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Thursday Night Football to return to CBS


mike91

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Guess it was too much to hope that ABC would get it. Nonetheless, CBS did a great job this last season so I'm okay with it.

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Guess it was too much to hope that ABC would get it. Nonetheless, CBS did a great job this last season so I'm okay with it.

 

You mean ESPN. ABC hasn't had a sports division in years and had ESPN won the Thursday rights I doubt they would put the games on ABC nor would ABC want the games there in the first place being that Thursday is home to their highest rated dramas.

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I also find the last paragraph interesting. I think it says something like CBS and the NFL are expanding their programming options. Does this mean CBS is producing shows for the NFL Network/NFL Now? Future NFL podcasts move to CBS's new podcast network play.it? Is CBS Sports Network getting any type of NFL programming?

 

Also with the impending addition of regular season games and/or wild card games, does CBS have the upper hand to acquire those? I personally think it's between CBS and Fox since I'm sure the NFL is happy with Fox adding live content to it's new app via NFL Field Pass on Fox. I also don't think Comcast is willing to spend more money on the league when it will be hard to make a profit beyond what they already make now.

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Guess it was too much to hope that ABC would get it. Nonetheless, CBS did a great job this last season so I'm okay with it.

The NFL had an option for another year with CBS. So, it wasn't like it went out for bid.

 

You mean ESPN. ABC hasn't had a sports division in years and had ESPN won the Thursday rights I doubt they would put the games on ABC nor would ABC want the games there in the first place being that Thursday is home to their highest rated dramas.

When the league sent out RFP's last year for the TNF package ESPN submitted one on behalf of ABC. All of the NFL's broadcast partners (CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN) and Turner Sports each received a request for proposal. The NFL's preference was to place TNF on a broadcast network to broaden it's exposure. I personally believe the bid ESPN submitted on behalf of ABC was done more as a "courtesy" knowing the league preferred a broadcast network. In other words I question how serious or strong the bid was. The ABC bid was dismissed early on in the process along with Turner's bid. And, Turner was considered a long shot from the outset. The only way they were going to have a shot was to throw a ton of money at the league given their preference for a broadcast network. So, I guess I'm agreeing and disagreeing with your statement.

 

 

Not shocked at all by decision to continue the CBS/TNF deal. The league held the option to extend the deal and CBS has the Super Bowl next year. So, it only seemed natural they'd continue the deal in 2015. Only thing I'm a little surprised by was the NFL having the option for another one year extension in 2016. I figured the NFL would put the package back up for bid after next season and, I still think that's likely to happen. But, I suppose this gives the NFL a little "insurance" in case ratings fall off a bit next year and they want to hold off instead of taking bids.

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From David Barron:

 

CBS and the NFL also will work to develop programming on CBS, NFL Network or CBS Sports Network, McManus said. Details of that agreement have yet to be determined, but NFL Films has worked in the past with ESPN to sponsor such projects as “Lost Treasures of NFL Films” and “NFL’s Greatest Games.”

 

From Boston Globe:

 

There will be a further implementation of advanced statistics on CBS’s Thursday and Sunday broadcasts. The deal also includes the provision that the network will develop new NFL programming for CBS, CBS Sports Network, and NFL Network.

 

From Frank Coonery (whose website NFLDraftScout.com is hosted on CBSSports.com):

 

Taken in isolation, the Thursday night package makes little sense for CBS, which gains no direct, financial perks during those last eight games that are exclusively on NFL Network. During the first eight games, CBS is at least able to sell in-game advertisement and upsell viewers to other programming on the network.

 

The real carrot, according sources in broadcast television, is that CBS expects the NFL to reciprocate with other programming that is more financially beneficial — such as a shot at games in an extended playoff scenario and possible preferential treatment regarding the prime-time slot for the conference championship game.

 

However, it is believed FOX and NBC were not as receptive as CBS to a one-year deal that has no promise of further upside. Still, CBS apparently took yet another one-year deal, possibly in hopes of gaining some favored standing on other programming down the road.

 

From Peter King:

 

The NFL will run the Thursday night package the same as it ran it in 2014: Thursday night games on NBC in Week 1 and Thanksgiving night; seven Thursday night games on CBS and NFL Network beginning in Week 2; and the last six Thursday night games (excepting Week 17) on NFL Network. Additionally, CBS and NFL Network will each have a Saturday game, one in the late afternoon and one in prime time in Week 16 (Dec. 26, 2015)

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From Frank Coonery (whose website NFLDraftScout.com is hosted on CBSSports.com):

 

Taken in isolation, the Thursday night package makes little sense for CBS, which gains no direct, financial perks during those last eight games that are exclusively on NFL Network. During the first eight games, CBS is at least able to sell in-game advertisement and upsell viewers to other programming on the network.

 

The real carrot, according sources in broadcast television, is that CBS expects the NFL to reciprocate with other programming that is more financially beneficial — such as a shot at games in an extended playoff scenario and possible preferential treatment regarding the prime-time slot for the conference championship game.

