The NFL has "no plans for non-satellite pay-per-view in the
next TV contract" as the league "is concerned PPV games might
hurt ratings on network TV." according to Barry Jackson of the
MIAMI HERALD. The NFL has raised the price of its NFL Sunday
Ticket package from $139 to $159 and is projecting 400,000
residential sales, "although the league refused to be more
specific." NFL's VP /Broadcasting Val Pinchbeck: "We've done
very well with the Sunday Ticket, but the commissioner has said
pay-per-view is not on the near horizon" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/15).
In San Francisco, Bruce Jenkins compares the NFL TV policy to
boxing's PPV "scam": "With its hopelessly dated home-blackout
policy, the NFL is entering that sleazy realm" (S.F. CHRONICLE,
9/14).
NEWS & NOTES: BUSINESS WEEK profiles Topps' NFL CybrCard, a
CD-ROM version of the trading card. Each CybrCard features a
players stats and history along with around 90 digital video
clips of memorable plays. It retails for $20 for a single player
or three-packs of players for $50 (BUSINESS WEEK, 9/23
issue)....Fox Analyst Ronnie Lott on Joe Theismann's criticism of
Jets WR Keyshawn Johnson: "The guy from Notre Dame that gave him
a hard time, he shouldn't give him a hard time" ("Fox NFL
Sunday," 9/15).
