Sunday Night Football
Dec
14
NFL Viewing Picks For Week 15, 12/16/2012
All Times Eastern
NFL Viewing Maps (the 506.com)
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 8:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Sunday NFL Countdown — ESPN, 10 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
NFL Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check your local listings, 1 p.m.
Fox NFL Sunday Postgame — Fox, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight
1 p.m.
CBS
Denver at Baltimore — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
Indianapolis at Houston — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
Jacksonville at Miami — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
FOX
Green Bay at Chicago — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
Minnesota at St. Louis — Gus Johnston/Charles Davis/Kristina Pink
New York Giants at Atlanta — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Tampa Bay at New Orleans — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
Washington at Cleveland — Ron Pitts/Mike Martz/Krista Voda
4:05 p.m.
FOX
Carolina at San Diego — Sam Rosen/Heath Evans/Jill Savage
Detroit at Arizona — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jamie Maggio!!!
Seattle vs. Buffalo at Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
4:25 p.m.
CBS
Kansas City at Oakland — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
Pittsburgh at Dallas — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
8:30 p.m.
NBC
San Francisco at New England — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
Sirius XM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Dec
09
NBC’s Football Night in America Quotage For Week 14 of the 2012 NFL Season Plus SNF Halftime Comments
Let us conclude our Sunday NFL pregame quotage posts with Football Night in America from the National Broadcasting Company.
Lots of info and plenty of notes and quotes. Check it out below.
“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES – WEEK 14
“You just constantly preach to them all year: make good decisions.” – Tony Dungy in wake of Cowboys tragedy on what he would tell his teams as a head coach
“I had three or four drinks, and I got behind the wheel and drove home.” – Rodney Harrison on being irresponsible at age 25 before gaining perspective when he got older
“Big, big problems in Chicago.” –Dungy on Bears, who have lost four of their last five gamesNEW YORK – December 9, 2012 – Following are highlights for Football Night in America. Bob Costas opened the show live from inside a snowy Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., where the Green Bay Packers are hosting the Detroit Lions. Costas was joined on-site by Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst), and Hines Ward, the former Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.
Dan Patrick co-hosted the program from Studio 8G at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios and was joined by Football Night in America analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and NFL insiders Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Carolyn Manno reported from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on the Saints-Giants game.
Following are highlights from Football Night in America:
ON COWBOYS TRAGEDY
Dungy: “As an NFL coach, you’re coaching very, very young men. So I would always talk at the first team meeting of the year. I would talk about decision making, about drugs and alcohol, and parties, and late hours. You just constantly preach to them all year: make good decisions. Every Friday, I used to tell our team after practice, be smart, get home early, don’t drink and drive. But you come in Saturday morning, and every coach says this, not just me, but you come in Saturday morning and you just hope everyone gets there.”
Harrison: “You coaches do a great job relaying that message each and every Friday. But at 25 years old, I’ll have to admit, I was a guy who went out, I partied on Friday. I had three or four drinks, and I got behind the wheel and drove home. Why? Because I thought I felt invincible. ‘Oh, nothing would happen to me.’ But the older I got, I started gaining perspective. I started realizing what was important. Suddenly, I became that guy who would preach to the younger players about family, about career, and about the dangers of DUI.”
Dungy: “I couldn’t tell them not to go out, because I knew they were going out. But be smart; come home at 12 o’clock. If you’re going to drink, use the vehicles, the car service, and be smart about it. But you just don’t know if they’re listening.”King: “Yesterday, Josh Brent told a friend, ‘I do not want to get out of jail.’ He was despondent. But, today, one hour after the Cowboys victory in Cincinnati, he did get out of jail. He was released on $500,000 bail. The Cowboys are very concerned about his mental state. And Jason Garrett, I talked to him after the game, and he said to his team today after the game in Cincinnati, ‘Every one of us in this room, regardless of how you feel about the situation, is going to have to take turns to put our arms around Josh Brent, because he’s going to need us.’”
Florio on DUI discipline: “I’m told the NFL has been pushing and will continue to push for a first offense resulting in a two-game suspension. The NFLPA has resisted. But now that a member of the NFLPA has died as a result of an alleged DUI committed by another member of the union, we’ll see if the NFLPA changes its position.”
ON CHIEFS TRAGEDY
King: “I’m told that in the last seven days, at least seven players around the league have gone to their team’s security officers to turn in the firearms that they possess from their homes. I’m also told that one of these players had multiple firearms — as Jevon Belcher did, he had eight – that one of these players who had multiple firearms told his security officer, ‘I don’t trust myself with these guns in the house. Please take them away.’”
Dungy: “That to me is very, very impactful because I can say that over my career in talking to players about not using guns, I never had a player turn one in. That means this incident has had a big, big impact on our players.”ON COWBOYS
Patrick: “You saw them do something we had not seen them do in a while: the two-minute drill.”
ON FALCONS
Harrison: “They’re a very aggressive defense, but they miss a lot of tackles in the open field…This defense, they create a lot of turnovers, but at the end of the day, if they want to go far in the playoffs, they’re going to have to stop the run.”
Dungy: “This is not a great formula for going into the playoffs: giving up hundred-yard days week in and week out, running the ball…they’re putting so much pressure on Matt Ryan, he’s got to be perfect every game. He was off today and they got behind, 23-0.”ON STEELERS
Dungy: “It doesn’t matter who plays quarterback, if you drop passes, if you let guys run through your secondary wide open, if you can’t pass protect…they have issues they’ve got to get solved in Pittsburgh.”
Harrison: “When you lose your best cornerback, Ike Taylor, teams are going to attack those young cornerbacks.”ON VIKINGS
Patrick: “Adrian Peterson told Peter King after the game that 2,000 yards will be easy. He’s going after Erick Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105, and that’s coming off major knee surgery.”
Dungy: “Adrian Peterson, no question, was the most valuable performer today.”ON COLTS
Patrick on Andrew Luck’s post-game comments: “He does mention just about everybody on the roster. I think the water boy gets mentioned there with Andrew Luck.”
Harrison: “It’s not the best defense we’re going to see this year. However, they do a good job at playing fast, always having three or four guys around the line of scrimmage, and the cornerbacks have really improved. They’re very aggressive, they’re physical, they’re making plays, and they’re good tacklers in the open field.”
Dungy: “They get a lot of plays out of secondary. This might be my favorite guy, Robert Mathis. Dwight Freeney gets a lot of attention, but Robert Mathis is a great football player.”ON SEAHAWKS
Dungy: “Let’s not give this division title to San Francisco too fast. They still have to go to Seattle and play. Seattle is playing very, very well.”
ON THE BEARS
Dungy: You saw Brian Urlacher on the sidelines. That really hurts them. Their defense is not coming up with the turnovers they did earlier in the season and their offensive line is not protecting Jay Cutler. They have Green Bay next week. Big, big problems in Chicago.”
And we have the Sunday Night Football halftime comments with Bob Costas and Tony Dungy talking about the Jason Brent incident. If Bob had Tony Dungy with him every week, I would not be so harsh on the commentaries. Dungy omits class wherever he goes.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL HALFTIME
Bob Costas: “For the second consecutive week, the NFL faces tragedy. Last week, the murder-suicide committed by the Chiefs Javon Belcher. Then, early yesterday morning, 25-year-old Jerry Brown, a Cowboys practice squad linebacker, was killed in a single-car accident. Brown was the passenger in the car driven by his friend and teammate, defensive tackle Josh Brent, who has been charged with intoxication manslaughter.
“Drinking and driving is a societal problem to be sure, but it’s perhaps even more difficult to understand when it involves a football player. There are systems in place, including a “safe rides” program through the NFL Players Association, to help prevent situations like the one that ended Brown’s life. Any NFL player can just pick up a phone and arrange a ride, if he feels he’s impaired.
“Let’s bring in Tony Dungy now. Tony, what, if anything, can a coach do to influence the thinking and decision making of his players?”
Tony Dungy: “That’s something that you always wanted to do, whether it’s as a coach talking to your team, talking to youth groups, or me as a parent talking to my teenage boys. You always talk about decision making.
“I always highlighted three areas: No. 1, being in or out late after 1 a.m.; using drugs and alcohol; and then driving too fast. I would talk to the team about that over and over and over again.
“You try to think of different ways, as a coach, to get that message across. My last year in Indianapolis, I brought in a young man from the Indianapolis area who had had a vehicular homicide at 17 years old. He spent nine years in prison, and he told me that those nine years were nothing compared to the fact that he had to wake up every day realizing he killed three people. I said ‘you’ve got to tell this story to my team because I’m looking for different voices, different ways to get that across.’
“NFL coaches are trying to do everything they can to help young men make better decisions.”
