? But, it’s up to the NFL.

It’s curious why the league hasn’t made the move. WFAN’s Francesa rightly has noted that February is the worst sports month of the year, so the NFL has an opportunity to garner even more interest. The move could also have the NFL paying back multiple constituencies that enrich it.

Super Bowl ratings aren’t suffering, but the networks might appreciate the potential for more viewers to tune in for the entire game. That would likely increase -- particularly during blowouts -- if people know they don’t have to work the next day.

Beer marketers – who flood NFL coffers – might be even more appreciative. No work the next morning? Cheers.

How would the NFL lengthen its post season? The easiest path would seem to be to allow a week off before the playoffs begin, and then another week off before the AFC and NFC championship games.

ESPN would have to be a huge proponent. More gaps between games would give it more opportunity for its endless blather of playoff anticipation. The same goes for the NFL Network, owned by the league.

College basketball wouldn’t be happy with the shift, since February is a month when some sports fans really begin to focus on this sports category. (CBS and Turner might be concerned that interest in March Madness could decrease.)

The NBA might be frustrated – it traditionally holds its All-Star game on the day when the Super Bowl would be held – but why would the NFL be concerned with the prosperity of another sport?

Even if it’s more interested in its networks and sponsors, the NFL should be concerned with its fans – and they deserve the appropriately timed holiday.