NFL primetime
the recent
NFL primetime shuffle [
bugmenot login] reflects many aspects of society: sports, media conglomerates, media distribution, even management-labor issues.
basic summary
- in 2006, Monday Night Football shifts from ABC to ESPN and ~30min earlier
- in 2006, the Sunday night game will move from ESPN to NBC
- the NFL will receive $12.4 billion over ~8 years for these primetime games
subtext
- Disney keeps a weekly primetime game in the family.
while MNF was a solid (if declining) ratings performer, it yielded ~$100 million in yearly losses. while wall street may like ABC getting more profitable, the loss of a promotional vehicle could hurt.
Disney stablemate ESPN picks up the MNF franchise, but ratings may not significantly improve over current Sunday night games. regardless, expect cable bills to go up as Disney will (use this as an excuse to) hike fees.
- NBC turns fall sunday nights over to the NFL
football will be a solid ratings performer and good counterprogramming to 'desperate housewives' (incidentally where's my L&O fave
Criminal Intent gonna go?) perhaps more importantly, the former #1 network
hopes the NFL can help its flagging line-up with promotions.
- with the NHL's
dim prospects, fans have to be wary of labor-management issues. the NFL owners are
bickering over how to divide up the billions the NFL generates. this issue likely spills over to the collective bargaining agreement with the players.
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