Starting with Redskins-Cowboys on Thanksgiving and 7 other games on Thurs and Sats late season.
With NFLN having the WAS-DAL game, I wonder if there's going to be a 3rd Turkey game, and where? I know Hunt has openly talked about wanting one, it SHOULD go to an AFC city if if does happen.
Full Version: NFL Network to air regular season games in 2006
I found this interesting that they yanked Dallas from the normal day slot on Thanksgiving and will put it on a network that is in only 40 million homes I get the NFL Channel but most people don't.
Is it confirmed anywhere that the Thanksgiving game will be Washington-Dallas? I've read two articles and neither one mentioned a specific game, only that there would be a game on Thanksgiving night.
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Joe in Philly:
Is it confirmed anywhere that the Thanksgiving game will be Washington-Dallas? I've read two articles and neither one mentioned a specific game, only that there would be a game on Thanksgiving night.
it was cited by a "league source" that WAS-DAL would be the game, but I see that that particular bit of info has disappeared from story updates.
Is it confirmed anywhere that the Thanksgiving game will be Washington-Dallas? I've read two articles and neither one mentioned a specific game, only that there would be a game on Thanksgiving night.
The Wall Street Journal reported that as the game, but it could be premature.
That's going to upset Detroit, because they have traditionally had the Thanksgiving Day game ever since it's been played. The exception would be if the Lions will play on FOX, the AFC on CBS, and the Dallas-Washington game on the NFL Network.
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MIB:
That's going to upset Detroit, because they have traditionally had the Thanksgiving Day game ever since it's been played.
This decision in no way affects Detroit.That's going to upset Detroit, because they have traditionally had the Thanksgiving Day game ever since it's been played.
They will still have the first game, this year it will be on CBS, next year FOX, etc.
Look for an AFC team to get the third Thanksgiving Day game. This year it will be a FOX game, so look for an NFC team visiting an AFC team.
In a similar vein, one perk NBC gets with its Sunday night games is a flexible schedule late in the season. Here is how it will work, according to the Boston Globe:
Details on the flexible Sunday night NFL television schedule for next season were ironed out last week during a brief league meeting in Orlando, Fla., that was a precursor to the annual meeting in mid-March.
The owners and networks came up with a system that will begin in Week 10 of the 2006 season because there will be no Sunday night game on Christmas Eve. In 2007 and thereafter, the flexible schedule will be in place from Weeks 11-17 except in years when there is a Christmas conflict.
For those weeks, no game will be designated for the Sunday night slot on the schedule when it is released before the season; all games will be listed with the usual 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. start time. However, the league will already have a game or two in mind for each of those Sunday nights, subject to change based on team records and matchups.
For Week 10, a game will be designated for Sunday night 12 days in advance; the same will happen for each succeeding week, with the teams involved given 12 days' notice.
Fox and CBS each will have five ''blocks" per season, meaning they can stop a designated game from being moved to Sunday nights -- but only up to a maximum of five times. When a block is used, a new game will be selected, still with 12 days' notice.
Details on the flexible Sunday night NFL television schedule for next season were ironed out last week during a brief league meeting in Orlando, Fla., that was a precursor to the annual meeting in mid-March.
The owners and networks came up with a system that will begin in Week 10 of the 2006 season because there will be no Sunday night game on Christmas Eve. In 2007 and thereafter, the flexible schedule will be in place from Weeks 11-17 except in years when there is a Christmas conflict.
For those weeks, no game will be designated for the Sunday night slot on the schedule when it is released before the season; all games will be listed with the usual 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. start time. However, the league will already have a game or two in mind for each of those Sunday nights, subject to change based on team records and matchups.
For Week 10, a game will be designated for Sunday night 12 days in advance; the same will happen for each succeeding week, with the teams involved given 12 days' notice.
Fox and CBS each will have five ''blocks" per season, meaning they can stop a designated game from being moved to Sunday nights -- but only up to a maximum of five times. When a block is used, a new game will be selected, still with 12 days' notice.
I think I just got a headache reading that.
Anyway, this morning I read that on Thanksgiving Day there will be three games, so it looks like the Lions will still retain their traditional game. (BTW, why Detroit? Does anyone really want to spend part of your Turkey Day watching the Lions???)
Anyway, this morning I read that on Thanksgiving Day there will be three games, so it looks like the Lions will still retain their traditional game. (BTW, why Detroit? Does anyone really want to spend part of your Turkey Day watching the Lions???)
This is good for the NFL but bad for viewers.
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Put it this way: There is no N, F or L in the word \"objectivity.\" This will be house broadcasters working on the house network, fronted by the house pregame show and wrapped up by the house postgame show. In the middle will be the house halftime show. The uncomfortable will be avoided whenever possible. The controversial will be honeyed over.
(Broadcasters possessing backbones need not apply.)
And the NFL doesn't even really deny it. Listen to commissioner Paul Tagliabue: \"I do think that it gives us the ability to have greater control over how we present our game and what we present about our game, about our players, about our coaches, much in the same way that NFL Films, going back to the early '60s, gave the league that ability to show the greatness of the athletes, to underscore that these were individuals and not just gladiators, that they were involved in the community.
\"All the things that Pete Rozelle strove to do with NFL Films, we can do by extension with the NFL Network. But I don't think that it foreshadows the NFL being the dominant presenter of NFL football, either in traditional media or in digital media. There are going to be so many hundreds, even thousands of outlets for the NFL in the digital media space that lots of people will be presenting it independently.\"
Don't believe him. It was not that long ago that the NFL said this eight-game, Thursday/Saturday package beginning on Thanksgiving night wouldn't end up on the NFL Network. It was only a few months ago, in fact. They painted the NFL Network as this little, startup, information-only entity. Then they changed their minds, and they will change their minds again.