ON THE BEST TEAM IN THE NFC
Dungy: “All along, we’ve said San Francisco and Atlanta because they’ve had the best records, but San Francisco has some chinks in the armor. They’ve got two tough road trips, to New England and to Seattle. They might not even be in first place in their own division in two weeks.”
Rodney Harrison: “Atlanta’s the No.1 seed, but no one’s afraid to play Atlanta. To me, the team to beat in the NFC is the New York Giants…I don’t even care about the record. When the Giants get into the playoffs, they have that experience, that pass rush, Eli in the 4th quarter. That’s the team to beat.”
And we’re done.
Dec
09
NBC Previews Sunday Night Football for Week 12 of the 2012 NFL Season
In primetime on Sunday, NBC airs the NFC North blood rivalry game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers live from the venerable venue, Lambeau Field in Wisconsin.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call live from high above the field. Michele Tafoya will roam the sidelines providing reports on the air and via Twitter.
Bob Costas will be there to host both Football Night in America as well as the halftime and postgame shows. He’ll be joined by analyst Hines Ward.
Dan Patrick will be in New York with analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison to provide highlights for FNIA.
Here’s the NBC press release.
GREEN BAY PACKERS HOST DETROIT LIONS IN AN NFC NORTH MATCHUP ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream Lions-Packers on NBCSports.comNEW YORK – December 6, 2012 – NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (8-4) host Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions (4-8) in an NFC North matchup on Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
Calling Lions-Packers is six-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 27th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 13-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his three seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who, last year in her first season with SNF, won the inaugural Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporter.
Football Night in America is hosted by 24-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Costas will be joined on site by Michaels, Collinsworth and Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Patrick is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com. Carolyn Manno will report on Saints-Giants, from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
PREVIEW VIDEO:
Michaels and Collinsworth on Lions vs. Packers:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50052372#50052372Patrick, Dungy and Harrison on Lions vs. Packers:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50051827#50051827In addition to the weekly Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America broadcasts, NBC Sports Group’s NFL coverage also includes digital content and social media extensions that are available online, as well as NFL-related shoulder programming available on NBC Sports Network.
That will do it. The Week 14 NFL Viewing Guide will come up later this morning.
Dec
07
NFL Viewing Picks For Week 14, 12/09/12
All Times Eastern
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 8:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Sunday NFL Countdown — ESPN, 10 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
NFL Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check Your Local Listings, 1 p.m.
NFL Today Postgame Show — CBS, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
The OT — Fox, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight
1 p.m.
CBS
Baltimore at Washington — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
Kansas City at Cleveland — Bill Macatee/Steve Tasker
New York Jets at Jacksonville — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
San Diego at Pittsburgh — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
Tennessee at Indianapolis — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
FOX
Atlanta at Carolina — Gus Johnson/Charles Davis/Kristina Pink
Chicago at Minnesota — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Dallas at Cincinnati — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
Philadelphia at Tampa Bay — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
St. Louis at Buffalo — Ron Pitts/Mike Martz/Krista Voda
4:05 p.m.
CBS
Miami at San Francisco — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
4:25 p.m.
FOX
Arizona at Seattle — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!
New Orleans at New York Giants — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
8:30 p.m.
NBC
Detroit at Green Bay — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Dec
05
Various Wednesday Links
I’ll do a few links for you this evening.
I’ll start with a strange story that surfaced today from a University of Maryland journalism class during which ESPN Vice President and Executive Editor John Walsh made some rather strange statements about Deadspin’s John Koblin over the Lynn Hoppes plagiarism situation. Deadspin has raised issues of Hoppes lifting material from Wikipedia. In the journalism class, student Mark Sanchez asked Walsh about Hoppes and the plagiarism. Walsh then made puzzling statements that Koblin was angry that Hoppes stole his girlfriend. This is quite interesting except that Koblin is gay. The whole thing came out on Twitter in this very interesting thread. John Koblin later talked with Walsh who denied making the statements. One of the strangest stories I’ve ever seen this year or any other year.
A story that broke Wednesday night, Michael Hiestand of USA Today reports that CBS/Turner might get permission to use ESPN’s Dick Vitale on the NCAA Tournament and team him with Charles Barkley.
ESPN has gained the rights to air the NBA in the UK and Ireland.
Jason Howerton at The Blaze writes that Bob Costas and Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly had a discussion on guns.
Dave Scott from ESPN’s Front Row public relations blog notes that Sean McDonough is recovering from surgery to correct a rare ear condition.
Tom Van Riper of Forbes says former ESPN’er Brian Kenny brings a big network feel to MLB Network.
Reuters has a Disney executive crowing about ESPN ad sales being ahead of last year’s pace.
David Goetzl from MediaPost notes that SodaStream will advertise in Super Bowl XLVII on CBS.
Brian Steinberg of Advertising Age looks at the companies buying time in the Super Bowl.
Ed Sherman from The Sherman Report talks with former Fox Sports Vice Chairman Ed Goren about a career that spans many decades back to his days with CBS.
Ed also has former New York Times writer Robert Lipsyte discussing Bob Costas’ halftime commentary on Sunday Night Football.
Dee McVicker from Radio World says ESPN has been studying consumers’ cross-platform habits.
SportsRantz notes that Cumulus Media has purchased radio stations that ensures that CBS Sports Radio will be heard on FM in the nation’s top three markets.
Matthew Kitchen of Esquire talks with ESPN’s Samantha Steele.
Matt Yoder at Awful Announcing has video of a Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic anchor mocked LeBron James after the Washington Wizards defeated the Miami Heat last night.
Sports Media Watch says the SEC Championship Game on CBS did really well in the ratings.
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe says WBZ-TV’s Steve Burton went out on a limb to say the NHL Lockout could be resolved.
Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News talks about Fox’s spending spree reaching to Cleveland.
Jerry Barmash from Fishbowl New York notes that the Jets are staying with ESPN Radio NY for years to come.
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has the Week 14 NFL TV Schedule.
Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says TV rights fees help teams spend on free agents.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner delves into a Sports Business Journal report stating that Fox Sports was interested in buying MASN.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle talks with former Astros analyst Jim Deshaies about leaving for the Chicago Cubs.
The Chronicle prints a press release stating that ESPN’er Steve Bunin is joining Comcast SportsNet Houston.
Mel Bracht in The Oklahoman has the weekend TV ratings for Oklahoma City.
Jay Miller at Crain’s Cleveland Business speculates about the sale of Sports Time Ohio to Fox Sports. Your humble blogger is quoted in the story. (subscription might be required)
Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch says the extra cash from STO’s sale may not help the Dolan family which owns the Cleveland MLB team.
Paul M. Banks at Chicago Sports Media Watch notes that ESPN’s Samantha Steele is now engaged.
Chris Kue of the Chicago Tribune has Jim Deshaies looking forward to being the new Cubs analyst.
Lewis Lazare at the Chicago Business Journal says Comcast SportsNet Chicago has hired a new news director.
Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune writes that the Raiders are shooting down any rumors of ESPN’s Jon Gruden coaching the team once again.
Jeff Blair from the Toronto Globe and Mail talks about the late Blue Jays voice Tom Cheek being bestowed a Baseball Hall of Fame honor posthumously.
At Yahoo’s Puck Daddy, Greg Wyshynski speculates on how many games would be played if the NHL Lockout ever gets resolved.
I think that will end our linkage for the night.
Dec
04
Time For Some Tuesday Links
Let’s do some Tuesday links. Lots of stuff to get to.
Michael Hiestand of USA Today writes that Bob Costas is receiving his share of criticism for his anti-gun commentary during halftime of Sunday Night Football.
Busted Coverage has video of Bob Costas telling Dan Patrick that he’s not backing off on his anti-gun comments.
Michael Katz of USA Today’s Game On blog recaps Vin Scully’s first and way too brief foray into Twitter on Monday.
From Yahoo’s Cagefighter, the great Maggie Hendricks tells us that Mixed Martial Arts viewing will be different in 2013.
Mike Reynolds from Multichannel News says Universal Sports will be moving its operations from Los Angeles to the Comcast Media Center in Denver.
From Advertising Age, Brian Steinberg writes that Mercedes-Benz plans to bring out some big guns for its Super Bowl ad in February.
ESPN’s Darren Rovell notes that Lincoln cars are looking to make a return to Super Bowl advertising.
Tom Conroy of Media Life Magazine reviews the new NFL Films-produced Travel Channel documentary series on the Cleveland Browns support staff.
Ed Sherman at The Sherman Report reviews two documentaries that debut this week.
The Nielsen Wire says the Los Angeles Lakers are the most marketable of all NBA teams.
Steve Burton of WBZ-TV in Boston is the only one reporting that the NHL Lockout is close to ending.
