OT NFL lifts blackouts for playoffs

[LadyStanley]

NFL makes broadcast changes, including single-header rule and playoff game kickoff times

And they are changing playoff start times to 3pm and 6:30pm ET (rather than 1/4). Allows for double headers, even in Pacific time zone.

But I think the blackout lift will be cheered by fans.

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[Herby]

The no single-header part is great news for people in LA, NYC, Bay Area and DC/Baltimore.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

The hockey angle here is you could have NBC take the early game and put a game at noon ET before it.

 

[LadyStanley]

The hockey angle here is you could have NBC take the early game and put a game at noon ET before it.

Only works for Eastern Conference teams. Games before noon (local), (12pm PT = 3pm ET) requires union/player approval.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Only works for Eastern Conference teams. Games before noon (local), (12pm PT = 3pm ET) requires union/player approval.

There's 11:30 CT games all the time. Obviously would be between Eastern or Central timezone teams, as that window ALWAYS is.

 

[ElGuapo]

f***ing dumbasses didn't fix OT. I hate the NFL.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Next contract the NFL should introduce reverse mirrors for the CBS and Fox slots on Sunday afternoon.

What is a reverse mirror? It is a situation in which two national television channels have their signals split regionally, such that each of two programs will be available in all (or almost all) regions on one of the two channels, but will not air on the same channel in both regions.

ESPN and ABC do this with some college football telecasts each year. NBC and NBCSN have done this with some NHL playoff broadcasts.

In the NFL, CBS and Fox can utilize CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 1, respectively, to distribute the top two games in their timeslots outside of areas where the games are airing on CBS and Fox.

Here is how it would work.

On the Singleheader Network
CBS/Fox takes the top game they air that Sunday, whether it's 1 or 4 PM game, and in markets it does not air on CBS/Fox, the game airs on CBSSN/FS1. In markets where the game is on CBS/Fox, Game B airs on CBSSN/FS1.

On the Doubleheader Network
In each timeslot, CBS/Fox takes the top game and distributes it to CBSSN/FS1 in areas the game is not airing on CBS/Fox. In areas the top game is on CBS/Fox, CBSSN/FS1 airs Game B. This does not apply if the late timeslot has only one game.

I have also proposed the NFL playoffs expand to 16 teams, which would then mean the utilization of the reverse mirror in the playoffs.

In the next contract, I want ABC to share the TNF rights with Fox (9 games on each network, all simulcast on NFLN) and all London games played at 9:30 AM ET with those games on ABC as well. ABC would also have a first-round game on Sunday night, a Saturday Divisional game, and become third in the Super Bowl rotation (putting NBC at #4 to make all their Super Bowls coincide with the Winter Olympics). NBC would have a Saturday night first-round game and a Saturday Divisional game, alternating timeslots with ABC each year.

Fox and CBS would alternate timeslots for the afternoon games on both days of the first round and the Sunday Divisional games. The 1 PM timeslot would be used for reverse mirrors on CBS/CBSSN and Fox/FS1.

2 Additional Notes:

1. Adoption of college OT rules should be a condition of the current TV partners renewing with the NFL

2. Even then, NBC might not renew if Sunday Ticket is not made available to competing providers. NBC is owned by Comcast, whose Xfinity is a major competitor of AT&T-owned DirecTV.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Next contract the NFL should introduce reverse mirrors for the CBS and Fox slots on Sunday afternoon.

What is a reverse mirror? It is a situation in which two national television channels have their signals split regionally, such that each of two programs will be available in all (or almost all) regions on one of the two channels, but will not air on the same channel in both regions.

ESPN and ABC do this with some college football telecasts each year. NBC and NBCSN have done this with some NHL playoff broadcasts.

In the NFL, CBS and Fox can utilize CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 1, respectively, to distribute the top two games in their timeslots outside of areas where the games are airing on CBS and Fox.

Here is how it would work.

On the Singleheader Network
CBS/Fox takes the top game they air that Sunday, whether it's 1 or 4 PM game, and in markets it does not air on CBS/Fox, the game airs on CBSSN/FS1. In markets where the game is on CBS/Fox, Game B airs on CBSSN/FS1.

On the Doubleheader Network
In each timeslot, CBS/Fox takes the top game and distributes it to CBSSN/FS1 in areas the game is not airing on CBS/Fox. In areas the top game is on CBS/Fox, CBSSN/FS1 airs Game B. This does not apply if the late timeslot has only one game.

Never going to happen. CBS and FOX would be totally screwing their local affiliates, and themselves in markets they own the affiliates.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

The only party that would actually be adversely affected is Sunday Ticket. They would lose a few games to the reverse mirror, specifically the top games in each timeslot, but even so most CBS and Fox games would still be available to them.

For people without Sunday Ticket this would be great since now they'd be getting up to 7 games in their market on Sundays including SNF.

Not to mention the reverse mirror would be the only way to avoid playing postseason games on weeknights in the event of a playoff expansion to 16 teams.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

The only party that would actually be adversely affected is Sunday Ticket.

...and all of the corporations listed within:

List of CBS television affiliates (table) - Wikipedia
List of Fox television affiliates (table) - Wikipedia

And I can't see the NFL ever agreeing to hold multiple playoff games at one time, so that's a moot point anyway.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

OK, now tell me, how would the affiliate owners be affected?

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Because network ratings will likely decline if viewers are given the option to watch the cable games.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

OK, now tell me, how would the affiliate owners be affected?

I'm not keeping on a crappy CBS or FOX game if a better game is airing on CBSSN or FS1. I'm also not keeping on a game with a division opponent on because I see them all the time. If I want to see something different than what I always see and the option is available to me, I'm changing the channel.

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

How much extra is Fox paying the league to use FS1 that way?

 

[willy702]

I think the NFL will tinker with Direct Ticket before they go to cable outlets showing Sunday games. Next deal seems certain to end the monopoly on one TV service, they need wider distribution. They could then easily charge a per game fee so allowing fans to watch a marquee game instead of their 2-12 local team getting beat again. Charge $15 for that either on a TV outlet or an online provider and they will make a big score in a lot of markets with the people who don't want to commit $300/year. To say you want to make sure a city gets to see the best games is not going to go over well with owners on a lot of levels, only way they accept it is if some networks completely overwhelms them with money.

 

[GindyDraws]

Never going to happen. CBS and FOX would be totally screwing their local affiliates, and themselves in markets they own the affiliates.

Also, comparing FS1 to CBSSN is like comparing Great Value food to a military MRE. As bad as FS1 can be for some people to find, it's leagues better than where CBSSN is, buried down deep in premium tiers. Depending on where you are, you can get FS1 on basic cable tiers if you're fortunate enough. Can't say the same about the latter.