NFL Network

[katz22b]

The NFL Network unveiled its logo for the Thursday and Saturday games.

[vikmurphy]

i think it looks pretty cool. Any ideas what the scorebug might look like?

[philly97flyer]

Does anyone else think this whole concept is a bad idea? I have NFL Network, but what about all of the people who don't? What if they're local team is on, and they have no way of watching it. In my house, we only get it on our main tv, and its not in HD. Plus, when the Eagles are on here, we usually have it on every tv incase we have to leave the room. Does anyone know if the local markets will also televise games on a non-cable channel?

[SteveR]

Does anyone else think this whole concept is a bad idea? I have NFL Network, but what about all of the people who don't? What if they're local team is on, and they have no way of watching it. In my house, we only get it on our main tv, and its not in HD. Plus, when the Eagles are on here, we usually have it on every tv incase we have to leave the room. Does anyone know if the local markets will also televise games on a non-cable channel?

They'll have the same over-the-air provisions in the home markets as they do now for the ESPN games.

[oddball]

Well the fact that I don't have a home team and live in the 2nd largest market, means I won't miss my home team's game. The fact that I get whatever they think is the best game of the week (Raiders every week) means that having a game on NFL Network that I can't see is a better alternative! I'd rather watch nothing than that horrible NoCal franchise that's forced down our throats in LA!

[doctorpeligro]

Well the fact that I don't have a home team and live in the 2nd largest market, means I won't miss my home team's game. The fact that I get whatever they think is the best game of the week (Raiders every week) means that having a game on NFL Network that I can't see is a better alternative! I'd rather watch nothing than that horrible NoCal franchise that's forced down our throats in LA!

There is a pretty decent team in Southern California that we get forced down our throats as well.

By the way, is anyone else amused that the Chargers have essentially lost all of their leverage in threatening to leave San Diego?

[Slammersman]

Thought i would try my hand at it.

[STL FANATIC]

Does anyone else think this whole concept is a bad idea? I have NFL Network, but what about all of the people who don't? What if they're local team is on, and they have no way of watching it. In my house, we only get it on our main tv, and its not in HD. Plus, when the Eagles are on here, we usually have it on every tv incase we have to leave the room. Does anyone know if the local markets will also televise games on a non-cable channel?

They'll have the same over-the-air provisions in the home markets as they do now for the ESPN games.

Do you know what over the air network would pick it up?

The ABC picking up ESPN thing is fairly obvious, but I'm not sure who would get the NFL Network games.

[no97]

Does anyone else think this whole concept is a bad idea? I have NFL Network, but what about all of the people who don't? What if they're local team is on, and they have no way of watching it. In my house, we only get it on our main tv, and its not in HD. Plus, when the Eagles are on here, we usually have it on every tv incase we have to leave the room. Does anyone know if the local markets will also televise games on a non-cable channel?

They'll have the same over-the-air provisions in the home markets as they do now for the ESPN games.

Do you know what over the air network would pick it up?

The ABC picking up ESPN thing is fairly obvious, but I'm not sure who would get the NFL Network games.

I would imagine it is the same network that had the Pre-Season games... Remember that those are not part of the national contract, and are frequently done by local tallent. I would guess that that station would have "right of first refusal" for ESPN MNF games, and these NFL Network games - regardless of ABC affiliates in the market.

Moose

[DrBear]

In Green Bay, the CBS affil, WFRV, owns the Packer preseason rights, but the ABC affil, WBAY, carries any Green Bay Monday Night games. Don't know yet who gets the NFL Network game.

But in previous years, WFRV had carried the ESPN Sunday Night Packer games.

I think it's more of a bidding process than anything else. There aren't any rules like ABC affils get ESPN or preseason stations get NFLNet.

[ClutchIsEverything]

Correct, it is a local bidding process.

When the Bears were struggling in 2001 the local NBC, ABC and CBS channels all passed up on the local broadcast of the cable Bears games. A local independent UHF station, WCIU happily picked up the game.s Well if you remember in 2001 the Bears ended up having a surprising season and I beileve the Bears-Vikings Sunday night game in 2001 is still WCIU's highest rated broadcast ever.

Unless there is an episode of Svengoolie I don't know about of course. (local reference for anyone from Chicago)

Also, on the subject of the NFL Network games, it's a great idea by the NFL. It just shows why they are the kings. Once people start missing games they will start calling up their cable provider and within two years NFL network will be on all basic cable offerings.