Bill Carter of the New York Times says Bob Costas put the spotlight on himself with his anti-gun Sunday Night Football halftime commentary.
The New York Daily News reports that the Jets have renewed their radio rights deal with ESPN Radio New York.
Jerry Barmash at Fishbowl NY says YES Network had its best ratings ever for a Nets game.
Pete Dougherty from the Albany Times Union says Monday night’s Giants-DC NFL Team contest hit the ratings jackpot for ESPN.
Chris Korman of the Baltimore Sun writes that the Orioles are denying yesterday’s Sports Business Journal report that Fox Sports attempted to buy MASN.
Sarah Kogod from the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog tells us that many DC-area athletes stayed up to watch Robert Griffin III on Monday Night Football.
Erik Wemple at the WaPo talks about sports networks tackling political topics.
Tom Jones at the Tampa Bay Times reviews what happened on sports television over the weekend.
The Fort Pierce (FL) Tribune reports that the local ESPN Radio affiliate will continue to produce nightly sports report for the local NBC and Fox stations.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says Jim Deshaies’ departure for Chicago is a big loss for the Astros.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says Fox is close to purchasing Sports Time Ohio and gaining the rights to the city’s MLB team.
Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune talks about the Cubs hiring a new analyst.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has the five things he learned from the weekend.
Joe Flint from the Los Angeles Times says NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football is eating into the ratings of the league’s other TV partners.
Sports Media Watch notes that the MLS Cup had a slight decline in its overnight ratings as the game moved from a Sunday night to late Saturday afternoon.
The Huffington Post has video of ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit giving Northern Illinois blackboard material by ripping the team’s invitation to the Orange Bowl.
That’s where I’ll end it today.
Dec
03
Some Really Quick Monday Links
As I’m helping to watch my nephew today, I have a very short window to get links in before he wakes up so let’s get this done before I get delayed.
The big story is the Jevon Belcher-Kasandra Perkins tragedy over the weekend. Many of the links deal with how CBS’ The NFL Today dealt with the story. I have my own take in case you missed it.
I’ll do as many links as I can.
Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch takes CBS to task for its decision not to lead its show with the Belcher-Perkins story.
Michael Hiestand from USA Today says the Belcher story forced the Sunday NFL pregame shows to change course.
At The Sherman Report, Ed Sherman says CBS made the wrong decision not to lead with the story.
Matt Yoder at Awful Announcing has Twitter reaction as The NFL Today hit the airwaves yesterday.
SportsRantz says CBS chose to start its show with product placement for a GPS company and that itself sent the wrong message.
Back to Ed Sherman, he looks at Bob Costas’ commentary on guns during last night’s Sunday Night Football game.
Sean Newell of Deadspin goes off on Costas for his commentary.
Greg Hall says the Belcher murder-suicide put the Kansas City media in the national spotlight.
Laura Bauer and Glen E. Rice of the Kansas City Star profile Kasandra Perkins, the young mother shot nine times by Belcher.
John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reports that Fox Sports is close to purchasing the rights for the Cleveland MLB team and thus forcing the shutdown of current rightsholder SportsTime Ohio (STO).
Fox’s Charles Davis clarifies some comments he and Gus Johnson made during Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game.
Joe Flint and Meg James of the Los Angeles Times says rising sports rights fees will come back to hit cable and satellite customers in the wallet.
Michael Shamburger of The Big Lead has video of the Best of Uncle Verne Lundquist from Saturday’s SEC Championship on CBS.
Classic Sports TV and Media looks back at Dick Vitale’s first broadcast on ESPN in 1979.
That’s all for now. If I can squeeze in some more links, I will. And I’ll do my best to post any breaking news as long as my nephew is still napping,
Dec
02
Bob Costas’ Halftime Commentary on Guns
I missed this as I was taking care of my nephew. But signing on Twitter, there is a lot of reaction to this halftime commentary on Bob Costas which is based on an article written by Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock on the tragic murder-suicide of Jevon Belcher of the Kansas City Chiefs. As you know by now, it left his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins dead and the Chiefs organization reeling plus a three month old girl without parents. A big mess.
Well, Bob chose the bully pulpit forum of Sunday Night Football, the largest primetime audience on television, broadcast or cable to pontificate on guns. Now whether you agree or not with Costas is entirely up to you. Many of you will probably agree with him while many others will feel it is their right to bear arms under the Constitution.
You can argue whether a NFL game is the proper place to make a commentary on gun control. Certainly Bob ruffled some feathers with this commentary which is what such things are supposed to do.
Since Bob started doing halftime commentaries on Sunday Night Football, I can count on one hand the times I’ve praised his comments. This edition does not help. It makes him come off as pompous. And again, it does not matter whether or not you agree with Costas, this is a strange place to make gun control the topic.
Thanks to Awful Announcing, here’s the video.
It’s been quite the weekend regarding the Belcher-Perkins story. This commentary adds more fuel to the fire and continues the debate.
Dec
02
Your NFL Viewing Guide For Week 13 of the 2012 Season
Tough day today.
Indeed it is. The NFL is dealing with the Jovan Belcher murder-suicide of his girlfriend that leaves a beautiful three month old girl without parents and the Kansas City Chiefs wondering how they will acknowledge him. ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown acknowledged Kasandra Perkins, Belcher’s girlfriend with a graphic at the beginning of its show today as well as later during the program. Tom Jackson asked viewers to remember her as well. In addition, ESPN has shelved its scheduled comedic segment with Frank Caliendo. In a newsletter to subscribers, Caliendo said his scheduled segment which was to lampoon Bob Ley and Outside the Lines “wouldn’t fit the tone of this week’s show. Instead, it will air next week, Sunday, December 9.
The bit has nothing to do with the Chiefs or Kansas City, but they decided that a planned “comedy” segment just didn’t seem like a good thing to do.”
We’ll see if Fox follows suit with Rob Riggle’s segment and how CBS and Fox handle the story.
Ok, moving on, what about blackouts this week?
We have three this week. Buffalo’s game against Jacksonville won’t be seen in Western New York. It appears the rest of Buffalo’s home games are in danger of being blacked out also.
San Diego and Los Angeles won’t see the Super Chargers’ game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. It marks the 8th blackout of the Chargers in the last 22 home games.
And fans in the Bay Area won’t be watching the Oakland Raiders taking on the Cleveland Browns. It marks the first Raiders blackout in their last ten home games.
What are your Games of the Week?
For CBS, I’ll select Indianapolis at Detroit (Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts) as Andrew Luck’s initial tour of the NFL continues, and the second Pittsburgh at Baltimore game (Jim Nantz/Phil Simms) in the late window.
With Fox, I’ll go with Seattle at Chicago (Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio) and San Francisco at St. Louis (Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa), both games in the early window.
Why didn’t NBC and the NFL flex out Philadelphia at Dallas (Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya) tonight?
Yeah, record-wise it’s not the most attractive matchup, but NBC likes the ratings for the Cowpokes. Kind of strange that the only flex this season occurred in Week 11 for CBS when Indianapolis at New England was moved from 1 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. There won’t be any flexes for Weeks 14 and 15, but in Week 16, look for San Diego at the New York Jets to be sent out of the primetime slot in favor of another game (Giants-Ravens, Cincinnati-Pittsburgh or San Francisco-Seattle). Unless we learn that Tim Tebow is starting that game, expect Chargers-Jets to be jettisoned from primetime.
Ok, some good food for thought. Anything else?
We could see the return of Gus Johnson to the NFL this month. Waiting to confirm. I’ll let you know. Other than that, nothing else for today. Do your best to enjoy your Sunday and hug your loved ones.
Dec
02
NBC Previews Sunday Night Football For Week 13 of the 2012 NFL Season
In primetime, NBC airs the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game live from the Jerry Jones World of Extravagance in Arlington, TX. NBC and the NFL chose to keep the game in the primetime slot despite Philadelphia’s pitiful record and Dallas’ shaky appearances on Sunday Night Football.
The ratings for Cowboys games are usually through the roof and most likely, this game will be no exception.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call high above the field. Michele Tafoya will roam the sidelines during the game.
Football Night in America precedes the game at 7 p.m. on NBC with Bob Costas and Hines Ward from Arlington, Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison will be in New York.
Here’s NBC’s preview.
THE DALLAS COWBOYS HOST THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES IN AN NFC EAST MATCHUP ON “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”
Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream Eagles-Cowboys on NBCSports.comNEW YORK – November 29, 2012 – Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys (5-6) look to climb back in to the playoff picture in the NFC as they host the Philadelphia Eagles (3-8) on Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
Calling Eagles-Cowboys is six-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 27th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 13-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his three seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who, last year in her first season with SNF, won the inaugural Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporter.
