NFL broadcast thread (née ABC to kill MNF?)

[Syracuse]

If he really wanted the NFL Network to get big right away he wouldn't have renewed that stupid contract with Direct TV and would have put the network on cable which more people ALREADY have and and already subscribe to.

I can't say this enough.....
DirecTV is awesome and the NFL Sunday Ticket is possibly the greatest thing ever.
Oh, and the NFL Network is awesome, too!

[MDS]

According to Rudy Martzke, ESPN will get MNF. ABC is willing to pay $50-100 mil less than their last deal, while ESPN will offer close to $1 billion.

Also said TNT should get the thusday-saturday package.

[MURP]

how long is the deal they are looking at for 1 billion?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

That makes little sense, considering ABC and ESPN are "sister" networks.

[QB Eagles]

That makes little sense, considering ABC and ESPN are "sister" networks.

Maybe they could save some money by cutting Madden and Michaels free and giving the game to the Sunday night squad.

[MDS]

That makes little sense, considering ABC and ESPN are "sister" networks.

ESPN costs money to watch. Cable companies pay the most out of any cable channel to get ESPN on their packages. That enables ESPN to make a profit on most things they put on. ABC of course is free. Even though MNF is still a top ten show ratings wise, people don't need the same football fix on monday nights like they did years ago. Add what ABC is paying, and they constantley lose money every year.

No word on the length of ESPN's deal, but I guess it will be 6 or 5 years. Also said that Fox is the frontrunners for the SNF package. Interesting to what Fox will do with baseball playoffs, announcers, etc. The game would probably move to 8:00, so Fox could have a direct lead-in from their 4:00 and 4:15 games. If this does happen, Fox could own sunday nights. I'm sure ABC backed off the SNF deal due to the popularity of Desperate Housewives.

[General_Failure]

They would almost have to move The Simpsons to a different night.

[MDS]

They would almost have to move The Simpsons to a different night.

Not true. They could show The Simpsons with no reruns starting in early january. Fox does it with 24, ABC with Alias.

[WEST is GOD]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Would love to see Aikman/Buck team do Sunday nights.  In fact, Collinsworth could be put out to pasture or made to work with Sam Rosen or Kurt Menefee.

[PhillyPhreak54]

That makes little sense, considering ABC and ESPN are "sister" networks.

Maybe they could save some money by cutting Madden and Michaels free and giving the game to the Sunday night squad.

God, no. If Joe Theisman went to Monday Night, I'd kill myself.

[PhillyGirl]

God, no. If Joe Theisman went to Monday Night, I'd kill myself.

I'd watch it in mute.

[MDS]

My guess is Madden/Michaels would go to ESPN and do the game there. So would the entire team. If not, Madden could go back to Fox if they get the SNF package.

Either way, I hope it ends up with The Leg sitting on his somewhere in DC blowing Gibbs.

[SunMo]

NFL | ESPN could let Michaels walk
Fri, 27 Jan 2006 07:04:49 -0800

The New York Post reports ESPN will decide after the Super Bowl whether it will let Al Michaels out of his signed Monday Night Football contract, allowing Michaels to join John Madden on NBC's Football Night in America next season, according to sources. ESPN is apparently waiting until after the Super Bowl to make such a move because it doesn't want Michaels' awkward situation to become the main Super Bowl TV story. In November, New York Post TV Sports first reported that Michaels, who already had been announced as ESPN's MNF voice, made overtures to NBC about joining Madden. Since then, Michaels has declined to declare his intention to remain at ESPN.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I hope Michaels stays with ESPN, because if not, they may put Mike Patrick in with Theezman on MNF.

The good news is that the Eagles probably won't have a lot of night games this year.