But, on the subject of the logo. Looks fine to me, nothing super special, but the NFL usually has good stuff.

[griffelh]

What's the big deal. If these games were not on the NFL Network, they would just be another out of market game that you wouldn't get on Sunday; unless you have Direct TV in which case you probably have NFL Network as well.

[no97]

What's the big deal. If these games were not on the NFL Network, they would just be another out of market game that you wouldn't get on Sunday; unless you have Direct TV in which case you probably have NFL Network as well.

But the point is that the out of market games most folks don't get on Sunday aren't missed because there is another game on! For these Thursday and Saturday games, there likely will be no competition, besides the NBA and NHL (or some low-level college bowl game, like the I-don't-care.com Bowl). Folks are going to be clamoring for their NFL games! Seriously, what would you rather watch on December 30th at 8 p.m. Eastern - Giants/Redskins, or the Chick-fil-A Bowl live from Atlanta (also Dec 30th at 8 eastern)? Hold me back!

As big as the NFL is, people want to watch as much as they can, especially with fantasy teams as prevalant as they have become. I agree with Clutch - it'll be only a few years, and NFLNet will be everywhere. Folks will find they can't live without it. (I used to have it, and it was taken away by my cable company - worst deal ever... I want it back!)

Moose

[lilgump]

Hey I like the chick fil a bowl. And my cable company took it away also, I liked to watch the NFLeurope games, and the combine and stuff.

[Gothamite]

By the way, is anyone else amused that the Chargers have essentially lost all of their leverage in threatening to leave San Diego?

I'm not up on current events - how so?

[RyanMcD29]

Not like Cablevision's gonna carry the network anytime soon and the Giant/Redskin game's probably gonna be on WWOR anyway, so I can really care less

[griffelh]

What's the big deal. If these games were not on the NFL Network, they would just be another out of market game that you wouldn't get on Sunday; unless you have Direct TV in which case you probably have NFL Network as well.

But the point is that the out of market games most folks don't get on Sunday aren't missed because there is another game on! For these Thursday and Saturday games, there likely will be no competition, besides the NBA and NHL (or some low-level college bowl game, like the I-don't-care.com Bowl). Folks are going to be clamoring for their NFL games! Seriously, what would you rather watch on December 30th at 8 p.m. Eastern - Giants/Redskins, or the Chick-fil-A Bowl live from Atlanta (also Dec 30th at 8 eastern)? Hold me back!

As big as the NFL is, people want to watch as much as they can, especially with fantasy teams as prevalant as they have become. I agree with Clutch - it'll be only a few years, and NFLNet will be everywhere. Folks will find they can't live without it. (I used to have it, and it was taken away by my cable company - worst deal ever... I want it back!)

Moose

Sure, but if there was not an NFL Network, the game would have just been Sunday anyway, so you would have missed it anyway.

[no97]

Not like Cablevision's gonna carry the network anytime soon and the Giant/Redskin game's probably gonna be on WWOR anyway, so I can really care less

That's just one example I picked out... The other games are:

Thanksgiving Day at 8 EST - Denver at Kansas City

Thu. Nov 30 at 8 - Baltimore at Cincinatti

Thu. Dec. 7 at 8 - Cleveland at Pittsburgh

Thu. Dec. 14 at 8 - San Francisco at Seattle

Sat. Dec. 16 at 8 - Dallas at Atlanta

Thu. Dec 21 at 8 - Minnesota at Green Bay

Sat. Dec 23 at 8 - Kansas City at Oakland

plus

Sat. Dec. 30 at 8 - NY Giants at Washington

So one game will be covered by WWOR, but the others wont...

Moose

[jkrdevil]

Honestly I don't think there will be much outrage at missing these games. They will be on over the air in the teams home market. Outside of that there probably won't be much demand because at that point it becomes over kill with the amount of games on. Seriously there are Sunday games, then sunday night, and monday. At a point people will become football out and won't care enought to complain to their cable company that they missed the NFL netowrk game. Just look at the first NFL network game Thanksgiving night. It will be the 3rd game of the day, so you think people will care about missing that game after just watching 2 games. No.

[seattlefan68]

CW11 is carrying the game here on Monday vs. the Raiders.

I know, I was shocked too.