They will cut out the middleman and bank the profits themselves. They will cut out the networks' ability to pick announcers and do journalism and they will shape the message exactly the way they want it.
(Broadcasters possessing backbones need not apply.)
And the NFL doesn't even really deny it. Listen to commissioner Paul Tagliabue: \"I do think that it gives us the ability to have greater control over how we present our game and what we present about our game, about our players, about our coaches, much in the same way that NFL Films, going back to the early '60s, gave the league that ability to show the greatness of the athletes, to underscore that these were individuals and not just gladiators, that they were involved in the community.
\"All the things that Pete Rozelle strove to do with NFL Films, we can do by extension with the NFL Network. But I don't think that it foreshadows the NFL being the dominant presenter of NFL football, either in traditional media or in digital media. There are going to be so many hundreds, even thousands of outlets for the NFL in the digital media space that lots of people will be presenting it independently.\"
Don't believe him. It was not that long ago that the NFL said this eight-game, Thursday/Saturday package beginning on Thanksgiving night wouldn't end up on the NFL Network. It was only a few months ago, in fact. They painted the NFL Network as this little, startup, information-only entity. Then they changed their minds, and they will change their minds again.
They will cut out the middleman and bank the profits themselves. They will cut out the networks' ability to pick announcers and do journalism and they will shape the message exactly the way they want it.
A few thoughts...
Now that we've had a few NFL Network telecasts, how many people are actually getting to see the games? I heard today that some cable systems carry the network but that the games are blacked out because the network wants cable systems to pay a surcharge to carry the games. If I were paying for cable service that included the channel, I'd want that channel IN FULL.
For that matter, why have I heard NOTHING in the media about how the NFL Network games are faring in the ratings? They're always thrilled to report about the lousy ratings the NHL gets on Versus (formerly OLN). If Thursday/Saturday Night Football is a flop it should be reported. Yeah, the NFLN isn't in a lot of houeholds but neither is Versus. Comcast is practically bribing cable systems and the like to carry Versus. Example (though it's a bit off the subject): Verizon has started up a FiOS (fiber-optic) TV service to compete with cable and satellite. It's now available in some areas around here, though not in the city itself. Comcast has always refused to allow its local Comcast Sportsnet channel (with its Phillies/Flyers/Sixers telecasts) to be picked up by DirecTV or Dish network. Well, Comcast made a deal with Verizon to allow it to carry the Sportsnet channel -- as long as they also added Versus and a couple more channels that Comcast also has an ownership interest in. Back to my point: someone do the research and see how low the audience for these games actually is.
And finally...Bryant Gumbel. I can't believe how mediocre he is. He says a lot of dumb things, his back and forth with Cris Collinsworth (usually) and Dick Vermeil (tonight and next Saturday) is awkward, he sounds like he has no juice -- a team scores a touchdown, usually the play-by-play guy gets a little excited, but not Bryant -- play-by-play is NOT his thing.
Now that we've had a few NFL Network telecasts, how many people are actually getting to see the games? I heard today that some cable systems carry the network but that the games are blacked out because the network wants cable systems to pay a surcharge to carry the games. If I were paying for cable service that included the channel, I'd want that channel IN FULL.
For that matter, why have I heard NOTHING in the media about how the NFL Network games are faring in the ratings? They're always thrilled to report about the lousy ratings the NHL gets on Versus (formerly OLN). If Thursday/Saturday Night Football is a flop it should be reported. Yeah, the NFLN isn't in a lot of houeholds but neither is Versus. Comcast is practically bribing cable systems and the like to carry Versus. Example (though it's a bit off the subject): Verizon has started up a FiOS (fiber-optic) TV service to compete with cable and satellite. It's now available in some areas around here, though not in the city itself. Comcast has always refused to allow its local Comcast Sportsnet channel (with its Phillies/Flyers/Sixers telecasts) to be picked up by DirecTV or Dish network. Well, Comcast made a deal with Verizon to allow it to carry the Sportsnet channel -- as long as they also added Versus and a couple more channels that Comcast also has an ownership interest in. Back to my point: someone do the research and see how low the audience for these games actually is.
And finally...Bryant Gumbel. I can't believe how mediocre he is. He says a lot of dumb things, his back and forth with Cris Collinsworth (usually) and Dick Vermeil (tonight and next Saturday) is awkward, he sounds like he has no juice -- a team scores a touchdown, usually the play-by-play guy gets a little excited, but not Bryant -- play-by-play is NOT his thing.
I love football, but I am certainly not willing to fork over any more to Comcast, than I am already paying in order to get the NFL Network. For what I am currently paying, I should be already receiving it, in my digital cable lineup.
I have Comcast and get the NFL Network as part of my digital package. So do only some Comcast providers carry it? I guess I just assumed that if Comcast here carried it, Comcast there would carry it to.
Apparently, things are different out west. 
Its extra here.
Its extra here.
Here in Buffalo we don't get it as part of basic cable.
The NFL Network was on previously and had taken the place of the Empire Sports Network(local regional channel. Empire went under as it was tied in with the failed Adelphia Communications company. When it went down, it wasn't like they took off the added fee for that network, and now the NFL wants to pad our cable bills even higher by putting their channel in at an exorbitant cost??
The NFL Network was on previously and had taken the place of the Empire Sports Network(local regional channel. Empire went under as it was tied in with the failed Adelphia Communications company. When it went down, it wasn't like they took off the added fee for that network, and now the NFL wants to pad our cable bills even higher by putting their channel in at an exorbitant cost??
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