Thursday Night Football will have a new home in 2018 ... FOX Sports.
The NFL announced Wednesday a five-year agreement with FOX to broadcast the league's slate of Thursday night games.
John Ourand of Sports Business Daily reports FOX will pay an average of $550 million per year for the rights.
CBS and NBC - which had shared the Thursday night package the last two seasons - combined to pay $450 million per year, according to Ourand.
The agreement gives FOX 11 games each season between weeks 4 and 15 (excluding Thanksgiving night). All of the games will be simulcast on NFL Network.
In addition, NFL Network will get exclusive broadcasts of seven games each season.
FOX Sports will produce the full slate of 18 games.
I rarely watch the Thursday Night games but apparently many do
I still think it is highly hypocritical of the NFL to tout "player safety" whenever it suits them and yet they still have these Thursday Night games, which in my opinion run counter to regard for player safety
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." George Carlin
I rarely watch also. As much as I love football I found, the matchups and the games sucked. I would rather watch the Thursday night MAC conference games on ESPN 3.
Players have long complained the quick turnarounds for Thursday games are difficult and run counter to the league's commitment to the health and safety of its players. The league's response has pointed toward data that showed lower injury rates on Thursday night. This flip in this season's numbers, however, did not change the league's outlook. Dr. Allen Sills, the league's chief medical officer, said last week that "assessing the overall health and safety impact of the game is a lot more complex than just a simple injury rate."
Sills added: "It would be somewhat naïve and superficial of us to say that because the number went up or down that Thursday night is safer or more dangerous."
Goodell said he has spoken to NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith about the issue but has found a "clearly mixed" reaction from players.
"Obviously, most players don't like the short week," Goodell said, "but they sure do love the 10 days that come after it."
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." George Carlin
Half the time I have forgotten where I can even see Thursday Night games. I think it's super smart to give it Fox Sports only if you're trying to further drive down viewership. Why not just give it to TNT....
Such a stupid time to have an NFL game.
The universe is under no obligation to make any sense to you...
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Boris13c wrote:I still think it is highly hypocritical of the NFL to tout "player safety" whenever it suits them and yet they still have these Thursday Night games, which in my opinion run counter to regard for player safety
The simple solution for the NFL to make itself look good about being cautious about player safety and still have Thursday night games is to have teams play a Thursday night game coming off a bye.
Say teams played each other on Thursday, October 18, they would've last played on Sunday the 7th and been off the 14th, and then wouldn't play again until the 28th coming off the Thursday night game. Puts 10-11 days between games instead of 3 in between Sunday and Thursday.
So long as the games are still streamed on Amazon or Yahoo, I could give a shit who owns the contract. It's stupid either way. TNF won't survive the next CBA.
The Marshall Plan wrote:If it increases the odds of Jay Cutler broadcasting a game in which Jon Gruden is coaching then I'm all for it.
Did something happen between Jon Gruden and Jay Cutler?
Whenever Gruden broadcasted a game Cutler was in he'd tee off on him. Rudimentary, noninsightful meatball type crap. Never looking at the full picture just strict QB performance. If Gruden is as bad of a coach as he is an "analyst", Oakland is screwed.
I tried to find a YouTube, but I can't find one.
I just think it would be nice if Cutler called a game Gruden coached and tore him a new one with reckless abandon.
Oh but Gruden's nickname is "Chucky" and he makes a mean face so he must be ZOMG EPIC!
The Marshall Plan wrote:If Gruden is as bad of a coach as he is an "analyst", Oakland is screwed.
not sure how he is going to fair now, but did you forget Gruden got the Raiders almost to the Super Bowl? the Tuck Rule game prevented that (no one will ever convince me Brady did not fumble that ball, I don't care how many half assed rules they quote) ... that was a team he built and coached up
I'm guessing Bowl Hair Davis is expecting a repeat of that ... guess we'll see
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." George Carlin
