The NFL kicks off its season Sunday, and in DC, Eric
Fisher wrote that the league "is not making any ratings
predictions for this season." NFL Senior Dir of
Broadcasting & Scheduling Joe Ferreira: "I hate to get in
that game, because I'm usually wrong" (WASH. TIMES, 9/9).
FEAR THE UNDERTAKER, BOYS! BLOOMBERG's Shinkle & Newman
report that ABC's "MNF" saw its lowest ratings in 30 years
last season and some attribute the 7% drop to competition
from wrestling on cable. Pilson Communications President
Neal Pilson: "If you're ABC, you have to fear professional
wrestling. It's taking some of your audience out of
circulation on Monday nights." "MNF" Producer Ken Wolfe: "I
don't think we have anything to worry about as far as
wrestling is concerned" (DETROIT NEWS, 9/10).
WHERE THE BOYS ARE: In Chicago, Ed Sherman notes the
new NFL rules allowing networks to "select one game where it
can place a camera and microphone in the locker room before
kickoff" and allowing one player to be miked during pregame
warmups. CBS Exec Producer Terry Ewert: "We're taking a lot
of small steps here, but it helps the telecast." Sherman
adds that the NFL "still operates as a dictatorship," as it
is giving teams the right to decline the networks' requests.
Jets coach Bill Parcells and Saints coach Mike Ditka both
reportedly said no to requests (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/10).
OVERSEAS AND ONLINE: The NFL states that 183 countries
and territories will receive league programming this season,
totaling approximately 56,625 hours of coverage. Among the
NFL's int'l programs are "NFL Bloopers" and the "NFL Week in
Review" (NFL). Meanwhile, NFL Interactive Senior Dir of
Programming & Marketing Jaan Janes says the league expects
more than 500,000 fans to log-on to the relaunched Web site
at http://www.NFL.com each Sunday this season. The site has
added a new NFL shop, additional multimedia packages and
expanded team sections (NFL).
FEELING THE HEAT? In Boston, Howard Manly reports on
the multiple NFL shows this season and writes that industry
"observers worry about the NFL glut and its impact on sports
journalism." CNN/SI's Peter King, on the competition among
NFL reporters: "To me it's become pretty much a ruthless,
cutthroat, dog-eat-dog business. Clearly, the competition
is stronger than it's ever been. And I think all of us who
are in the information business right now look at it and say
that if we don't bring our 'A' games to the table every
week, we're going to get slaughtered" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/10).
The "NFL on Fox" pregame show host Terry Bradshaw, noting
CBS' revamped pregame show: "I'm more aware of (the
competition) this year" (Rudy Martzke, USA TODAY, 9/10).
NEW DEALS WITH NETWORKS: CBS Sports has signed a multi-
year agreement to use PVI's Virtual First Down Line
technology in its NFL broadcasts, including post-season
games and for Super Bowl XXXV (PVI). Meanwhile, both
college and pro football games televised on ABC, ESPN and
Fox will use SportVision's 1st & Ten virtual line marker
(SportVision). Fox has "partnered with the Weather Channel
to give up-to-the-minute weather forecasts during its
pregame shows" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/10).
LOCAL NOTES: In Toronto, William Houston writes that
Bell ExpressVu is "circumventing" the NFL Sunday Ticket PPV
package, which is carried exclusively in Canada on Rogers
Cable. Beginning Sunday, Bell ExpressVu will carry, at "no
extra cost to subscribers, at least" eight of 14 games on
Sunday Ticket (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/10)....In St. Paul, Ray
Richardson cites local TV sources as saying that KSTP-ABC's
three-year contract with the Vikings, signed in March, will
pay the club approximately $800,000 a year. KSTP televised
the team's four exhibition games and will also have a weekly
highlight show (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 9/10)....The
Chargers and KFMB-AM announced a five-year contract
extension that will "ensure" Chargers games remain on KFMB
through 2004. A "highly placed source" said the deal, which
also includes preseason rights for KFMB-CBS, is worth "in
excess" of $17M (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/9).
