12/03/24
February 05, 2014
CBS to Air 8 NFL Games on Thursday Night: CBS has reached a deal with the NFL to air eight games on Thursday night in the first half of the season and two late-season Saturday night games. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will call the games. CBS, which broadcast its first NFL game in 1956, had the rights to air NFC games from 1970 to 1993 and has owned the AFC rights since 1998.
No toleration needed, amigo. You're bound to be able to tune into a college game on a Tues. or a Weds. featuring some well knowns as well as some up-and-coming programs that want to get some of that Boise State - style national exposure.
You might have a chance to see Bobby Petrino's Louisville Cards go into battle on hump day and help pay for the stadium by ordering in a couple of pizzas that Peyton helped make. You can't let an opportunity like that pass you by.
posted by beaverboard at 09:32 PM on February 05, 2014
This is great. Wait, hold on. Will these games be aired on CBS proper or on the subscriber-based CBS Sports?
posted by NoMich at 09:36 PM on February 05, 2014
Well alrighty then. This is one thing the NFL is doing much better than the other leagues: airing games on free TV. It's frustrating that I can't get my other local teams games on free TV.
[begin truthy]I imagine there is some sort of loop going on that allows for football games to remain on broadcast TV: the popularity of the game makes it worth the networks' investments for the rights and showing the games on free, broadcast TV makes the game super popular. [end truthy]
posted by NoMich at 08:00 AM on February 06, 2014
I do not like the Thursday NFL games, partly because there were other things on Thursday already but mostly because I have to make my NFL picks earlier.
posted by bender at 09:32 AM on February 06, 2014
If they're going to have them, though, at least they can be on free tv.
posted by bender at 09:32 AM on February 06, 2014
I thought there was a clause in Petrino's new contract specifically requiring him to avoid hump days at work.
posted by yerfatma at 09:59 AM on February 06, 2014
A local article showed the list of programs (all sitcoms) that would be displaced by CBS broadcasting NFL football. After looking at the list, I believe that for this reason alone, NFL football on CBS is worth it.
posted by Howard_T at 05:18 PM on February 06, 2014
I'm going to guess that the game won't start until 9pm, so that means their number 1 show (The Big Bang Theory, which finished 2nd among all regular shows (ages 18-49) in 2012/13) might still be aired in its usual 8pm slot.
If not, where ever they move it will probably obliterate the other networks' offerings in that time slot.
posted by grum@work at 11:04 PM on February 06, 2014
I doubt they'll leave anything else on Thursday nights because of the West Coast time difference. NBC doesn't bother putting anything before Sunday Night Football.
posted by Etrigan at 11:45 PM on February 06, 2014
I hated the NFL encroaching on Thursday nights when it began, but now I'm completely addicted. Those two days off between weeks of the season are about as much as I can tolerate.