Speculation: Broncos-Patriots flexed in over Ravens-Chargers? (1 Viewer)

[Reepicheep]

I would love to know the behind-the-scenes story that went into this. Sounds like it was a huge brawl between CBS and the NFL, with Kraft on the side of CBS. Kind of disappointing.

Same here. I still think it's likely that this dispute spilled over into the new TV contract negotations and that's what complicated things.

 

[The_Man]

Newsday's sports media writer Neil Best made a really good point: "Key point: Flex scheduling wasn't created to give NBC best possible game. It was designed to avoid stinkers. Ravens-Chargers not a stinker."

 

[Reepicheep]

Newsday's sports media writer Neil Best made a really good point: "Key point: Flex scheduling wasn't created to give NBC best possible game. It was designed to avoid stinkers. Ravens-Chargers not a stinker."

That may be the case but it's not how it's been sold. From NFL.com:Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and give "surprise" teams a chance to play their way into primetime.Edit to add: Really flexible scheduling is more about ratings than anything. I think the actual quality of the games is of relatively little concern to the NFL.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Newsday's sports media writer Neil Best made a really good point: "Key point: Flex scheduling wasn't created to give NBC best possible game. It was designed to avoid stinkers. Ravens-Chargers not a stinker."

That may be the case but it's not how it's been sold. From NFL.com:Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and give "surprise" teams a chance to play their way into primetime.

Aren't a lot of people surprised by the Chargers season so far?

 

[Reepicheep]

Newsday's sports media writer Neil Best made a really good point: "Key point: Flex scheduling wasn't created to give NBC best possible game. It was designed to avoid stinkers. Ravens-Chargers not a stinker."

That may be the case but it's not how it's been sold. From NFL.com:Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and give "surprise" teams a chance to play their way into primetime.

Aren't a lot of people surprised by the Chargers season so far?

Well played.

 

[QuizGuy66]

If they hadn't shifted Tebow off CBS last week (as a result of NBC's flexing decision that left FOX short) this wouldn't have happened.

CBS was not about to get screwed twice in a row, especially with the TV Deals coming up for renewal.

-QG

 

[BassNBrew]

Personally I think Chargers/Ravens game will be better to watch. There's no point in watching a Broncos game until the forth quarter unless you like watching paint dry. Any chance we could flex in the fourth quarter of the Broncos games for the rest of the year???

 

[Reepicheep]

Personally I think Chargers/Ravens game will be better to watch. There's no point in watching a Broncos game until the forth quarter unless you like watching paint dry. Any chance we could flex in the fourth quarter of the Broncos games for the rest of the year???

It's funny, actually, I know in our area we have see at least two of the crazy finishes due to the way networks normally pick up games at the end of the 4th quarter or in OT.

 

[Reepicheep]

Peter King wrote some more about this whole deal in his MMQB article today, it's worth a read for those that are interested in this sort of stuff.

Link

 

[themeanmachine]

Peter King wrote some more about this whole deal in his MMQB article today, it's worth a read for those that are interested in this sort of stuff.

Link

Agreed, just came in to post this myself. I wasn't aware that the NFL ultimately makes the decision over which game gets flexed. I assumed NBC had the right to flex any Sunday day game to Sunday night that hadn't been protected by CBS or Fox.

 

[Naramie]

I think some people are having trouble wrapping their heads around the fact that the Chargers truly are a terrible football team.

Exactly, this is why I have zero interested in seeing the Ravens vs. Chargers. I like the Ravens but the Chargers are just atrocious. Broncos vs. Patriots would be far more interesting. It's gonna be a high scoring game, Brady's arm vs. Tebow's legs.

 

[BRONG]

Dan Patrick was just saying this would've been the highest rated game in history or some ####. What? I know he's talking regular season but is that true?

 

[Reepicheep]

If nothing else I think it would have easily wound up as the highest-rated NBC SNF ever. (Pretty short history obviously)

 

[roadkill1292]

The Chargers can absolutely beat the Ravens. Who outside of Baltimore wouldn't like to see that happen?

 

[The_Man]

The Chargers can absolutely beat the Ravens. Who outside of Baltimore wouldn't like to see that happen?

The good people of Denver and Oakland, but that's about it.

 

[shadyridr]

Dan Patrick was just saying this would've been the highest rated game in history or some ####. What? I know he's talking regular season but is that true?

season finale of boardwalk, dexter, and homeland are all next sunday

 

[Apple Jack]

Dan Patrick was just saying this would've been the highest rated game in history or some ####. What? I know he's talking regular season but is that true?

season finale of boardwalk, dexter, and homeland are all next sunday

Boardwalk Empire's finale was a couple days ago.

 

[culdeus]

If nothing else I think it would have easily wound up as the highest-rated NBC SNF ever. (Pretty short history obviously)

NBC led the way, posting the most-watched Sunday Night Football game ever and the most watched Sunday or Monday primetime game in 14 years with its Cowboys-Jets opener. The game was seen by an average of 25.8 million viewers (8:33-11:44 p.m. ET), the most for any Sunday/Monday primetime game since Dec. 15, 1997 (Broncos-49ers, 27.0 million on ABC) and the most ever for SNF since the primetime package moved to NBC in 2006. The viewership was up 2% over last year’s SNF season opener (Cowboys-Redskins, 25.3 million) and up 22% over 2009 (Bears-Packers, 21.1 million).