NFL Pledges Continued Support Of NFL Network At Upfronts
By John Ourand, Staff Writer
The NFL is still committed to the NFL Network, judging by comments the league's top brass made during the NFL Network upfront presentation in N.Y. Thursday night. However, the NFL message to the assembled ad buyers was about much more than a single cable channel that saw its distribution drop last year. Rather, the NFL was pitching its "Media Group," of which NFL Network is a part alongside NFL.com, NFL Mobile and NFL On Demand. In fact, it seemed that NFL execs devoted more attention to NFL.com than NFL Network. Still, despite distribution challenges last year, when both EchoStar and Comcast moved it to a tier, NFL execs said they planned to stay the course and would continue to try and negotiate carriage with four of the top five cable operators.The network has deals in place with more than 100 distributors, and NFL Network President & CEO Steve Bornstein said, "We only have four more to go." However, the net is battling Comcast in the courts and with regulators, and Bornstein said he has had "no dialogue" with Time Warner Cable. Charter and Cablevision are the other MSOs he referred to.
INSIDE ACCESS: The league stressed its inside access with a locker-room set that included several members of the Giants in uniform, including DE Michael Strahan. Other players speaking at the presentation included Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck and former Packers QB Brett Favre. Favre said the only way he would return to the Packers would be "as a coach," but later added that he really had no interest in coaching.
NOTES: Bornstein indicated during an impromptu press conference after the presentation NBC received a better primetime NFL schedule than ESPN by design. Bornstein: "They got the schedules they negotiated for. We moved the Monday night schedule to Sunday night to accommodate the flex schedule. ... "Monday Night Football" is basically what was on Sunday nights since 1987, and I think it's a very strong schedule this year." Bornstein also said NFL Network still was looking to find an announcer to replace Bryant Gumbel and said NFL Films is talking with several outlets about finding a home for "Inside the NFL," which will not be on HBO this season for the first time in more than 30 years.
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
NFLShop.com Targeting Women For Holidays
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Judge To Rebuke FCC Over NFL Net Carriage
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Yahoo, NBC, NFL Reach New Online Deal
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Roger Goodell Discusses State Of NFL
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Judge Stays Ruling In NFLPA Case
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
NFLShop.com Targeting Women For Holidays
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Chiefs' Struggles Lead To Empty Seats
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Judge To Rebuke FCC Over NFL Net Carriage
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
MWC Defends Keeping Game On The Mtn.
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Roger Goodell Discusses State Of NFL
November 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