Football Night in America is hosted by 24-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Costas will be joined on site by Michaels, Collinsworth and Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Patrick is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com. Carolyn Manno will report on Steelers-Ravens, from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md.
PREVIEW VIDEO:
Michaels and Collinsworth on Eagles vs. Cowboys:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49961119#49961119Patrick, Dungy and Harrison on Eagles vs. Cowboys:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49960591#49960591In addition to the weekly Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America broadcasts, NBC Sports Group’s NFL coverage also includes digital content and social media extensions that are available online, as well as NFL-related shoulder programming available on NBC Sports Network.
And we’re done with the previews. I need to sleep.
Nov
30
NFL Viewing Picks For Week 13, 12/02/2012
All Times Eastern
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 8:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
NFL Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check your local listings, 1 p.m.
Fox NFL Sunday Postgame — Fox, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, noon
1 p.m.
CBS
Houston at Tennessee — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
Indianapolis at Detroit — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
Jacksonville at Buffalo — Spero Dedes/Steve Beuerlein
New England at Miami — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
FOX
Arizona at New York Jets — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
Carolina at Kansas City — Ron Pitts/Mike Martz/Kristina Pink
Minnesota at Green Bay — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
San Francisco at St. Louis — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Seattle at Chicago — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!
4:05 p.m.
FOX
Tampa Bay at Denver — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
4:25 p.m.
CBS
Cincinnati at San Diego — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
Cleveland at Oakland — Bill Macatee/Steve Tasker
Pittsburgh at Baltimore — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
8:30 p.m.
NBC
Philadelphia at Dallas — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Nov
28
Two Blowouts in New Jersey Still Generate Ratings For NFL Games on NBC
Two Thanksgiving Weekend games at the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey led to two blowouts on NBC, but they still generated viewership. With no real competition on Thanksgiving Night, NBC managed to draw the highest rated and most watched NFL game in primetime on the holiday. Of course, the previous games had been on NFL Network which until the last couple of years, had carriage issues.
But overall, NBC can crow about its ratings and viewership. On Thanksgiving Night where the New England Patriots laid a 40 burger on the New York Jets in a 49-19 drubbing, NBC had a 10.1 rating with a 20 share. And the game had an average of 19.2 million viewers, all of which are highs for the Thanksgiving Night game. In addition, NBC says it was the most watched Thursday night primetime program on any network since the London Olympics.
For NBC’s regularly scheduled Sunday Night Football game, a New York Giants 38-10 blowout of the Green Bay Packers managed to surpass last year’s Week 12 game in both ratings and viewers. The game received a 12.6/19 up 2% from last year and viewership averaged 20.9 million viewers, up 3% from 2011.
Here’s the NBC Sports press release.
For Second Straight Season, SNF on NBC is No.1 among Viewers, Household Rating and All Key Adult and Male Demographics
Sunday Night Football on NBC and Thanksgiving Night Game on NBC are Top Two Primetime Programs of the Week
SNF on NBC: Packers-Giants Draws 20.9 Million Viewers, up 3% from SNF Week 12 Game in 2011
Packers-Giants Marks 8th Time This Season That an SNF Game Topped 20.5 Million Viewers; More than Any Other Season
Thanksgiving Night Blowout on NBC is Most-Watched Primetime Thanksgiving Game Ever, and is Most-Watched Thursday Night Program on ANY Network Since the London OlympicsNEW YORK – November 28, 2012 – Sunday Night Football on NBC remains the No. 1 show of the primetime television season among viewers, households and all key adult and male demographics. Additionally, SNF ranks No. 3 among all primetime programs for women 18-34. This marks the second consecutive season that Sunday Night Football is the No. 1 show of the primetime television season. Last season marked the first time a sports series was the No.1 show of the primetime television season.
Source: Nielsen Media Research Live + Same Day 9/24-11/25/12
NOTE: The primetime television season began on Monday, Sept. 24 and does not include NBC’s Wednesday night opening game or the first three Sunday Night Football games of the season. Those four games averaged 23.5 million viewers.
SNF AND THANKSGIVING NIGHT GAME TOP NIELSEN CHARTS FOR THE WEEK: Sunday Night Football on NBC was the No. 1 primetime show of the week among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49 and total viewers, and between NBC’s Thursday and Sunday NFL coverage, the network accounted for the week’s No. 1 telecast on those networks in adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, total viewers, households and teens 12-17.
SNF THROUGH 12 WEEKS: Through 12 weeks, Sunday Night Football on NBC has surpassed 20.5 million viewers a record eight times. By comparison, through 12 weeks last year and in 2010, this was achieved 7 times.
NBC’s 12-week (14 games) household rating of 12.5/20 and 20.8 million viewers is just two percent below 2011 (12.8/20, 21.2 million) and 2010 (12.8/21, 21.3 million).
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ON NBC THROUGH 12 WEEKS:
YEAR Viewers 2+ HH Rating/Share 2012 20.8 million, 12.5/20 2011 21.2 million, 12.8/20 2010 21.3 million, 12.8/21 2009 19.5 million, 11.8/19 2008 16.3 million, 10.1/16 2007 16.6 million, 10.4/17 2006 17.5 million, 11.2/18 PACKERS-GIANTS ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
Sunday’s blowout game on NBC, in which the Giants defeated the Packers, 38-10, drew 20.9 million viewers, up 3% from last year’s Week 12 SNF game (20.3 million for Steelers-Chiefs). The household rating of 12.6/19 for Sunday’s game is up 2% from last year’s Week 12 SNF game (12.3/19). Both the viewership and rating make this game the second-best Week 12 game in the seven-year history of Sunday Night Football on NBC.
- The Packers-Giants Sunday Night Football broadcast on NBC easily won the night facing original network programming. NBC led the night among viewers 2+ in primetime with 18.1 million viewers (7:30-11 p.m. ET), topping the 11.4 million for second-place Fox, which was aided by an NFL overrun by 59%. NBC also defeated CBS (10.1 million) by 80% and ABC (6.6 million) by 175%. NBC additionally won the night among the major broadcast networks in households and all key demographics.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR PACKERS-GIANTS:
1. Milwaukee 43.8/61 2. New York 18.9/28 3. Memphis 17.8/24 4. Minneapolis 17.5/28 5. Norfolk 17.1/26 6. Denver 16.7/27 7. Indianapolis 16.5/25 8. Richmond 15.9/24 9. Las Vegas 15.6/24 10. Albuquerque 15.3/23 PATRIOTS-JETS THANKSGIVING NIGHT GAME ON NBC:
NBC’s first ever Thanksgiving night game, in which the Patriots defeated the Jets in a 49-19 blowout, drew a 10.1/20 household rating/share and 19.2 million viewers, the highest-rated and most-watched Thanksgiving night game ever.
- The household rating of 10.1 and 19.2 million viewers is up 91% and 79%, respectively, from last year’s primetime Thanksgiving night game on NFL Network (5.3/10, 10.7 million viewers).
- The Patriots-Jets broadcast easily won the night against the broadcast-network competition. NBC led the night among viewers 2+ in primetime with 17.8 million viewers (8-11 p.m. ET), topping the 9.5 million for second-place Fox, which was aided by an NFL overrun, by 86%. NBC also beat CBS (6.8 million) by 159% and ABC (4.2 million) by 333%. NBC additionally won the night among the major broadcast networks in households and all other key demographics.
- The Thanksgiving night game was the most-watched Thursday night program on any network since the Summer Olympics.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR PATRIOTS-JETS:
1. Boston 35.2/61 2. Providence 31.5/50 3. Hartford 17.5/31 4. Buffalo 15.2/26 5. Richmond 15.0/25 6. Ft. Myers 14.6/26 7. San Diego 14.3/37 8. New York 14.2/27 9. Denver 14.0/32 10. Baltimore 13.5/25
That will do it.
Nov
25
Sunday Night Football Halftime Commentary For Week 12 of the 2012 NFL Season
Bob Costas talked about the Giants in his halftime commentary. Other subjects were broached as well. We have what was discussed below.
And that is it.
ON GIANTS
Bob Costas: “It’s been said that momentum is among sports’ biggest mysteries. And, perhaps, no franchise in football has demonstrated how much, and how quickly, fortunes can change more than Tom Coughlin’s New York Giants.
“In two separate seasons, they’ve had a five-game winning streak immediately followed by a four-game losing streak. Another year, they started 11-1, but then lost four of their last five, including their lone playoff game. And, of course, they’ve won the Super Bowl twice — as a Wild Card five seasons ago and last year after just a 9-7 regular season that included a four-game losing streak at just about this time of year.
“This season, again a November dip, which tonight, it looks like they’re about to snap and in a big way. They have more than enough momentum, so far, leading 31-10 at the half.”
