Completely ON-topic

[Blue Falcon]

WTF was the NFL thinking when they allowed NBC to basically call all the shots with NFL coverage this years and get ESPN Primetime cancelled??

I can't wait up to 11:30 on Sunday night to watch NFL Network, which by the way sucks. All these other wannabe shows are four guys cracking jokes with each other and VERY FEW highlights. Do I wanna tune in and watch Chris Collinsworth's ugly mug talking on the screen?? No, I want friggin' highlights!!

And we don't get them. We might get 2-3 big plays in a game. Berman & Jackson were light years ahead of these clowns.

[Dilbert]

This belongs in Sports in General

[Mac the Knife]

Gotta agree with Falcon though - I miss it as well.

[OnWis97]

ESPN takes a lot of ripping here, but I legitimately loved this show. It's too bad that it is not on anymore. I thought it was the best recap/highlight show on TV.

[jkrdevil]

Primetime was by far one of ESPN better shows mainly because it mostly stuck with hardcore football and didn't really branch out. It should be noted ESPN didn't cancel though. The Primetime show was and is part of the Sunday Night game package. When NBC got the new Sunday package they got the highlight show as well. ESPN is not allowed to show NFL highlights during that time frame from 7-8 pm. Thus they had no choice but end it because it would be quite a boring show with no highlights.

Also even if they were allowed to keep it wouldn't have gotten the ratings that it got before because most people would watch the NBC show because the Sunday night game is on NBC.

[Blue Falcon]

When NBC got the new Sunday package they got the highlight show as well. ESPN is not allowed to show NFL highlights during that time frame from 7-8 pm. Thus they had no choice but end it because it would be quite a boring show with no highlights.

Also even if they were allowed to keep it wouldn't have gotten the ratings that it got before because most people would watch the NBC show because the Sunday night game is on NBC.

That's where the problem lies, NBC. It's like a monopoly, and I think it's ridiculous that no NFL highlights can be shown at that time. The NFL needs to rethink this arrangement FAST...or maybe hire Berman/Jackson for NFL Network.

Why would the league want to deny highlights to 75% of the people who can't stay up to 11:30 on a Sunday night?

[jkrdevil]

When NBC got the new Sunday package they got the highlight show as well. ESPN is not allowed to show NFL highlights during that time frame from 7-8 pm. Thus they had no choice but end it because it would be quite a boring show with no highlights.

Also even if they were allowed to keep it wouldn't have gotten the ratings that it got before because most people would watch the NBC show because the Sunday night game is on NBC.

That's where the problem lies, NBC. It's like a monopoly, and I think it's ridiculous that no NFL highlights can be shown at that time. The NFL needs to rethink this arrangement FAST...or maybe hire Berman/Jackson for NFL Network.

Why would the league want to deny highlights to 75% of the people who can't stay up to 11:30 on a Sunday night?

Money NBC paid big bucks for the package. If the NFL allows other shows to show the highlights that cuts NBC's ratings and thus what NBC will pay next time. ESPN bought the monday package so they get the Monday rights (which is the better package anyways because people tend to get football burnout by the time the sunday night game starts).

[dfwabel]

When NBC got the new Sunday package they got the highlight show as well. ESPN is not allowed to show NFL highlights during that time frame from 7-8 pm. Thus they had no choice but end it because it would be quite a boring show with no highlights.

Also even if they were allowed to keep it wouldn't have gotten the ratings that it got before because most people would watch the NBC show because the Sunday night game is on NBC.

That's where the problem lies, NBC. It's like a monopoly, and I think it's ridiculous that no NFL highlights can be shown at that time. The NFL needs to rethink this arrangement FAST...or maybe hire Berman/Jackson for NFL Network.

Why would the league want to deny highlights to 75% of the people who can't stay up to 11:30 on a Sunday night?

Money NBC paid big bucks for the package. If the NFL allows other shows to show the highlights that cuts NBC's ratings and thus what NBC will pay next time. ESPN bought the monday package so they get the Monday rights (which is the better package anyways because people tend to get football burnout by the time the sunday night game starts).

I am really not sure that it matters that much as I have been spared the last decade by Berman in every braodcast he does. jkrdevil is correct, NBC ponied up for the package while Disney/ABC/ESPN declined. Free markets at work, plain and simple I am not sure if the public loses as this concept moves from cable to broadcast TV. You may not get the amount of highlights you desire, but highlights go to more of the viewing public, so the NFL can get more viewers. It is a different show, a different way to tell teh story of the game and give an opinion. Peter King trumps Mortensen (who was not on "Primetime"), Collinsworth is just as candid as T.J., and Costas does not try to make himself the star. Give it time, Bettis is new so let him work. If you are that upset, watch NFL Network and look at "NFL Scoreboard" at 4:30 or ESPNEWS. NBC averages 10 million viewers the past two weeks for "Football Night", an average which still beats the highest rated ESPN program ever, the week 1 of their MNF package.

[Blue Falcon]

When NBC got the new Sunday package they got the highlight show as well. ESPN is not allowed to show NFL highlights during that time frame from 7-8 pm. Thus they had no choice but end it because it would be quite a boring show with no highlights.

Also even if they were allowed to keep it wouldn't have gotten the ratings that it got before because most people would watch the NBC show because the Sunday night game is on NBC.

That's where the problem lies, NBC. It's like a monopoly, and I think it's ridiculous that no NFL highlights can be shown at that time. The NFL needs to rethink this arrangement FAST...or maybe hire Berman/Jackson for NFL Network.

