This document outlines the scheduling rules for the National Football League (NFL) and presents an optimization of the NFL game schedule to maximize commercial value. The NFL earned $11.09 billion in revenue in 2014. The scheduling of games is crucial to maximize commercial value. The project uses a step-by-step optimization approach that considers attendance ratios to develop a schedule that achieves the greatest commercial value for the NFL.

1. NFL Game Schedule Optimization
Instructor: Alkiviadis Vazacopoulos
Lingfeng Sha, Liye Pan, Renyu Zhang, Xianqiao Li, Xinyi Xu
Business Intelligence & Analytics
INTRODUCTION
As the most valuable league in the US, NFL got the revenue for
11.09 billion dollar in 2014. To maximize the commercial
value of NFL, the game scheduling is a crucial point.
Based on the step-by-step optimization with the
consideration of the attendance ratio, this project achieve the
largest commercial value of NFL.
NFL Scheduling Rules:
•Every team plays six games against
the other three teams in its division,
facing off twice per season — once at
home and once on the road.
•Every team plays one game against
each of the four teams from a division
within its conference — two games at
home and two on the road.
•Every team plays one game against
each of the four teams from a division
in the other conference once per
season — two games at home and two
on the road.
•Every team plays its remaining two
games against teams from the two
remaining divisions in its own
conference — one game at home and
the other on the road.
NFL Scheduling Rules:
•Every team plays six games against
the other three teams in its division,
facing off twice per season — once at
home and once on the road.
•Every team plays one game against
each of the four teams from a division
within its conference — two games at
home and two on the road.
•Every team plays one game against
each of the four teams from a division
in the other conference once per
season — two games at home and two
on the road.
•Every team plays its remaining two
games against teams from the two
remaining divisions in its own
conference — one game at home and
the other on the road.
NE BUF MIA NYJ PIT CIN BAL CLE IND HOU JAX TEN DEN KC SD OAK DAL PHI NYG WSH GB DET MIN CHI CAR NO ATL TB SEA ARZ SF STL
On the Road
AFC WEST NFC EAST NFC NORTH NFC SOUTH NFC WESTAFC EAST AFC NORTH AFC SOUTH
NE 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BUF 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MIA 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NYJ 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AFC
EAST
A
t
H
o
m
e
PIT 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CIN 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BAL 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CLE 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0AFC
N
ORTH
A
t
H
o
m
e
IND 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
HOU 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
JAX 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
TEN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
AFC
SOUTH
A
t
H
o
m
e
DEN 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
KC 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
SD 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
OAK 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
AFC
W
EST
A
t
H
o
m
e
DAL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
PHI 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
NYG 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
WSH 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
NFC
EAST
A
t
H
o
m
e
GB 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DET 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
MIN 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
CHI 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
NFC
NORTH
A
t
H
o
m
e
CAR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1
NO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0
ATL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
TB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0
A
t
H
o
m
e
NFC
SOUTH
SEA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1
ARZ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1
SF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
STL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0
A
t
H
o
m
e
NFC
W
EST
NE BUF MIA NYJ PIT CIN BAL CLE IND HOU JAX TEN DEN KC SD OAK DAL PHI NYG WSH GB DET MIN CHI CAR NO ATL TB SEA ARZ SF STL
On the Road
