New NFL TV Deal Could Bring Changes

Why should the average pro football fan care about the new Sunday afternoon TV packages the NFL signed this week with CBS and Fox? Good question. After all, as long as you get to watch games on the tube every Sunday and Monday, what do you care who's paying what to whom?
Well, first of all, the money's huge and huge almost to the point of being incomprehensible.
Keep in mind all the NFL has done so far is extend contracts for the two Sunday afternoon packages _ for CBS to show AFC games and for Fox to show NFC games _ and to extend the "Sunday Ticket" pay package with DirecTV. The league hasn't even completed new contracts for its Sunday and Monday prime-time games. USA Today pointed out this week that even as things stand at this moment, the NFL can count on averaging more national TV money annually than the NBA, Major League Baseball, NASCAR and the NHL combined.
The $8 billion in extensions for the broadcast networks breaks down to $4.3 billion, or $712.5 million per year from Fox _ a 30 percent boost annually _ and $3.7 billion, or $622.5 million a year from CBS, a 25 percent boost annually. DirecTV will pay $3.5 billion or $700 million a year, an increase of 70 percent per year.
As far as what's been agreed to so far, viewers won't notice a whole lot of changes, at least not for a while. The same networks, through 2011, will show the same conferences and the usual starting times will continue.
DirecTV's pay package for out-of-market Sunday afternoon games, extended through 2010, may add some premium interactive features, including viewer-selected camera angles and replays. Also planned is a premium "red-zone channel," which would switch viewers from game to game where teams are poised to score. CBS and Fox have agreed to phase in high-definition broadcasts for all its NFL games.
The big changes in TV on the NFL _ and keep in mind the current TV packages don't run out until after the 2005 season _ will be in the things still to be decided.
The prime-time package figures to undergo a few changes _ perhaps some big ones. The NFL has reserved the right to take eight late-season games, four each from CBS and Fox. The league could use those games to strengthen its Sunday and Monday night schedules or to create a new package of prime-time games for Thursday and Saturday nights that it could open up for other networks to bid on or that it could put on its NFL Network in order to get more cable companies to add the channel.
"We got some protections," Fox Sports chairman David Hill said. "The last several weeks of the season, the NFL has the right to pull a game for 'Monday Night Football' and we're still in conversation on (details)."
Noticeably still missing from the total package is what networks will be showing the Sunday and Monday night games that are now on ABC and ESPN. The Disney networks are reported to want to keep those games and their exclusive negotiating period extends for nearly another year, but they may face competition such as from NBC, which lost AFC rights in 1998 and could now put a Sunday night package on USA. Other cable entities, such as TNT, could also make a play.
All this brings about a big decision for Disney. "Monday Night Football" loses $150 million a year, according to some accounts. Despite the prestige of having the package, which always wins the night for ABC and brings a lot of young males to the screen, that's a lot of money. ESPN is said to need to keep the Sunday night games in order to maintain its per-subscriber fees with cable companies.
Meanwhile, CBS and Fox are thrilled to be re-upping with the NFL. Said Leslie Moonves, co-president and co-chief operating officer of Viacom and chairman of CBS: "We made money on the last deal, and we'll make even more money on this deal."
Notes: Eric Wynalda will join JP Dellacamera, Rob Stone and Lorrie Fair on ABC's telecast of the MLS Cup Sunday afternoon. Wynalda is known for being the top scorer in U.S. national soccer team history with 34 goals. ABC points out he also scored 34 goals in his MLS career, 34 goals at San Diego State and 34 goals in his senior year at Westlake. ... NFL Network will have both coaches and 10 players miked during Sunday's Baltimore-New York Jets game for a "Special Edition Game of the Week: Sounds of the Game" program Thursday night. ...
Two heavyweight title fights will be on pay-per-view Saturday night. WBA champion John Ruiz faces Andrew Golota and IBF champ Chris Byrd meets Jameel McCline from New York's Madison Square Garden. Suggested price is $44.95. ... The "1st and 10" segment on ESPN2's "Cold Pizza" is being made into a 30-minute afternoon program starting Dec. 1 on ESPN. Jay Crawford will host the show with commentators Skip Bayless and Woody Paige.

Scripps Howard