On Tuesday, NFL owners voted to eliminate the ability of teams to protect two of their nine home games from being selected for international play. This decision reflects a shift towards optimizing the league's scheduling flexibility, according to NFL executive Peter O’Reilly. He stated that the change aims to provide schedule makers with more opportunities to create the best possible matchups for partners. In contrast, NFL VP of broadcast planning Mike North previously argued that allowing teams to block games could send a negative message to international fans. The new rule means that teams hosting international games will no longer have any power to shield their home contests from being moved abroad. This change is expected to lead to more marquee games being played internationally, although it may also result in significant behind-the-scenes negotiations among teams regarding which games are selected for international play. The league now holds the authority to override any objections from teams concerning specific games being moved to locations like London or other international venues.