BustedKnuckles
Footballguy
By Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY
Play along: Here's your home version of 2007 NFL flexible scheduling.
First, everybody roll the dice. Whoever wins gets to be the NBC peacock, which this week made the first move in real-life NFL flexible scheduling when TV star New England (9-0) at Buffalo (4-4) in Week 11, originally scheduled as a CBS regionalized afternoon game, was moved into in NBC's Sunday primetime slot — so the entire USA sees it.
NBC's previously-scheduled Chicago (3-5) at Seattle (4-4) Week 11 game was downgraded to Fox regionalized afternoon coverage.
Flex scheduling, in its second season, is meant to make NBC a winner. It came after the NFL's primetime broadcast network showcase in its old TV deals — ABC's Monday Night Football— wound up with bad games and couldn't do anything about it.
Unlike Fox and CBS, which adjusts how much of the U.S. gets simultaneously-played afternoon games based on marquee appeal, ABC was locked into games that looked good months before but didn't by kickoff. In the final four games of its last three MNF seasons, ABC got one game between teams with winning records.
Now, ESPN's MNF is stuck with that single-game scenario. And with some bad luck on matchups this season, its games are averaging 7.5% of U.S. households — down 15% from 2006.
Now, on to flexing's rules. The NFL makes the game-swapping decisions. But CBS and Fox can each protect five of their regularly-scheduled Sunday afternoon games, but not two on the same weekend — and none for season-ending Week 17.
Unfortunately for CBS and Fox, they had to make those picks in early October. And that, says Fox Sports president Ed Goren, make things "very, very difficult for Fox and CBS — it puts a lot of pressure on us."
NBC has more flexibility in flexing: Its game change can come just 12 days in advance and six days before Week 17.
There's more. Only three NFL teams can appear as many as six times in primetime — on NBC, ESPN or the league's own NFL Network — and no team can appear more than four times on NBC. And NBC can't pick up games already slated for primetime on ESPN or the NFL Network.
NBC's average game rating through Week 8 — 10.1% of U.S. TV households — is down 9% from 2006. Flex scheduling starts in Week 11, as NBC got Patriots-Bills while Fox protected New York Giants (6-2) vs. Detroit (6-2).
How it might shake out:
•Week 12. No-brainer here. With NBC already assigned big-market Philadelphia (3-5) vs. mediagenic New England — NBC Sports Chairman **** Ebersol calls the Pats' attempt at an undefeated season the NFL's "biggest story" — it stands pat.
•Week 13. NBC has Cincinnati (2-6) at Pittsburgh (6-2). Not bad. Jacksonville (5-3) at Indianapolis (7-1), seems better — but CBS has that protected. Fox put dibs on New York Giants at Chicago. Meaning, NBC might lobby for Fox's Detroit at Minnesota (3-5). The best matchup — Green Bay (7-1) at Dallas (7-1) — will air on a Thursday in only about 35 million households on the NFL Network, which wants you to complain to you cable operator if you don't get it.
•Week 14. CBS wisely protected Pittsburgh at New England, while Fox put a moat around Giants-Eagles. NBC, slated for Colts-Ravens, might have wanted Fox's Cowboys-Lions — but Dallas, with six primetime games scheduled, is off the board.
•Week 15. NBC has Washington (5-3) at Giants. Both might be in the playoff hunt. If not, since CBS protected Jaguars-Steelers, NBC might take CBS' New York Jets (1-8) at Pats — if the perfect season is still in play.
•Week 16. NBC's Tampa Bay (5-4) at San Francisco (2-6) will likely be dropped from NBC. Best games, not protected: Fox's Redskins at Vikings and Giants at Bills or CBS' Miami (0-8) at New England.
•Week 17. To help NBC get a finale with playoff implications, Fox and CBS can't protect any games in Week 17. Best bets to be moved to NBC, which now has Kansas City (4-4) at Jets: Fox's Lions at Packers or CBS' Titans at Colts. And only about one-third of U.S. households could watch the Pats nail a perfect season in their finale against the Giants — it's on the NFL Network on Saturday.
The league itself is the wild card. In trying to establish itself on Sunday nights — TV's most-watched night — will it just move the best unprotected games to NBC? Or with Fox paying a $712 million average NFL TV rights fee and CBS paying $622 million — compared to NBC's $600 million — will the NFL prioritize protecting its Sunday-afternoon mainstays?
There'll be plenty to second-guess.
