NFL flex schedule

[Left_Coast]

The first week is set. Fox loses Bears at Giants, which switched to the NBC night game on November 12. The plan works the first week: Put marquee games in prime time.
Saints at Steelers that week gets switched to the late afternoon slot on Fox.

 

[D-Backs Hack]

That's kind of surprising. I know if you're CBS or Fox, you want to save some of your games to protect -- each gets five over the final seven weeks -- for later in the season, but a matchup of two first-place teams and the NFL's two biggest TV markets?

If I were Fox, I would have protected that one.

 

[tommyp]

That's kind of surprising. I know if you're CBS or Fox, you want to save some of your games to protect -- each gets five over the final seven weeks -- for later in the season, but a matchup of two first-place teams and the NFL's two biggest TV markets?

If I were Fox, I would have protected that one.

The league had its eyes on that one since the schedule was released in the spring; it was even rumored to be (paraphrasing) 'etched in stone' in a few of the NY Sports TV columns in September. I would not be surprised if the NFL had a behind-closed-doors deal with FOX to take an extra game from CBS if NBC could get Bears-Giants.

 

[MileHigh]

**** Ebersol said in a teleconference that the NFL has games penciled into all the Sunday night slots and those games cannot be protected by Fox and CBS. The league and the networks just didn't announce it. This one was one of them, and it was easy for NBC to keep it.

 

[Columbo]

The first week is set. Fox loses Bears at Giants, which switched to the NBC night game on November 12. The plan works the first week: Put marquee games in prime time.
Saints at Steelers that week gets switched to the late afternoon slot on Fox.

I guess, LC.

But, that Saints-Steelers is a hell of a game to be stuck with for Fox.

 

[Columbo]

This is going to be for the NFL what the wild card was for baseball.

Grand Slam.

 

[farmerjerome]

Doesn't this potentially screw up some ticketholder's travel plans?

I mean, say you drive somewhere to see a game and expect it to be a one day trip, then you have to stay in a hotel.

Or you have to change flights.

Stuff like that.

I'd be pissed.

 

[spnited]

100% true farmerj. but the fans don't matter. TV does.

 

[farmerjerome]

100% true farmerj. but the fans don't matter. TV does.

[/smacksselfonforehead] I forgot.

 

[old_tony]

Doesn't this potentially screw up some ticketholder's travel plans?

I mean, say you drive somewhere to see a game and expect it to be a one day trip, then you have to stay in a hotel.

Or you have to change flights.

Stuff like that.

I'd be pissed.

Probably won't be too much difference. I'm betting that in general the games that NBC will get are games that were originally going to be the 4:15 game anyway, so it'll only be four hours difference. I don't think any fans will have flights scheduled out on a Sunday night after a 4:15 game.

 

[MileHigh]

Doesn't this potentially screw up some ticketholder's travel plans?

I mean, say you drive somewhere to see a game and expect it to be a one day trip, then you have to stay in a hotel.

Or you have to change flights.

Stuff like that.

I'd be pissed.

Probably won't be too much difference. I'm betting that in general the games that NBC will get are games that were originally going to be the 4:15 game anyway, so it'll only be four hours difference. I don't think any fans will have flights scheduled out on a Sunday night after a 4:15 game.

Giants-Bears originally was a 1 p.m. Eastern start.

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

I once again renew my call for the NFL to designate three games every week at the start of the season that are possibilities to be moved to Sunday night. That way the fans are alerted to the possibility and NBC can still escape any dud games.

 

[Read and weep]

How about if you had a couple of younger kids you wanted to take to the 1 p.m. game and planned on getting home by 6:30 p.m. Now you get home at 2 a.m. and everyone has to get up for school and work on Monday morning. Also, crowds at 1 p.m. games tend to be much more family friendly than night games (full afternoon of boozing it up in the parking lot for the loud-mouth drunks).
NFL doesn't give two craps about in-stadium crowds, only TV revenue.

 

[pallister]

I'll be at a concert during Bears-Giants now, but I guess I'll record and watch afterwards.

 

[tyler durden 71351]

How about if you had a couple of younger kids you wanted to take to the 1 p.m. game and planned on getting home by 6:30 p.m. Now you get home at 2 a.m. and everyone has to get up for school and work on Monday morning. Also, crowds at 1 p.m. games tend to be much more family friendly than night games (full afternoon of boozing it up in the parking lot for the loud-mouth drunks).
NFL doesn't give two craps about in-stadium crowds, only TV revenue.

You can always scalp your tickets for a ****load of money. That will show the NFL when you pocket a couple of hundred bucks.....

 

[Oz]

NFL doesn't give two craps about in-stadium crowds, only TV revenue.

Which is why the NFL, starting next year, will move two REGULAR SEASON GAMES outside U.S. borders ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2637594

... Not the most fan friendly move, by any means. I mean, I kind of understand the flex schedule to make sure that those primetime December games that looked good in August aren't duds, but this makes no sense to me.

 

[Claws for Concern]

NFL doesn't give two craps about in-stadium crowds, only TV revenue.

Which is why the NFL, starting next year, will move two REGULAR SEASON GAMES outside U.S. borders ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2637594

... Not the most fan friendly move, by any means. I mean, I kind of understand the flex schedule to make sure that those primetime December games that looked good in August aren't duds, but this makes no sense to me.

Agreed. The big leagues need to wake up to this kind of BS.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

With the money the NFL has they could cushion the blow by giving season ticket holders a free weekend in the foreign city holding the game.

 

[spnited]

With the money the NFL has they could cushion the blow by giving season ticket holders a free weekend in the foreign city holding the game.

But instead, teams force season ticket holders to buy 1 or 2 useless exhibition games (at full price) as part of the season-ticket package.

There is no sport that rips off its fans while guananteeeing profits for its billionaire owners more than the NFL does.