Washington Post Staff Writer Mark Maske – December 27, 2007:
The NFL avoided a potential backlash by fans unable to watch the New England Patriots’ attempt to complete a perfect regular season, announcing yesterday that the NFL Network’s telecast of Saturday night’s game between the Patriots and New York Giants also will be carried by NBC and CBS.
The nationwide simulcast will be the first of an NFL game since Super Bowl I, and it dissipates a controversy that had been building in recent weeks because the league-owned NFL Network had been scheduled to carry the game alone. It reaches only about 35 million U.S. households.
I guess I’m so old that I remember a time when sports teams wanted fans to participate. Now they’re hiding their games and attacking fans. It makes no sense to me.
You and me both…
Ya got’sta squeeze a little here and a little there and BINGO ! You gots more money from da sukka’s..
Is there ever an end point to greed ?
Who really wants to watch another poorly coached and second-tier team (NY Giants) get there asses handed to them by the Pats. I am actually surprised fans wanted this.
And Bryant Gumbel is the worst play by play announcer today. Please sing the petition to get rid of the jerk!
The petition I mention above (requesting you to sign, sorry) is http://www.petitiononline.com/gumbelno/
Apparently my a href tag didn’t work…
#3 – You say that as if there is such a thing as a good play by play announcer. Who cares?
This is all a move by the NFL to get more carriage agreements for its network, which isn’t too bad (outside of the Gumble/Collinsworth pairing).
This is also a move to soften the blow from Sunday Ticket staying on DirecTV, which will piss off the poor (and by poor, I mean cable subscribers).
I’d pay good money to see an entire team of babes outfitted like in the picture accompanying this thread. More than 30 million would certainly be watching.
😀
John Kerry threatens hearings and gets what he wants.
Tell me that isn’t an abuse of power?
#8 – Breaking News: No one took that seriously, besides the morons in Boston.
Where do you live, by the way?
I wonder why people always make fun of tech(Apple, PlayStation, Nintendo) “fanboys”, but nobody makes fun of sports “fans”.
Instead of watching other people play sports, why don’t you get off the couch and do something yourself?
And I don’t understand why people get excited when “their team” wins a game. You have no connection with the team or the players (most of whom wouldn’t give you the time of day). All you did was sit on your couch or in a overpriced stadium seat and help pay their outrageous salaries.
I for one couldn’t care less for the gay version of Rugby. Heh, lots of beefcake wearing supertight, multicoloured, glossy spandex suits.
The only good thing that ever came out of American Football is the jockstrap.
#7
I think Directv has a show filled with women wearing nothing but lingerie and football helmets.
#10
That’s pretty simple, if you wear a sports team tee shirt you’re a normal guy but if you wear a Star Trek shirt you’re a fucking nerd.
#10 – but nobody makes fun of sports “fans”.
Obviously, I’m not telling my jokes loudly enough 🙁
Anyone bother watching the NFL Network games streamed online? Don’t bother…
They have four guys talking in a studio during 75% of the plays occasionally fading over to the Gumble/Collingsworthless play-by-play.
The game I “watched” the most common Q&A bandied about between them was “So what do think of the game so far?” Looked like all four would rather have been watching the games themselves rather than blabbering to each other.
Maybe the enjoyment of sports by adults is a throwback to their high school or college days, when they could actually play. I still enjoy college football, basketball and baseball even though I was never good enough to make the teams.
Yes, kids actually got out in the yard and played sports back when dirt was brand new — now it’s video games. I wonder if the major leagues are worried about the lack of future fans (and their wallets)…
#10 – Rooting for “your team” is a form of entertainment that has endeared societies throughout history.
A few people do play on an amateur level. Very few I’ll grant you. For others it is very stimulating as they analyze teams, play calling, etc. And for the majority it is a stress reliving form of escapism.
If non-sports fans would rather play WoW on Sunday afternoon or play with Gödel’s incompleteness theorems, go right ahead. No one is stopping them.
#15 I’m not saying anyone is stopping “nerdy” behaviour, I’m just pointing out that sports fans aren’t frequently mocked for behaviour that is just as ridiculous (if not more so) as other forms of fanboyism.
For example, people who write fan-fiction are often ridiculed. But at least these people are doing something constructive and creative with their free time. I don’t see anything creative or constructive in going to a stadium and drinking beer while you yell at other men who are running around in uniforms.
Wouldn’t that make the NFL the Vegas version of Rugby?!
#16 – For most, that fact little constructive results from being a fan is not the point. It’s a release and just entertainment.
I do feel bad for those few that take it overly seriously and have no vested interest in the business.
And I will suggest that the fanboy fanatics of teams do get ridiculed. The guy that literally was dressed up as a Viking during the games didn’t seem to have many people hanging around him unless they knew the cameras were on.
Back to the point of the article, it is strange that the NFL continues to lean so hard on the fan base. They are testing the limits the past few years. People can be fickle about being a fanboy. Learn the lessons of the NHL and MLB. Perception of greed decays loyalty.
Don’t blame the NFL network, blame the greedy cable companies. NFL wanted its channel to be carried on the cable companies regular tier programing for all to see. The scumbag cable companies sensing yet another opportunity to fuck its customers, moved the channel to a separate sports tier and of course charged more for it. NFL fought Comcast on this and threatened to pull NFL from Comcast. Some clueless judge in NY sided with Comcast and here we go, the fans get fucked.
#16 – For example, people who write fan-fiction are often ridiculed.
Well, maybe they should be 🙂
Seriously, the “norm” always mocks that which is outside the norm. But in the last few decades, geek has become chic… I think one of the good things that the Internet and expanded mass communication technology has done has been to de-mystify nerds and geeks.
Don’t get me wrong… Nerds are still hopeless clowns, but we geeks are doing pretty well for ourselves 🙂
#21 You don’t know much about women, do you. Attraction is mostly about genetics and deep rooted instincts. The strong, muscular asshole is subconsciously perceived as powerful and being able to father strong children, survival of the species, that sort of thing. The skinny or fat, unattractive geek is perceived as sickly and weak and not capable of furthering the species. That is why women go for jocks and rich powerful men. You can make lists all day to try and justify why women should date you, but it can’t change instinct.
#22, gq,
#21 You don’t know much about women, do you.
And you do? I guess this explains why you are a 45 yr old virgin.
The strong, muscular asshole is subconsciously perceived as powerful …
Geeze, lately you right wingers have really gotten this thing for assholes. Hhmmm, maybe you aren’t a virgin.