Hines Ward: “This is bad for the NFC contenders. They do not want to see a hot New York Giants team at this point in the season because they’ve proven what they can do when they get hot at the end of the year.”
ON 49ERS
Tony Dungy on Colin Kaepernick: “Jim Harbaugh, the coach, he drafted Colin Kaepernick in the second round last year. He expected this. He’s watched him practice for two years, and turned him loose. He got just what he expected. He’s got a great player.”
Rodney Harrison: “And as a defense, I want to face Alex Smith because you can play your base defense. You don’t have to worry about him running and beating you with his legs. With Kaepernick, you have to completely change your defensive game plan. He threatens the entire defense.”
That is all.
Nov
24
Your NFL Viewing Guide For Week 12 of the 2012 Season
Well?
Well what? We’re back for another viewing guide. Do you want to ask a proper question?
Ok, who’s on bye this week?
No one. We’re done with the byes for the season. We have a full slate of games from now on.
Seriously? No more byes?
Seriously. We’re done with the byes for the rest of the regular season.
What about blackouts?
Oh, we have two. Despite Carson Palmer’s return to Cincinnati, Bengals fans won’t be able to watch their team play against Oakland. The game has been blacked out in the Cincinnati area.
In addition, the Atlanta Falcons game in Tampa Bay will be blacked out as well. This marks the 18th blackout out of 21 home games for the Buccaneers. And this despite the team winning its last four games and five out of its last six.
UPDATE, 10:35 a.m.: Totally forgot about a third blackout this week, in San Diego. The Ravens-San Diego game won’t be seen in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Which are your Games of the Week, my lord?
From CBS, I’ll choose the AFC North rivalry game between the most corrupt NFL organization in the world, the Pittsburgh Steelers (I keed) and my Cleveland Browns (Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots) and Baltimore-San Diego (Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts) where we await the final days of Norv Turner.
On Fox, there’s the aforementioned Atlanta-Tampa Bay game (Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin) and the national game, San Francisco at New Orleans (Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver).
And the Sunday Night Football game between the last two Super Bowl champions, Green Bay at the New York Giants on NBC (Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya).
Anything else I should know?
Well, Jim Nantz and Phil Simms get a rare Sunday off having worked the Thanksgiving Day game. However, Fox’s “A” team of Buck, Aikman and Oliver plus NBC’s Sunday Night Football team are working after calling games on Turkey Day.
Interesting quirk. Anything else?
No. Enjoy your football Sunday.
UPDATE, 10:45 a.m.: We do have something else. Brian Billick’s back is acting up and he won’t be able to call today’s Atlanta-Tampa Bay game with Thom Brennaman and Laura Okmin. Charles Davis tweeted that he’ll be doing the analysis in Billick’s place. This just one day after Charles called the Stanford-UCLA game on Fox.
Nov
23
NFL Radio Games For Week 12 of the 2012 Season
Sunday, November 25
12:30 p.m.
Compass Media Networks
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Oakland at Cincinnati — Greg Papa/Tom Flores
Dial Global Radio
Seattle at Miami — Tom McCarthy/Tony Boselli
SportsUSA Radio Network
Minnesota at Chicago
3:30 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Baltimore at San Diego — Kevin Kugler/Mark Malone
3:45 p.m.
Compass Media Networks
St. Louis at Arizona
4 p.m.
SportsUSA Radio Networks
San Francisco at New Orleans
7:30 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Green Bay at New York Giants — Dave Sims/James Lofton/Hub Arkush
Monday, November 26
8 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Carolina at Philadelphia — Kevin Harlan/Boomer Esiason/Tony Boselli
Nov
23
NFL Viewing Picks For Week 12, 11/25/2012
All Times Eastern
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 7:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
NFL Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel, 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check your local listings, 1 p.m.
NFL Today Postgame — CBS, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
The OT — Fox, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight
1 p.m.
CBS
Buffalo at Indianapolis — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
Denver at Kansas City — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
Oakland at Cincinnati — Bill Macatee/Steve Tasker
Pittsburgh at Cleveland — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
Tennessee at Jacksonville — Spero Dedes/Steve Beuerlein
FOX
Atlanta at Tampa Bay — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick Charles Davis/Laura Okmin
Minnesota at Chicago — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Seattle at Miami — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!
4:05 p.m.
CBS
Baltimore at San Diego — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
4:25 p.m.
FOX
San Francisco at New Orleans — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
St. Louis at Arizona — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
8:30 p.m.
NBC
Green Bay at New York Giants — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV Sunday NFL Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Nov
20
NBC Previews Its First Thanksgiving NFL Game Since 1997
NBC is back in the Thanksgiving Day NFL game with its purchase of the primetime game, an event that had been on NFL Network since 2006. At one time, the Thanksgiving Night game began NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football schedule, but that is no longer the case.
Last year, NBC bought the rights to the Thanksgiving Night game as part of its rights extension to Sunday Night Football. NBC used to air a Thanksgiving Day game as part of its AFC package that ran until 1997-1998.
On Thursday, NBC will air the AFC East Division blood rivalry game between the New England Patriots and New York Jets live from the New Meadowlands in New Jersey. Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya will be on-site. So will Bob Costas and Hines Ward for Football Night in America. Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Peter King and Mike Florio will be in NBC’s studios across the border in New York.
Former Sunday Night Football analyst John Madden will be part of the broadcast as he’ll be on the open for the game plus he’ll be on at the end to hand out his first ever “Madden Thanksgiving Player of the Game” Award meaning that his old six leg Turducken will be back.
Here’s the NBC press release.
NEW YORK GIANTS HOST THE GREEN BAY PACKERS ON “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL”
NBC’s First Ever Primetime Game on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Game Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 8 p.m. ET
Sunday’s Coverage Begins with Football Night In America at 7 p.m. ET
John Madden to Open NBC’s Thanksgiving Night Broadcast
NBC to Present 1st Annual “Madden Thanksgiving Player-of-the-Game” on Thursday Night
NBC to Air Special Halftime Performance by Lenny Kravitz
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream Patriots-Jets and Packers-Giants on NBCSports.comNEW YORK – November 20, 2012 – On Thursday night, NBC will begin a new tradition with its first ever NFL primetime game on Thanksgiving. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots (7-3) will travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. to take on Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets (4-6). The broadcast of the game begins with legendary NFL coach and analyst John Madden’s take on family, football and tradition. NBC will wrap up the night by presenting the first annual “Madden Thanksgiving Player-of-the-Game” award. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
During half-time of the game, Grammy Award-winner Lenny Kravitz will perform a special Thanksgiving concert on the field and for viewers at home.
NBC’s coverage of the 2012-13 NFL season continues on Sunday night when Eli Manning and the New York Giants (6-4) host Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (7-3) on Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
Calling Patriots-Jets and Packers-Giants is six-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 27th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 13-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his three seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who, last year in her first season with SNF, won the inaugural Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporter.
Football Night in America is hosted by 24-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Costas will be joined on site by Michaels, and Collinsworth.
On Thursday night, Costas will host a special Thanksgiving edition of Football Night In America from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ., and will be joined on site by Dan Patrick, Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, and two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison.
On Sunday night, Costas will again report from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ., and will be joined on site by Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.
Dan Patrick will co-host Football Night from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Patrick will be joined in studio by Dungy, Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com.
PREVIEW VIDEO:
Michaels and Collinsworth on Patriots vs. Jets:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49881284#49881284Patrick, Dungy and Harrison on Patriots vs. Jets:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49880577#49880577In addition to the weekly Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America broadcasts, NBC Sports Group’s NFL coverage also includes digital content and social media extensions that are available online, as well as NFL-related shoulder programming available on NBC Sports Network.
2012 SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL REMAINING SCHEDULE
Thursday, November 22 — Week 12, New England Patriots at New York Jets
Sunday, November 25 — Week 12, Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Sunday, December 2 — *Week 13, Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (no change)
Sunday, December 9 — *Week 14, Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Sunday, December 16 — *Week 15, San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots
Sunday, December 23 — *Week 16, San Diego Chargers at New York Jets
Sunday, December 30 — *Week 17, TBA*Flex Week
That will do it.
Nov
20
Back For Some Tuesday Links
Let’s do some linkage. I need to do this more than twice a week.
Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch looks at the potential replacements for Jon Gruden in the Monday Night Football booth should he decide to leave as rumored.
John Ourand of Sports Business Journal has a plethora of subjects in his latest media column.
Rachel Bachman of the Wall Street Journal says the expansion of the Big Ten to the Atlantic seaboard is purely for television.
Andy Fixmer and Scott Soshnick at Bloomberg report on a story that bears watching, YES Network will retain the media rights to the New York Yankees through 2042 which opens the door for News Corp. to buy a stake in the channel.