AFC WEST NFC EAST NFC NORTH NFC SOUTH NFC WESTAFC EAST AFC NORTH AFC SOUTH
NE 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BUF 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MIA 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NYJ 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AFC
EAST
A
t
H
o
m
e
PIT 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CIN 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BAL 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CLE 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0AFC
N
ORTH
A
t
H
o
m
e
IND 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
HOU 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
JAX 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
TEN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
AFC
SOUTH
A
t
H
o
m
e
DEN 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
KC 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
SD 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
OAK 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
AFC
W
EST
A
t
H
o
m
e
DAL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
PHI 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
NYG 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
WSH 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
NFC
EAST
A
t
H
o
m
e
GB 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DET 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
MIN 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
CHI 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
NFC
NORTH
A
t
H
o
m
e
CAR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1
NO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0
ATL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
TB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0
A
t
H
o
m
e
NFC
SOUTH
SEA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1
ARZ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1
SF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
STL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0
A
t
H
o
m
e
NFC
W
EST
Week NE BUF MIA NYJ PIT CIN BAL CLE IND HOU JAX TEN DEN KC SD OAK DAL PHI NYG WSH
1 BUF @NE SD BAL @CIN PIT @NYJ OAK $HOU IND NO $TB $SF $ARZ $MIA $CLE WSH $ATL $PHI
2 @BUF NE @BAL PIT @NYJ @CLE MIA CIN KC DEN OAK $HOU $IND $JAX $NYG GB DAL TB
3 MIA @NYJ @NE BUF CIN @PIT CLE @BAL NO JAX $HOU DEN $TEN $SD KC DET $CHI $MIN GB
4 @NYJ MIA @BUF NE IND BAL @CIN GB $PIT TEN KC $HOU SD $JAX $DEN $STL SEA $NYG PHI MIN
5 NYJ @MIA BUF @NE DET CLE JAX @CIN HOU $IND $BAL SD KC $DEN $TEN SEA PHI $DAL SF $STL
6 @MIA NYJ NE @BUF CHI KC DET - OAK $JAX HOU CAR ARZ $CIN $SEA $IND $WSH NYG $PHI DAL
7 CIN PIT @NYJ MIA @BUF @NE @CLE BAL JAX SD $IND ATL $KC DEN $HOU SF CHI MIN $GB $DET
Match-Ups (partial Timetable)
Week NE BUF MIA NYJ PIT CIN BAL CLE IND HOU JAX TEN DEN KC SD OAK DAL PHI NYG WSH
1 BUF @NE SD BAL @CIN PIT @NYJ OAK $HOU IND NO $TB $SF $ARZ $MIA $CLE WSH $ATL $PHI
2 @BUF NE @BAL PIT @NYJ @CLE MIA CIN KC DEN OAK $HOU $IND $JAX $NYG GB DAL TB
3 MIA @NYJ @NE BUF CIN @PIT CLE @BAL NO JAX $HOU DEN $TEN $SD KC DET $CHI $MIN GB
4 @NYJ MIA @BUF NE IND BAL @CIN GB $PIT TEN KC $HOU SD $JAX $DEN $STL SEA $NYG PHI MIN
5 NYJ @MIA BUF @NE DET CLE JAX @CIN HOU $IND $BAL SD KC $DEN $TEN SEA PHI $DAL SF $STL
6 @MIA NYJ NE @BUF CHI KC DET - OAK $JAX HOU CAR ARZ $CIN $SEA $IND $WSH NYG $PHI DAL
7 CIN PIT @NYJ MIA @BUF @NE @CLE BAL JAX SD $IND ATL $KC DEN $HOU SF CHI MIN $GB $DET
Match-Ups (partial Timetable)
OBJECTIVES
•Utilizing heuristic algorithm to simulate NFL game schedule for
2015-16 season.
•Compare our schedule to the real NFL schedule to determine how
much our schedule increases audience attendances and TV ratings.
HOLIDAY NON-HOLIDAY
Intercept -2.15871 -4.8305
Number of All Star players in one match 0.56311 0.38629
Home Team Avearge Winning
Percentage
11.03572 10.44454
Away Team Avearge Winning
Percentage
2.88904 7.53753
Team Revenue 0.00555 0.01031
**SAS Regression Analysis Output
Week NE BUF MIA NYJ PIT CIN BAL CLE IND HOU JAX TEN DEN
1 BUF @NE SD TEN @BAL GB PIT OAK @HOU IND @DEN @NYJ JAX
2 @BUF NE @BAL PIT @NYJ @CLE MIA CIN TEN @KC OAK @IND @SD
3 - @NYJ WSH BUF CIN @PIT CHI GB @ATL JAX @HOU DEN @TEN
4 @NYJ @WSH @DAL NE @CIN PIT @CLE BAL - TEN KC @HOU SD
5 NYJ @MIA BUF @NE DET CLE - @CIN HOU @IND @CAR @TB KC
6 @NYG MIA @BUF @CIN @CLE NYJ DET PIT @DEN @JAX HOU ATL IND
7 @PIT @CLE NYJ @MIA NE BAL @CIN BUF @CAR SD @TEN JAX @KC
Optimized ScheduleHeuristic Algorithm
Diagram
Conclusions:
•TV ratings increase by 10.79
•Attendance increases by 33,222