We know of the expanded 13 game Thursday Night Football schedule for NFL Network as was announced today by Commish Roger Goodell. What wasn’t announced during his press conference today and tacked onto the official NFL press release was that a Spanish language version of NFL RedZone will launch next season.
Goodell apparently made the Spanish RedZone announcement during an appearance with NFL Network. He’s full of news today.
So as previously posted, NFL Network will have 13 Thursday Night games spanning from Week 2 through Week 15. There will not be a NFL Network game on Thanksgiving Night in Week 12 as that goes to NBC under the provisions of the new TV contract.
There will be no Saturday night games, all of NFL Network’s games will fall on a Thursday night and with the expanded schedule, it means all teams will get at least one primetime game a season.
Here’s the official announcement.
FIVE ADDITIONAL GAMES FOR NFL NETWORK’S THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
New 13-game Thursday night slate runs from Weeks 2-15
All 32 teams to play in primetime in 2012
New Spanish-language NFL RedZone channel to debut in ‘12NFL Network will televise five additional regular-season games in 2012 as part of its Thursday Night Football package, NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL announced today.
The Thursday Night Football schedule on NFL Network will now feature 13 games, all on Thursdays, from Weeks 2-15 (skipping Week 12). In previous years, the NFLN slate included at least one Saturday night game. NBC will televise the Thursday night game on Thanksgiving in Week 12, in addition to the NFL Kickoff game.
“Adding these games to the NFL Network schedule will give more players, teams, and cities the primetime stage,” Commissioner Goodell said. “Our fans can now get an early start on the NFL weekend in the season’s first 15 weeks.”
With the expansion of the Thursday Night Football schedule, all 32 NFL teams will now play at least one primetime game in 2012. In addition, every club will play on one Thursday following a Sunday game.
Also in 2012, NFL Network will unveil a new Spanish-language NFL RedZone channel. NFL RedZone, produced by NFL Network, debuted in 2009 and whips around to every NFL game on Sunday afternoons, delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see the important plays.
Thursday Night Football averaged a record 6.2 million viewers in 2011 (not including over-the-air stations) – topping the average playoff viewership of other sports on cable. TNF has doubled average viewership from its inaugural season in 2006 (3.1 million viewers).
Working on the Friday megalinks. I hope to have those up later today.