Andy and Alex Sherman from Bloomberg write about Fox opening the door for Fox Sports 1.
Alicia Jessop at Forbes writes that the NBA will stream D-League games on YouTube.
Anthony Crupi at Adweek tells us that NBC is garnering big ad rates for its Thanksgiving Night NFL game.
A story from the weekend, Awful Announcing’s Joe Lucia notes that CBS/Sports Illustrated/Turner’s Seth Davis apologized for calling UFC “homoerotic”.
Todd Spangler from Multichannel News notes that ESPN has rebooted its “Watch ESPN” Xbox 360 app.
Toni Fitzgerald at Media Life says NBC’s Sunday Night Football killed the competition in primetime.
Ed Sherman at The Sherman Report says the NFL game experience doesn’t compare to watching it on your TV.
Jordan Rabinowitz of SportsGrid has video of NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski drinking on SportsCenter after celebrating his win.
The lovely Kristi Dosh at ESPN.com says both Rutgers and Maryland are in desperate need of the TV money that both institutions will receive as members of the Big Ten Conference.
Ryan Hannable of Boston Sports Media Watch speaks with WEEI’s Glenn Ordway.
Tony LaRoce in the Providence Journal talks with Providence College basketball radio voice John Rooke about a book he’s written about Rhode Island radio.
Richard Sandomir and Amy Chozik of the New York Times write that News Corp.’s stake in YES could value the network as high as $3 billion.
Nate Silver of the New York Times looks at the geography of college football fans across the country and delves into the crazy conference realignment.
Newsday’s Neil Best checks on the progress of Madison Square Garden’s “transformation.”
Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union says Time Warner Cable airs an AHL game on Friday.
David Zurawik in the Baltimore Sun writes that the Big Ten’s TV acumen will help Maryland in the long run.
In the Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, Dan Steinberg has ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, a noted Maryland alum, weighing in on the Maryland to the Big Ten move.
Jim Williams of the Washington Examiner speaks with Jim Rome about his new Showtime series.
Stephen F. Holder of the Tampa Bay Times says the Bucs have a long way to go if the team wants to sell out its game against Atlanta and avoid a local TV blackout.
David Barron of the Houston Chronicle says former Astros analyst Jim Deshaies is a candidate for the Cubs TV job.
David says overtime helped push the Texans’ ratings upwards in Houston.
The Indianapolis Star transcribed some of the things ESPN’s Bob Knight said during last night’s Indiana-Georgia game. It marked the first time Knight had called an Indiana game for ESPN.
The Chicago Tribune has an infographic on how many TV viewers each school in the Big Ten can bring to the table.
Dusty Saunders of the Denver Post says Altitude has had to make a programming adjustment without the Colorado Avalanche this season.
Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News has five things he learned from the weekend.
SportsRantz looks at the reported morning show for CBS Sports Radio.
Classic Sports TV and Media explores when was the actual first college football primetime broadcast.
Tony Manfred at the Business Insider Sports Page notes that this week’s Sports Illustrated cover is basically an ad for adidas.
Sports Media Watch says CBS saw rating increases for its NFL windows on Sunday, but the late games are the second-lowest rated for this season.
SMW notes NBC’s Sunday Night Football wasn’t as big a draw with Ravens-Steelers.
And that will do it for today.
Nov
18
Bob Costas’ Halftime Commentary on Sunday Night Football For Week 11 of the 2012 NFL Season
With his on-air partner Hines Ward on the field celebrating the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bob Costas went back to his halftime commentary. This wasn’t as obnoxious as past diatribes. This was discussing how the 2012 really starts now. Ok, I guess the first 10 weeks didn’t count.
Here’s the transcript.
The arrival of Thanksgiving means the season is nearing its home stretch. As it does, the landscape at the top of the standings is notable for its, well, uncertainty.
While the NFL is rightly known for its parity, alongside the notion that every team has a chance every season is the reality that over the last several seasons one team has often stood apart, at least in the regular season. Over the past six years, five teams have jumped out to 10-0 starts or better, including the Packers a year ago and well-remembered teams led by Peyton Manning in Indianapolis and Tom Brady in New England.
While it didn’t happen this year, today, two teams moved to 9-1, though hardly in impressive fashion. In Atlanta, Matt Ryan threw five interceptions, nearly giving the game away to the free-falling Cardinals. And in Houston, the Jaguars, with just one win all season, scored 37 points against the vaunted Texans defense, and led by 14 in the fourth before Houston awoke and then won it in overtime. So, if it’s possible to be 9-1 but still not a clear cut favorite, that’s where the Falcons and Texans are.
And here’s part of the reason why: It’s been nine years, going back to the ’03 Patriots, since the team with the league’s best record won the Super Bowl. Instead, it’s been teams like the 9-7 Giants last year, the 10-6 Packers of two years ago, who snuck into the playoffs as a Wild Card on the last day of the season, plus other Wild Cards, and not-necessarily dominant division champs, who rode late momentum to the Super Bowl.
So in light of that trend, may we suggest you cast an eye toward New Orleans, once left for dead at 0-4, now a surging 5-5 and looming larger in the rearview mirror when it comes to the Wild Card race.
Thanksgiving is four days away and the real NFL season is just beginning.
###
ON THANKSGIVING NIGHT GAME BETWEEN JETS AND PATRIOTS
Rodney Harrison: “I think the home team has the advantage. You don’t have to worry about packing up. You don’t have to worry about getting on a plane. You have that extra day of rest. Just in case you’re a little sore, you can hop in the hot tub. I think definitely the home team has the advantage.”
Tony Dungy: “I always felt the team with the veteran quarterback has the advantage. I went on the road twice on Thanksgiving in Indy with Peyton Manning, and we won huge both times. You can do things. You can just put in quick new game plans, and I think that bodes well for Tom Brady.”
That’s all.
Nov
18
NBC Previews Sunday Night Football Matchup Between Baltimore & Pittsburgh
This week, NBC’s Sunday Night Football will be in the Steel City for the AFC North blood rivalry game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. NBC loves showing this game every year and 2012 is no exception. In the first opportunity to flex, NBC and the NFL chose to keep Ravens-Steelers in place and not opt for another game in primetime.
We have NBC’s preview for you below.
Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream Ravens-Steelers on NBCSports.comNEW YORK – November 15, 2012 – The AFC North leading Baltimore Ravens (7-2) travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers (6-3) on Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
Calling Ravens-Steelers is six-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 27th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 13-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his three seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who, last year in her first season with SNF, won the inaugural Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporter.
Football Night in America is hosted by 23-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. Costas will be joined on site by Michaels, Collinsworth and Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Patrick is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com. Carolyn Manno will report on Colts-Patriots, from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.
In addition to the weekly Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America broadcasts, NBC Sports Group’s NFL coverage also includes digital content and social media extensions that are available online, as well as NFL-related shoulder programming available on NBC Sports Network.
And next, it’ll be the Week 11 Viewing Guide.
Nov
16
NFL Radio Games For Week 11 of the 2012 Season
Sunday, November 18
12:30 p.m.
Compass Media Networks
Cleveland at Dallas
Philadelphia at Washington
Dial Global Radio
Green Bay at Detroit — Kevin Kugler/Mark Malone
Sports USA Radio Networks
Jacksonville at Houston
3:30 p.m.
Compass Media Networks
New Orleans at Oakland — Greg Papa/Tom Flores
3:45 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Indianapolis at New England — Tom McCarthy/Tony Boselli
4 p.m.
Sports USA Radio Networks
San Diego at Denver
7:30 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Baltimore at Pittsburgh — Dave Sims/James Lofton/Hub Arkush
Monday, November 19
8 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Chicago at San Francisco — Kevin Harlan/Dan Fouts/Mark Malone
Nov
16
NFL Viewing Picks for Week 11, 11/18/2012
All Times Eastern
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 8:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
NFL Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check Your Local Listings, 1 p.m.
Fox NFL Sunday Postgame — Fox, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight
1 p.m.
CBS
Cincinnati at Kansas City — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
Cleveland at Dallas — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
Jacksonville at Houston — Bill Macatee/Steve Tasker
New York Jets at St. Louis — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
FOX
Arizona at Atlanta — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Green Bay at Detroit — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
Philadelphia at Washington — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
Tampa Bay at Carolina — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!
4:05 p.m.
FOX
New Orleans at Oakland — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
4:25 p.m.
CBS
Indianapolis at New England — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
San Diego at Denver — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
8:30 p.m.
NBC
Baltimore at Pittsburgh — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Nov
13
Sunday Night Football’s Texans-Bears Ratings Finish Below Week 10 of 2011, But Audience is Equal
NBC continues to crow about Sunday Night Football’s ratings. While the Houston Texans-Chicago Bears ratings were down slightly from the Week 10 game last year, the average audience was the same.
