CNBC’s “Squawk Box” dedicated a large portion of its three-hour broadcast this morning to the return of the NFL, as guests included Commissioner Roger Goodell, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft and QB Tom Brady, Jets Owner Woody Johnson and Giants Treasurer Jonathan Tisch. Goodell noted he was just in Silicon Valley meeting with tech leaders, something the league does every year in order to "broaden our partnerships." Goodell: "We have great relationships with our current partners that have made NFL football more popular because of the way that they use technology to present our game. What we want to do is continue to look to the future. How can technology help the NFL reach more fans?" Goodell said there are many companies “in the Valley that are doing wonderful things with technology, and our content can play a huge role in that effort.” Goodell: “We heard that loudly from all of the different partners that we met with." CNBC’s Joe Kernen told Goodell to be "careful with that digital" because "everybody has traded analog dollars for digital nickels, and it'd be nice to expand your fan base, but you are made for network TV." Kernen: "It just scares me to think of that you could see any game you want to on some stupid little iPhone or something. Don't do it!" Goodell said the league is "proud of the fact that we continue to be on network television." But he added the NFL has tried to “take technology and complement that." Kraft added, "We don't want to dilute our content. We want to keep it special."
SUNDAY FUN DAY: There were reports last month the NFL talked with Google regarding the Sunday Ticket package. Goodell said, "We want to make sure that that continues to be available to a specific audience … and it will complement our broadcast audience. We're not trying to drive eyeballs away from the broadcast partners, we're trying to use that content in a very isolated fashion to create a premium experience that our fans love. That's why the Sunday Ticket package has been so successful. We have to figure out how to continue that as technology is changing ,and as mobile continues to develop there are new opportunities for us to be able to reach those fans and that's what fans demand."
LIFT AND PLAY: Johnson and Tisch appeared together live via satellite from Tiffany’s in N.Y., where the Lombardi Trophy was on display, and Kernen told Johnson to turn around and grab the trophy. Johnson said, "You can't just grab it. You need gloves. You have to have white gloves now." Tisch told Kernen that "you can't see how many security people from Tiffany's are here guarding the Super Bowl trophy behind us." Kernen, referencing Kraft giving one of his Super Bowl rings to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “gift,” said, "Woody, we've seen Super Bowl rings disappear. I don’t know why you just can't walk off with that trophy." In the background, Kraft could be heard saying, "Touché. That was good." Johnson added, "Ask Bob, he was good at that" (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 9/4).
