Bored 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2004 http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nf...e-changes_x.htm Here are the proposals: Move back starting times for Sunday afternoon games on Fox and CBS an hour to 2 and 5 p.m. ET. A similar move in playoff games has resulted in higher ratings. CBS would probably be against the plan because it would further delay "60 Minutes," the network's highly successful news program. • Drop the AFC/NFC delineations on Sunday afternoon games. Fox and CBS would alternately choose games when the schedule is determined in April. • Move back the start of the season one to two weeks, with the goal of moving some of the playoffs into the February TV ratings sweeps period. • Move ABC's Monday Night Football to Thursday. That probably won't happen as MNF's ratings improved last year and NBC and CBS have traditionally had stronger counter programming on Thursday. • Add a fifth TV package of games, possibly on Thursday nights. TNT, HBO and Fox/Comcast figure to be interested in a new package that might be valued at $500 million to $800 million a year. If the NFL obtains 3% to 5% increases in the present packages, it likely would not pursue an extra TV partner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FrigidSoul Report post Posted February 27, 2004 HBO? Fuck that Give football back to TNT and have them air it on Thursdays. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2004 *roots for HBO to get it* *Doesn't know why* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted February 27, 2004 I'm all for it if it means Costas announces... Keep me away from terry bradshaw! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2004 Keep that little egomaniac off my TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2004 These changes suck. Seriously, the only change I want is the end of that "we can't show you this game because it's not after 4pm" crap that CBS ran into a problem with. And the "you only get one game a week, I'm sorry that's just how CBS handles things". That gets on my nerves cause I'm usually stuck with a crap local game cause I don't own a Direct TV. Moving the Super Bowl into Feburary is crazy since it's not going to bring higher ratings than it already grabs and the Super Bowl as a sweeps gimmick is a disgrace. Putting games on TNT is fine if you must but HBO? Come on, until HBO becomes a basic channel on cable packages then you are forcing more people out of the NFL spotlight. It's like when NASCAR used to run on PPV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 I'm Canadian so I can't even get HBO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 Canadians do not deserve to enjoy NFL Football. For that matter...give us baseball back too...Montreal is a joke of a hometown...and I can get front row tickets to a Blue Jays game as long as they aren't winning World Series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lightning Flik 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 Canadians do not deserve to enjoy NFL Football. For that matter...give us baseball back too...Montreal is a joke of a hometown...and I can get front row tickets to a Blue Jays game as long as they aren't winning World Series. Ok, bps, no offense, but I'll enjoy WHAT football I please. So to you. Why bring up Montreal? The fans have there were always screwed over by management and then a freaking owner who jumps ship to the Florida Marlins. You think that they are going to give the team any love? It would take a commitment the size of winning a World Series and not being owned by the league, and that's the only way you'll get the fans to be behind them. As for the Blue Jays, they've been uncontenders for so long, they've begun to fall into the Montreal-Syndrome. However, I think that if they get contentful soon (which they are doing, slowly), they'll get back to where it is a little difficult to get those front row tickets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 Football on Thursday? That will hurt Smackdown ratings Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 AFC games on CBS and NFC games on Fox doesn't need to change. I wouldn't mind later starting games on Sunday. Starting the season later wouldnt be a bad thing either. Football on Thursday night works as a gimmick durring the first week or near the end of the season, but not a full season deal. If they have to do Thursday night games, I would hope that TNT got them because TNT had football at one point and they do a decent job of covering the NBA and NASCAR now. And if theres football on Thursday night, I would guarantee that Vince would have to move Smackdown to Wednesday night and probably as a live show which would piss me off (because I wouldn't be able to watch it) so I say no to any football on Thursday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 The strike killed baseball in Canada. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gert T 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 Not to mention that a later February SB and later start date for the season means a bigger "dead zone" time in the summer. And I am a big baseball fan too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 Don't like any of those changes. But if the struggling NFL needs to make them I guess there's nothing we can do about it. They need the money after all... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2004 Don't like any of those changes. But if the struggling NFL needs to make them I guess there's nothing we can do about it. They need the money after all... Most of those changes seem to help the struggling networks (ABC and Fox, not so much CBS I guess) more than the NFL. The NFL could care less probably what the ratings of its games get, since they already got paid by the networks for the right to air the games. For example, the whole reason to move the start of the season back is to put the Super Bowl in February Sweeps which would benefit whatever network has the Super Bowl that year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lando Griffin 0 Report post Posted February 29, 2004 They can't have Thursday games all year. We already have college games Thursday nights. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted March 1, 2004 How about screw all this crap and get NFL Sunday ticket to other companies aside from Direct TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted March 1, 2004 Don't like any of those changes. But if the struggling NFL needs to make them I guess there's nothing we can do about it. They need the money after all... Most of those changes seem to help the struggling networks (ABC and Fox, not so much CBS I guess) more than the NFL. The NFL could care less probably what the ratings of its games get, since they already got paid by the networks for the right to air the games. For example, the whole reason to move the start of the season back is to put the Super Bowl in February Sweeps which would benefit whatever network has the Super Bowl that year. They care because if there aren't good ratings then they can't demand as much from the networks when the next contract comes due. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dynamite Kido Report post Posted March 1, 2004 Canadians do not deserve to enjoy NFL Football. For that matter...give us baseball back too...Montreal is a joke of a hometown...and I can get front row tickets to a Blue Jays game as long as they aren't winning World Series. I agree, Canadians do not deserve our football. Stick to hockey....eh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted March 1, 2004 Don't like any of those changes. But if the struggling NFL needs to make them I guess there's nothing we can do about it. They need the money after all... Most of those changes seem to help the struggling networks (ABC and Fox, not so much CBS I guess) more than the NFL. The NFL could care less probably what the ratings of its games get, since they already got paid by the networks for the right to air the games. For example, the whole reason to move the start of the season back is to put the Super Bowl in February Sweeps which would benefit whatever network has the Super Bowl that year. They care because if there aren't good ratings then they can't demand as much from the networks when the next contract comes due. Oh yeah, like the price for the NFL is going to go down even if the ratings dip a .01 of a point. Oh, and NFL Sunday Ticket is a Directv exclusive for I think 5 more years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted March 1, 2004 The NFL doesn't set a price. The networks bid on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted March 1, 2004 The NFL doesn't set a price. The networks bid on it. And the networks will overbid even if ratings have been down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
