Under close scrutiny, the quantifiable benefits of the
NFL to broadcast networks "are not as overwhelming as is
widely believed," as its "presumed life-giving effects just
might be overrated," according to Eric Schmuckler of
MEDIAWEEK, who takes an extensive look at the value of the
NFL to the networks. One Senior Network Exec: "Football is
not some savior, because it comes at such a high price. To
me, it's more like a drug -- you get hooked on it and it
sucks all your profit out." A sports media buyer at a major
agency: "It's not going to make or break you. For years NBC
was the No. 3 network, and they had the NFL -- and on Sunday
they were a distant No. 3." Jamie Kellner, WB CEO and a
Founding Exec at Fox: "I don't think the NFL is of great
value to a network unless you can make money on it. ... You
don't define your network with product that's available in
other places; you define it with original series
programming." Kellner: "From my vantage point, Fox achieved
network status because of The Simpsons and the Spelling
shows. ... Whoever has the hit shows is the big-time
network, not the one that overpays for a sports franchise."
THE FLIP SIDE: Schmuckler writes that the "conventional
wisdom among media buyers and the press is that despite the
likelihood that football will bring devastating losses, in
the prevailing view these networks did the right thing."
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue: "We have a network builder.
The NBA is a phenomenal property, but it's not a network
builder. We have incumbency, rights of first refusal, but
there's been more change on the other side of the table than
on mine. [News Corp. Chair Rupert] Murdoch viewed football
as a network builder and now so does the new management at
CBS." Fox Sports President David Hill: "Football is a
landmark property. Because it gives you the biggest
promotional platform there is." CBS TV CEO Les Moonves: "I
don't want to say football is the be-all and end-all. But
where else do you get three or six hours of that kind of
circulation, up from zero? ... If the audience doesn't
stay, it's the programming's fault" (MEDIAWEEK, 9/28 issue).