Why would the league want to deny highlights to 75% of the people who can't stay up to 11:30 on a Sunday night?

Money NBC paid big bucks for the package. If the NFL allows other shows to show the highlights that cuts NBC's ratings and thus what NBC will pay next time. ESPN bought the monday package so they get the Monday rights (which is the better package anyways because people tend to get football burnout by the time the sunday night game starts).

I am really not sure that it matters that much as I have been spared the last decade by Berman in every braodcast he does. jkrdevil is correct, NBC ponied up for the package while Disney/ABC/ESPN declined. Free markets at work, plain and simple I am not sure if the public loses as this concept moves from cable to broadcast TV. You may not get the amount of highlights you desire, but highlights go to more of the viewing public, so the NFL can get more viewers. It is a different show, a different way to tell teh story of the game and give an opinion. Peter King trumps Mortensen (who was not on "Primetime"), Collinsworth is just as candid as T.J., and Costas does not try to make himself the star. Give it time, Bettis is new so let him work. If you are that upset, watch NFL Network and look at "NFL Scoreboard" at 4:30 or ESPNEWS. NBC averages 10 million viewers the past two weeks for "Football Night", an average which still beats the highest rated ESPN program ever, the week 1 of their MNF package.

I don't give a toss about NBC's ratings. 99% of people have cable TV nowadays as it is. The problem is we don't get ENOUGH highlights...we get four clowns talking smack to each other and there just happens to be a camera in the room. I can do the same thing with three of my loser friends, but the difference is we don't have a camera.

Berman was annoying, but TJ was a good analyst and the show had good pacing and showed stuff you wouldn't normally see, not just 2-3 big plays.

If NBC can do that, then I may watch. But I don't tune into sports shows to watch talking heads in suits tell me what they THINK while there are no highlights going on at the same time.

[dfwabel]

99% cable penetration??? Think more like 56% (See below). There are approximately 20-25 million subscribers on Direct TV and Dish Netowrk, but those number include households that also have cable. NBC and GE care about ratings; ratings = revenue.

Cable Indusrty's own stats on cable household penetration

As I said prior, it is a different way of presenting the product and hyping their game. The season is only two weeks old and the production of the show may change. The rapport between the four on the set should improve as well. It is plain and simple, a highlight show. As I stated before, if you want more go the the NFL Network. That is what the NFL wants you do to. If you don't have it call your cable provider or get DBS.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

I don't give a toss about NBC's ratings. 99% of people have cable TV nowadays as it is. The problem is we don't get ENOUGH highlights...we get four clowns talking smack to each other and there just happens to be a camera in the room. I can do the same thing with three of my loser friends, but the difference is we don't have a camera.

Berman was annoying, but TJ was a good analyst and the show had good pacing and showed stuff you wouldn't normally see, not just 2-3 big plays.

If NBC can do that, then I may watch. But I don't tune into sports shows to watch talking heads in suits tell me what they THINK while there are no highlights going on at the same time.

Thats why i used to like watching it. i personally don't have the patience to sit through a game 6-3 game, i rather watch the fast paced highlights with TJ's analysis. Berman was annoying as hell though and could have done with out. I personally don't like having to watch ESPN news just to get a highlight or two with no real analysis of what happened in the game. NFL network is too slowpaced for my tastes so i don't watch it. NFL primetime was fast paced, quick analysis, and covers all the games with out having to sit through baseball, horse racing, tennis, golf, paper-rock-scissors highlights which i care none about. Plus i always got to see team uniforms in action. Id just watch it just to see the Bills in their throwbacks or the Cowboys in there throwback/alternate hybrid. It was also a great way of wrapping up the games in case you missed a game either due to grocery shopping or working.

[NJTank]

Primetime was without adoubt the best highlight show the one on NBC is kok but its not the same with out rumbling bumbling stumbling Chris Berman.

[HedleyLamarr]

...and those tunes are catchy.

NFL PrimeTime is kinda still around....now it's just spaced out during the Sunday night SportsCenter at 11pm.

[NJTank]

Not the same becasue its spaced around Suart Scott being annoying.

[See Red]

Primetime was without adoubt the best highlight show the one on NBC is kok but its not the same with out rumbling bumbling stumbling Chris Berman.

Not having Chris Berman should never be referred to as being a bad thing.

[HedleyLamarr]

Not the same becasue its spaced around Suart Scott being annoying.

I didn't say it was the same.

[SHoUP]

Boomer is played out, but I did love Primetime. I grew up on it. After the evening game ends I would always flip over to ESPN and watch it. I still do it out of habit only to find golf or poker being shown.

NBC is horrible. Costas tells the final result before the highlight is even shown. Know flow or analysis during what little highlights they do show. Instead just a bunch of former players and a little dork talking drivel about anything while sitting in there fancy leather chairs in front of a big TV.

[Blue Falcon]

Not the same becasue its spaced around Suart Scott being annoying.

Stuart "Lazy Eye" Scott can never be anything BUT annoying!!!

I can't stand him, Rich "Standup Comic" Eisen or Kenny Mayne. They spend half their time getting in their stupid signature lines ("BOOO-YAAA!!") to advance their post-ESPN careers.

[quantum]

I like the change of pace. Maybe I'm just so annoyed with Berman and co. that a more serious approach is what the doctor ordered. Primetime wasn't annoying like their pre-game show, but Berman was still involved.

It's also a plus for me since I'm one of the 44% that doesn't have cable. In time, the NBC crew should gel a bit better. If not, there's always next season.