Sunday night’s rating finished at a 12.4 with a 19 share, down 4% from 2011′s Patriots-Jets game played in Week 10. The average audience brought in 20.9 million viewers equal to Pats-Jets.
Overall, NBC notes that the average 12.8 rating and 21.2 million viewers through 11 games in 2012 is on pace with last year’s average of 12.8 rating and 21.3 million viewers.
In addition, Sunday Night Football continues to top all primetime programs as the number one show for ratings, viewers, and in key adult and male demographics. In essence, the NFL is king.
Here’s the press release.
For Second Straight Season, SNF is No.1 among Viewers, Household Rating and All Key Adult and Male Demographics
SNF is No. 1 Show of the Week and Powers NBC to Another Sunday Night Victory
Texans-Bears Draws 20.9 Million Viewers, Equal to Game 10 in 2011 (Patriots-Jets)
12.8 Household Rating and 21.2 Million Viewers Through 10 Weeks is on Pace with 2011 (12.9, 21.3 million) and 2010 (12.8, 21.3 million)
The 2010, 2011, 2012 Seasons are First 3 Primetime NFL Seasons to Top 21 Million Viewers Through 10 Weeks Since 1994-1996NEW YORK – November 13, 2012 – Sunday Night Football is the No. 1 show of the primetime television season among viewers, households and all key adult and male demographics. Additionally, SNF ranks No. 4 among all primetime programs for women 18-34 and No. 6 among women 18-49. This marks the second consecutive season that Sunday Night Football is the No. 1 show of the primetime television season. Last season marked the first time a sports series was the No.1 show of the primetime television season.
Source: Nielsen Media Research Live + Same Day 9/24-11/11/12
NOTE: The primetime television season began on Monday, Sept. 24 and does not include NBC’s Wednesday night opening game or the first three Sunday Night Football games of the season. Those four games averaged 23.5 million viewers.
NBC’s 10-week (11 games) household rating of 12.8/20 and 21.2 million viewers is on pace with 2011 (12.9/20, 21.3 million) and 2010 (12.8/21, 21.3 million), and are the first three primetime NFL seasons to average more than 21 million through the first 10 weeks of the season since 1994-1996 on ABC.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL THROUGH 10 WEEKS:
YEAR
Viewers 2+ HH Rating/Share
2012
21.2 million, 12.8/20
2011
21.3 million, 12.9/20
2010
21.3 million, 12.8/21
2009
19.8 million, 12.0/19
2008
16.2 million, 10.0/16
2007
16.3 million, 10.2/17
2006
18.0 million, 11.5/18
TEXANS-BEARS:
Sunday’s game on NBC, in which the Texans beat the Bears 13-6, drew 20.9 million viewers, equal to last year’s Week 10 SNF game (20.9 million for Patriots-Jets). The household rating of 12.4/19 for Sunday’s game is off just four percent from last year’s Week 10 SNF game (12.9/20).
- Sunday Night Football was the No. 1 primetime program of the week among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in total viewers; adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54; men 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54; kids 2-11 and teens 12-17.
- The Texans-Bears Sunday Night Football broadcast easily won the night facing original network programming. NBC led the night among viewers 2+ in primetime with 17.0 million viewers (7:30-11 p.m. ET) topping the 12.4 million for second-place Fox, which was aided by an NFL overrun, by 38%. NBC also topped CBS (9.9 million) by 72% and ABC (6.6 million) by 158%. NBC also won the night among the major broadcast networks in households and all key adult, male and female demographics.
Sunday Night Football has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series each of the last four years.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR TEXANS-BEARS:
1. Chicago
38.0/53
2. Houston
32.9/48
3. Milwaukee
25.7/36
4. Indianapolis
20.4/30
5. New Orleans
19.1/26
6. Las Vegas
18.5/27
7. Denver
17.8/29
8. San Antonio
16.4/25
9. Albuquerque
16.2/24
10. Memphis
16.1/22
That is all.
Nov
09
NFL Radio Games For Week 10 of the 2012 Season
Sunday, November 11
12:30 p.m.
Compass Media Networks
Buffalo at New England
Oakland at Baltimore — Greg Papa/Tom Flores
Dial Global Radio
New York Giants at Cincinnati — Tom McCarthy/Tom Boselli
Sports USA Radio Network
Atlanta at New Orleans
3:45 p.m.
Compass Media Networks
Dallas at Philadelphia
Dial Global Sports
St. Louis at San Francisco — Kevin Kugler/Mark Malone
Sports USA Radio Network
New York Jets at Seattle
7:30 p.m.
Dial Global Radio
Houston at Chicago — Dave Sims/James Lofton/Hub Arkush
Monday, November 12
Dial Global Radio
Kansas City at Pittsburgh — Kevin Harlan/Boomer Esiason/Steve Tasker
Nov
09
NFL Viewing Picks For Week 10, 11/11/2012
All Times Eastern
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 7:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPN2, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL RedZone — Check your local listings, 1 p.m.
NFL Today Postgame Show — CBS, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
The O.T. — Fox, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight
1 p.m.
CBS
Buffalo at New England — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
Denver at Carolina — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
Oakland at Baltimore — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
San Diego at Tampa Bay — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
Tennessee at Miami — Spero Dedes/Steve Tasker
FOX
Atlanta at New Orleans — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Detroit at Minnesota — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
New York Giants at Cincinnati — Thom Brennaman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
4:05 p.m.
CBS
New York Jets at Seattle — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
4:25 p.m.
FOX
Dallas at Philadelphia — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
St. Louis at San Francisco — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!
8:30 p.m.
NBC
Houston at Chicago — Al Michael/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Nov
06
Before Obama-Romney, Sunday Night Football Declares Itself The Winner of Anything on Television
NBC is crowing once again about Sunday Night Football’s ratings, noting its the most watched primetime show of the 2012-13 television. The Peacock says SNF wins in overall viewers, male viewers, key demographics and just about everything important that networks covet.
For nine weeks and ten games overall, SNF is averaging a 12.9 rating with a 20 share saying it’s the best start to the series in its history. And the games are averaging 21.2 million viewers down slightly from the last two seasons. However, NBC is certainly not complaining about the numbers.
In regards to Sunday’s Dallas-Atlanta game, NBC received a 13.2/20, off 1% from last year’s Week 9 game. And it averaged 21.7 million viewers, again off from last year.
We have the NBC press release.
12.9 Household Rating Through 9 Weeks is Best in SNF History, and Highest-Rated Start to an NFL Primetime Package in 13 Years
21.2 Million Viewers Through 9 Weeks is on Pace with 2011 (21.4 million) and 2010 (21.3 million)
The 2010, 2011, 2012 Seasons are First 3 Primetime NFL Seasons to Top 21 Million Viewers Through 9 Weeks Since 1994-1996
Sunday Night Football is the No. 1 Primetime Program of 2012-2013 Television Season
Cowboys-Falcons Draws 21.8 Million Viewers, 6th Game this Season with More Than 21 Million ViewersNEW YORK – November 6, 2012 – NBC’s nine-week (10 games) household rating of 12.9/20 is the best start in the seven-year history of Sunday Night Football, and the highest-rated start to a season for an NFL primetime package in 13 years (13.9/23 household rating for ABC in 1999).
- The nine-week viewership for 10 games (21.2 million) is on pace with 2011 (21.4 million) and 2010 (21.3 million), and are the first three primetime NFL seasons to average more than 21 million through the first nine weeks of the season since 1994-1996 on ABC.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL THROUGH 9 WEEKS:
YEAR
Viewers 2+ HH Rating
2012
21.2 million, 12.9/20
2011
21.4 million, 12.8/20
2010
21.3 million, 12.8/21
2009
19.5 million, 11.8/19
2008
16.0 million, 9.9/16
2007
16.1 million, 10.1/16
2006
17.8 million, 11.4/18
COWBOYS-FALCONS:
Sunday’s game on NBC, in which the Falcons beat the Cowboys 19-13, was the most-watched and highest-rated primetime program on Sunday night. The game drew 21.7 million viewers, just off from last year’s Week 9 SNF game (22.1 million for Ravens-Steelers). The household rating of 13.2/20 for Sunday’s game is off just one percent from last year’s Week 9 SNF game (13.3/21).
- Sunday’s game is the sixth NBC primetime NFL game this season to earn more than 21 million viewers.
SNF NO. 1 SHOW FOR OF PRIMETIME SEASON: For the official primetime television season, Sunday Night Football ranks as the No. 1 show among viewers, households and all key adult and male demographics. Additionally, it is the No. 5 show among women 18-34 and No. 6 among women 18-49.
