Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Media

NFL Network's Bornstein Says No Additional Thursday Night Games Will Be Added

NFL Network President & CEO Steve Bornstein recently defended the league's Thursday night games, but he "also said no more Thursday games would be added," according to Joe Flint of the L.A. TIMES. There has been some "speculation that the NFL would look to create additional games, including a possible opening doubleheader." But Bornstein said of the doubleheader, "That was not anything we seriously considered." He did not rule out "taking some of those games off the NFL Network to create another package to sell to a cable or broadcast outlet," as that "would create another source of TV revenue for the league." Bornstein: "We constantly think about how to reformulate our packages to maximize them." Flint reports among the ideas Bornstein is "considering for the NFL Network is an in-season version of 'Hard Knocks.'" Meanwhile, he downplayed the fact that there have been concerns over the quality of play in Thursday games and whether having teams "play on short rest is in the best interest of player safety." Bornstein said of the package, "It’s worked out pretty nicely. The fans seem to like it, our ratings are going up" (L.A. TIMES, 10/28).

NFL NETWORK WILL HAVE GAMES: REUTERS' Grover & Baker report Bornstein stressed that the NFL "intends to reserve some live games for its own NFL Network" even if the league decides to offer a package of Thursday night games. He said, "There is no way that this channel won't have live games. It's great content, and gives us an amazing platform to expand into other areas." He acknowledged that the league has "heard from potential bidders for a possible new package of games, but would not name them." He also "would not say how many games would be included in a possible package, but said the league is unlikely to allow two games to be played on a single Thursday night" (REUTERS, 10/28).

FIRST & 10: In N.Y., Miller & Sandomir take a look at NFL Network’s 10th anniversary under the header, “NFL Network’s 10-Year Gains: 13 Games and 72 Million Homes.” Bornstein said, “We were very clear that this wasn’t for the faint of heart. The great thing is that ownership never lost patience and gave us the time to make it happen” (N.Y. TIMES, 10/28).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/10/28/Media/NFL-Thursday.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/10/28/Media/NFL-Thursday.aspx

CLOSE