 

However, it is believed FOX and NBC were not as receptive as CBS to a one-year deal that has no promise of further upside. Still, CBS apparently took yet another one-year deal, possibly in hopes of gaining some favored standing on other programming down the road.

^I actually had to google the whole article titled "How CBS TNF deal may have impacted Sunday’s AFC title game" to gain a full apprication for just how off base I feel the author is. First, CBS having the TNF had absolutely nothing to due with them having the AFC Championship game in prime time this year...zip, zero, nada. The NFL has rotated the AFC & NFC Championship Games between the "early" and "late" slots, alternating every year, since 1996! The rotation is NFC first in the "early" slot and the AFC second in the "late" slot for even numbered seasons....and vice versa in odd numbered seasons. Therefore, CBS had the AFC game in the "late" slot as it was their turn in the rotation not because they have the TNF Package.

 

Second, even though CBS shoulders the production costs for the NFLN excusive games and derives "little benefit" as the author puts it you could argue the received a "discount" on the TNF package for doing so. "According to sources with insight into the auction, CBS’ offer, which was estimated to be around $275 million, actually did not overshadow its rivals—in fact, one suitor suggests that NBC’s bid was the highest of the five." The NFL could have taken more money for the first half of TNF (and likely have to shoulder second half NFLN game production themselves) but, chose go with CBS' bid. So, CBS in effect got a "discount" on the first half by being willing to shoulder production costs on the second half. In other words they may get "little benefit" on the second half but, get a "significant benefit" on the first half by paying "below market" rates.

 

From David Barron:

 

CBS and the NFL also will work to develop programming on CBS, NFL Network or CBS Sports Network, McManus said. Details of that agreement have yet to be determined, but NFL Films has worked in the past with ESPN to sponsor such projects as “Lost Treasures of NFL Films” and “NFL’s Greatest Games.”

 

From Boston Globe:

 

There will be a further implementation of advanced statistics on CBS’s Thursday and Sunday broadcasts. The deal also includes the provision that the network will develop new NFL programming for CBS, CBS Sports Network, and NFL Network.

I agree with this. It's kind of along the lines of what you stated up thread. The only thing is I got the sense that it was more a "memorandum of understanding" than anything concrete. So, it could eventually develop into something, nothing at all or somewhere in between.
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^I actually had to google the whole article titled "How CBS TNF deal may have impacted Sunday’s AFC title game" to gain a full apprication for just how off base I feel the author is. First, CBS having the TNF had absolutely nothing to due with them having the AFC Championship game in prime time this year...zip, zero, nada. The NFL has rotated the AFC & NFC Championship Games between the "early" and "late" slots, alternating every year, since 1996! The rotation is NFC first in the "early" slot and the AFC second in the "late" slot for even numbered seasons....and vice versa in odd numbered seasons. Therefore, CBS had the AFC game in the "late" slot as it was their turn in the rotation not because they have the TNF Package.

 

Second, even though CBS shoulders the production costs for the NFLN excusive games and derives "little benefit" as the author puts it you could argue the received a "discount" on the TNF package for doing so. "According to sources with insight into the auction, CBS’ offer, which was estimated to be around $275 million, actually did not overshadow its rivals—in fact, one suitor suggests that NBC’s bid was the highest of the five." The NFL could have taken more money for the first half of TNF (and likely have to shoulder second half NFLN game production themselves) but, chose go with CBS' bid. So, CBS in effect got a "discount" on the first half by being willing to shoulder production costs on the second half. In other words they may get "little benefit" on the second half but, get a "significant benefit" on the first half by paying "below market" rates.

 

I agree with this. It's kind of along the lines of what you stated up thread. The only thing is I got the sense that it was more a "memorandum of understanding" than anything concrete. So, it could eventually develop into something, nothing at all or somewhere in between.

 

They may have gotten it below market value but are they making a profit? And are they helping bolster TNF only to have it sold to a higher bidder or go back to NFL Network exclusively after next season? It's a risky investment.

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They may have gotten it below market value but are they making a profit? And are they helping bolster TNF only to have it sold to a higher bidder or go back to NFL Network exclusively after next season? It's a risky investment.

I personally think that TNF is a "loss leader" (or, at best a break even proposition) for CBS. They use it as a promotional platform for exposure to their other programming. And, by all accounts their programming stratagy this past fall worked pretty well. Plus, by having TNF in the fold that means your competition (NBC, FOX, et. al.) doesn't have it. If you were in Les' shoes would you rather see TBBT go up against TNF on a competitor? Or, would you rather keep TNF from them and kick their asses with it even if it meant making little (or, zero) profit?

 

To the second question...Yes, it is a somewhat "risky" investment. But, it's not like eveyone is oblivious to what the "end game" is. It's obvious that the current deal is a "stop gap" and, is being used to build up the overall value of TNF. Eventually the NFL will put the package back out for a more long term deal. I suppose maybe CBS can hope that being the "incumbent" might help when it does inevitably go back out to bid for long term deals. But, yeah they could be building up the TNF franchise for someone else.

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