SNF DOMINATES SUNDAY NIGHT: The Cowboys-Falcons Sunday Night Football broadcast easily won the night facing original network programming. NBC led the night among viewers 2+ in primetime with 18.6 million viewers (7:30-11 p.m. ET) topping the 14.2 million for second-place CBS, which was aided by an NFL overrun, by 31%. NBC also topped ABC (7.3 million) by 156% and Fox (4.2 million) by 342%. NBC also won the night among the major broadcast networks in households and all key adult, male and female demographics.
Sunday Night Football has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series each of the last four years.
TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR COWBOYS-FALCONS:
1. Atlanta
31.1/45
2. Dallas
30.9/48
3. San Antonio
23.0/33
4. New Orleans
22.2/29
5. Albuquerque
22.1/32
6. Las Vegas
21.0/30
7. Richmond
19.6/29
8. Austin
19.4/31
9. Norfolk
18.5/27
10. San Diego
18.2/28
There you have it.
Nov
04
NBC Previews Sunday Night Football For Week 9 of the 2012 NFL Season
Now to NBC Sports. Tonight, it has the Game of the Week with the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo hoping not to throw picks taking on the Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will be in the Georgia Dome broadcast booth high above the field. Michele Tafoya will roam the sidelines.
And before the game, NBC’s Football Night in America will air the highlights of the afternoon contests. Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison will be in New York. Bob Costas will be in Atlanta to conduct interviews and he’ll be joined by Hines Ward.
Here’s the preview from NBC.
Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET
Sunday Night Football Extra to Live Stream Cowboys-Falcons on NBCSports.comNEW YORK – October 31, 2012 – Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys (3-4) travel to Atlanta to take on Matt Ryan and the undefeated Falcons (7-0) on Sunday Night Football in a matchup that features two of the league’s most exciting quarterbacks. Coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
Calling Cowboys-Falcons is six-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 27th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 13-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his three seasons in the Sunday Night Football booth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who, last year in her first season with SNF, won the inaugural Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Reporter.
Football Night in America is hosted by 23-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. Costas will be joined on site by Michaels, Collinsworth and Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Super Bowl MVP and newest addition to NBC Sports’ NFL team.
Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC’s Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday night. Patrick is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Peter King of Sports Illustrated, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com. Carolyn Manno will report from Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Giants-Steelers.
PREVIEW VIDEO:
Patrick, Dungy and Harrison on Cowboys vs. Falcons:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/49592112#49592112In addition to the weekly Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America broadcasts, NBC Sports Group’s NFL coverage also includes digital content and social media extensions that are available online, as well as NFL-related shoulder programming available on NBC Sports Network.
That’s all.
Nov
02
NFL Viewing Picks for Week 9, 11/04/2012
All Times Eastern
Pregame & Studio Shows
First on the Field — NFL Network, 7 a.m.
NFL Matchup — ESPN2, 8:30 a.m.
NFL GameDay Morning — NFL Network, 9 a.m.
Fantasy Football Today — CBS Sports Network, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Football Now — ESPNews, 11 a.m.
The NFL Today — CBS, noon
Fox NFL Sunday — Fox, noon
Red Zone Channel — DirecTV Channel 703, 12:55 p.m.
NFL Red Zone — Check your local listings, 1 p.m.
Fox NFL Sunday Postgame — Fox, 4 p.m.
NFL GameDay Scoreboard — NFL Network, 4 p.m.
Football Night in America — NBC, 7 p.m.
NFL GameDay Highlights — NFL Network, 7:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Overtime — NFL Network, 11:30 p.m.
NFL GameDay Final — NFL Network, midnight
1 p.m.
CBS
Baltimore at Cleveland — Marv Albert/Rich Gannon
Buffalo at Houston — Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts
Denver at Cincinnati — Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
Miami at Indianapolis — Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
FOX
Arizona at Green Bay — Joe Buck/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver
Carolina at Washington — Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa
Chicago at Tennessee — Thom Brennman/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin
Detroit at Jacksonville — Ron Pitts/Mike Martz/Kristina Pink
4:05 p.m.
FOX
Minnesota at Seattle — Chris Myers/Tim Ryan/Jaime Maggio!!!
Tampa Bay at Oakland — Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale
4:25 p.m.
CBS
Pittsburgh at New York Giants — Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
8:30 p.m.
NBC
Dallas at Atlanta — Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya
DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Channel Assignments
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel Assignments
Oct
29
Hurricane Sandy Wreaking Havoc on Sports
The weather on the East Coast is wreaking havoc on flights as Hurricane Sandy continues to churn in the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, it’s caused the networks to adjust their schedules.
From ESPN, we learn that the 11 p.m. ET SportsCenter on Monday and Tuesday will be produced from Los Angeles in addition to the usual 1 a.m. ET edition that originates from the ESPN West Coast studios.
ESPN also announced that the late night show, UNITE that airs live at midnight on ESPNU will be pre-empted on Monday.
Dave Sims who called the New Orleans-Denver Sunday Night Football game for Dial Global Radio says he’s stranded in the Mile High City and can’t fly home to New York due to the weather.
I’m in Denver, and stuck for a coupla days. Can I get a #hurricane report from NYC?
— Dave Sims (@TheDaveSimsShow) October 29, 2012
As we wait for Hurricane Sandy to make landfall in Southern New Jersey and cause damage in Southern New England, we note that no matter how much we love our sports, we can’t control the weather. For those reading in the Mid-Atlantic and New England, be safe and stay under shelter. I hope to see you here when everything calms down.
Oct
28
Your NFL Week 8 Viewing Guide
This is up late once again and I’m getting ready for Hurricane Sandy as it speeds up the East Coast into the Northeast.
Well, let’s provide the Week 8 Viewing Guide in The League Where They Play for Pay.
So why is this a Sunday unlike any other?
Well, Hurricane Sandy is going to have an impact on a couple of games, Miami at the New York Jets (CBS, Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts) in northern New Jersey and the Atlanta at Philadelphia (Fox, Dick Stockton/John Lynch/Jennifer Hale) game at the Linc in the Delaware Valley. While it won’t be extremely windy, there will be rain bands in both cities as the storm comes up the coast. Luckily, the Carolina Panthers are on the road in Chicago (Fox, Kenny Albert/Daryl Johnston/Tony Siragusa) as Sandy has been hitting the North Carolina coast.
What about non-weather issues?
Let’s see, there are just two late games again, just like in Week 7, one each for CBS (Oakland at Kansas City at 4 p.m ET) and Fox (New York Giants at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.). And NBC’s Sunday Night Football will have the World Series as competition. However, based on the ratings for the World Series and the rest of the MLB Postseason, the Saints-Broncos game should come out on top when all is said and done.
Byes? Who has the dreaded bye this week?
Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Houston are off this week.
So are there any blackouts anywhere?
No and through Week 8, the NFL is happy to point out that just four games did not make the deadline to sell out 72 hours in advance. So all 14 games scheduled for this week from last Thursday through Monday Night will be seen in the local markets.
Why are there just two late games?
Fox wanted just one game as it airs the NFC East Division blood rivalry game between the Giants and Cowboys (Thom Brennaman/Troy Aikman/Pam Oliver) . And with just four games early, CBS will have one late game at 4 p.m., Oakland at Kansas City (Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots) going to a large portion of the country. Blame the byes for this. But also Fox didn’t want the country to miss out on G-men/Cowpokes.
So there’s a game in London?
Yes, the New England Patriots are taking on the St. Louis Rams (Jim Nantz/Phil Simms) at the venerable Wembley Stadium on CBS. Since this is a designated home game for the Rams, the Pats are designated the road team, thus CBS gets the game as the “visiting” network. This will be the last time for just a single game in London. Next year, there will be two.
What are your Games of the Week?
For CBS, I’ll go with Pats-Rams just to see how the players handle being six hours ahead of their normal body clocks. And Miami-Jets because the game always lends for crazy things.
On Fox, I’ll choose Atlanta at Philadelphia to see if the Eagles can play a complete game for once and if they can end the Falcons’ perfect season. And the Giants-Cowboys late will give us something interesting to watch.
What about Sunday Night?
Yes, the interconference matchup between New Orleans and Denver (Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya) is quite intriguing. Can’t forget about it.
Any other games to keep our eyes on?
Yes, Washington at Pittsburgh on Fox (Sam Rosen/Brian Billick/Laura Okmin) just to see Robert Griffin III and San Diego at Cleveland on CBS (Spero Dedes/Rich Gannon) as it marks the first game for the Chargers since its massive implosion against the Broncos in Week 7 on Monday Night.
Anything else?
Let’s be careful out there. Be safe if you’re on the East Coast and have fun watching the games.
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