$1.1 Billion for This? Another crappy MNF matchup.

ESPN's MNF menu isn't much different than the games they used to show on SNF ... it's usually some crappy game, often involving a team that's filling a quota to get its one national game a year in.

 

I've had more fun watching this game than the Chiefs the past, oh, 13 years.

 

I've got to say, that was one of the better MNF games I've seen, quickest too.

 

After having the NFL in some manner on its network for 20 years, ESPN would be taking a big hit by suddenly giving up the golden goose now.

That's why it's worth $1 billion per year.

 

I think the NFL should realize how important it is to be partners with ESPN and would want to showcase a better product in prime time. I understand the NFL flexing its muscle, but the way they've gone about the NFL Network thing, is a scaled down version of what the NHL did when it had its games on Versus. If ESPN said we'll pay $500 mil a year for what we're getting now, would the NFL really just tell them to go to hell? Where else are they going to get that half-bil a year?

 

Interesting commentary, considering the site of the game tonight: A city where there's a baseball team that, based on its sports economics, has no hope whatsoever of competing -- even in the worst division in all of sports.

 

That's because the Pirates are not trying.

It's one of the few things the pro- and anti- salary cap crowd can agree upon.

 

Not trying might be a bit simplistic, but overall I agree. The Pirates' ownership puts its own profit margin first, to the point that I believe they are at the very least bending baseball's rules about how the money from revenue sharing is supposed to be spent. They have also made awful decisions in the use of what resources they do put into the team. The system is a negative as well, but the Pirates' level of suckitude takes apathy and incompetence as well.

A salary cap does NOT guarantee success or even competitiveness. It can't overcome years of stupid decisions, which is why the Dolphins suck that bad.

 

Who could've anticipated Miami would be this bad? Last year, this matchup was the Thursday night season opener.
That said, it was one of those unexpectedly entertaining games (thanks, Mother Nature), like Sunday night.
BTW, the cable news nets have taken note of the lack of national anthem before the game.

 

Let's look at the Monday night games, and do it from the offseason looking ahead (and my memories of what was expected of these teams before the season started are vague, so feel free to pick up the ball and show me wrong/right):

Week 1: Baltimore-Cincy, Arizona-San Fran -- First matchup would be two teams expected to contend for the playoffs, no? Second one, all it's got going is a SF team that was supposed to be better and an Arizona team always *this* close to turning the corner.

Week 2: Washington-Philly -- Both would be expected to be in the playoffs, no? If not, it's a NE corridor clash that's got some national draw.

Week 3: Tennessee-New Orleans -- Vince Young vs. the team that was supposed to win the NFC (for the record, I thought they'd be about .500).

Week 4: New England-Cincy -- Pats ('nuff said) against Carson Palmer and the Bengals.

Week 5: Dallas-Buffalo -- Cowboys. 'Nuff said.

Week 6: NY Giants-Atlanta -- Eli vs. Vick. Before he went to the clink.

Week 7: Indy-Jacksonville -- Super Bowl champs.

Week 8: Green Bay-Denver -- Brett Favre. People actually do care about him, regardless of the jaded folk here.

Week 9: Baltimore-Pittsburgh -- Again with the NE corridor. Again, two consistent playoff teams. And, it's the Steelers.

Week 10: San Francisco-Seattle -- Well, Seattle was in the Super Bowl a couple years ago.

Week 11: Tennessee-Denver -- Vince Young vs. a fairly consistent playoff contender.

Week 12: Pittsburgh-Miami -- Steelers. About that's got going for it, but unless they consulted the Farmers Almanac, there's no way to know how miserable conditions would be.

Week 13: New England-Baltimore -- Pats and Ravens. Not shabby.

Week 14: New Orleans-Atlanta -- Team picked to win the NFC vs. Vick. Turns out Saints suck and Vick, well, you know.

Week 15: Chicago-Minnesota -- Big rivalry, no? NFC champs, no?

Week 16: Denver-San Diego -- Consistent playoff contender vs. LT. LT alone is worth it, right?

My long-winded point: You can't predict which teams will go in the dumper and which will surprise. I don't think that lineup looks too bad in the preseason glow, though.

 

You can't pick which team goes in the dumper, but you should be able to get a better representation from more of the league's marquee teams, ie the previous year's Super Bowl champions, the Dallas Cowboys, the Patriots. Don't know why they couldn't get one Dallas NFC East matchup or more than one San Diego game.

 

I was just going through old papers on my desk and looked at a Forbes magazine from late 2002. It said ESPN's revenue was more than $1-Billion per year, and they estimated that ESPN, if sold separately, would be worth about $20-billion. That should provide some context as to why such large sums are involved.