Play along: Here's your home version of 2007 NFL flexible scheduling.
First, everybody roll the dice. Whoever wins gets to be the NBC peacock, which this week made the first move in real-life NFL flexible scheduling when TV star New England (9-0) at Buffalo (4-4) in Week 11, originally scheduled as a CBS regionalized afternoon game, was moved into in NBC's Sunday primetime slot — so the entire USA sees it.
NBC's previously-scheduled Chicago (3-5) at Seattle (4-4) Week 11 game was downgraded to Fox regionalized afternoon coverage.
Flex scheduling, in its second season, is meant to make NBC a winner. It came after the NFL's primetime broadcast network showcase in its old TV deals — ABC's Monday Night Football— wound up with bad games and couldn't do anything about it.
Unlike Fox and CBS, which adjusts how much of the U.S. gets simultaneously-played afternoon games based on marquee appeal, ABC was locked into games that looked good months before but didn't by kickoff. In the final four games of its last three MNF seasons, ABC got one game between teams with winning records.
Now, ESPN's MNF is stuck with that single-game scenario. And with some bad luck on matchups this season, its games are averaging 7.5% of U.S. households — down 15% from 2006.
Now, on to flexing's rules. The NFL makes the game-swapping decisions. But CBS and Fox can each protect five of their regularly-scheduled Sunday afternoon games, but not two on the same weekend — and none for season-ending Week 17.
Unfortunately for CBS and Fox, they had to make those picks in early October. And that, says Fox Sports president Ed Goren, make things "very, very difficult for Fox and CBS — it puts a lot of pressure on us."
NBC has more flexibility in flexing: Its game change can come just 12 days in advance and six days before Week 17.
There's more. Only three NFL teams can appear as many as six times in primetime — on NBC, ESPN or the league's own NFL Network — and no team can appear more than four times on NBC. And NBC can't pick up games already slated for primetime on ESPN or the NFL Network.
NBC's average game rating through Week 8 — 10.1% of U.S. TV households — is down 9% from 2006. Flex scheduling starts in Week 11, as NBC got Patriots-Bills while Fox protected New York Giants (6-2) vs. Detroit (6-2).
How it might shake out:
•Week 12. No-brainer here. With NBC already assigned big-market Philadelphia (3-5) vs. mediagenic New England — NBC Sports Chairman **** Ebersol calls the Pats' attempt at an undefeated season the NFL's "biggest story" — it stands pat.
•Week 13. NBC has Cincinnati (2-6) at Pittsburgh (6-2). Not bad. Jacksonville (5-3) at Indianapolis (7-1), seems better — but CBS has that protected. Fox put dibs on New York Giants at Chicago. Meaning, NBC might lobby for Fox's Detroit at Minnesota (3-5). The best matchup — Green Bay (7-1) at Dallas (7-1) — will air on a Thursday in only about 35 million households on the NFL Network, which wants you to complain to you cable operator if you don't get it.
•Week 14. CBS wisely protected Pittsburgh at New England, while Fox put a moat around Giants-Eagles. NBC, slated for Colts-Ravens, might have wanted Fox's Cowboys-Lions — but Dallas, with six primetime games scheduled, is off the board.
•Week 15. NBC has Washington (5-3) at Giants. Both might be in the playoff hunt. If not, since CBS protected Jaguars-Steelers, NBC might take CBS' New York Jets (1-8) at Pats — if the perfect season is still in play.
•Week 16. NBC's Tampa Bay (5-4) at San Francisco (2-6) will likely be dropped from NBC. Best games, not protected: Fox's Redskins at Vikings and Giants at Bills or CBS' Miami (0-8) at New England.
•Week 17. To help NBC get a finale with playoff implications, Fox and CBS can't protect any games in Week 17. Best bets to be moved to NBC, which now has Kansas City (4-4) at Jets: Fox's Lions at Packers or CBS' Titans at Colts. And only about one-third of U.S. households could watch the Pats nail a perfect season in their finale against the Giants — it's on the NFL Network on Saturday.
The league itself is the wild card. In trying to establish itself on Sunday nights — TV's most-watched night — will it just move the best unprotected games to NBC? Or with Fox paying a $712 million average NFL TV rights fee and CBS paying $622 million — compared to NBC's $600 million — will the NFL prioritize protecting its Sunday-afternoon mainstays?
There'll be plenty to second-guess.
makes it a lot easier for me to catch all these games in NY.
