The NFL is set to for a couple announcements about their kickoff game that has traditionally been the Thursday after Labor Day for the last few years. It seems the game will feature the Washington Redskins at the New York Giants this year; the last Super Bowl winner has hosted the last few. But the Redskins? Seems an odd choice. Until you consider it in light of the other likely announcement: That the game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET (that’s 4:00 p.m. on the West Coast), a full one-and-a-half hours earlier than usual. Why? To make way for Senator John McCain’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention later that night.
How big is that? Pretty big. In TV land, a show’s “lead in” (the show that precedes it) is pretty important to its ratings. For McCain to have the kick-off football game of the NFL season, featuring a team from one of the most populous states in the country, is much better than the reruns the Democrat nominee will get as his/her lead-in in August.
Still wonder why the Redskins were chosen? My bet it’s because of the Presidential election. Now NBC can crow for a month leading up to the game that the team representing the White House’s city will play the Super Bowl champions. You can bet on it. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
The NFL is set to for a couple announcements about their kickoff game that has traditionally been the Thursday after Labor Day for the last few years. It seems the game will feature the Washington Redskins at the New York Giants this year; the last Super Bowl winner has hosted the last few. But the Redskins? Seems an odd choice. Until you consider it in light of the other likely announcement: That the game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET (that’s 4:00 p.m. on the West Coast), a full one-and-a-half hours earlier than usual. Why? To make way for Senator John McCain’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention later that night.
How big is that? Pretty big. In TV land, a show’s “lead in” (the show that precedes it) is pretty important to its ratings. For McCain to have the kick-off football game of the NFL season, featuring a team from one of the most populous states in the country, is much better than the reruns the Democrat nominee will get as his/her lead-in in August.
Still wonder why the Redskins were chosen? My bet it’s because of the Presidential election. Now NBC can crow for a month leading up to the game that the team representing the White House’s city will play the Super Bowl champions. You can bet on it. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
