Without two highly competitive winners in N.Y., the NFL will never truly maximize its viewership potentialGETTY IMAGES
The Jets and the Giants, which share the country's largest media market, are both still winless and "driving eyeballs away from the tube, depriving the league of reaching its maximum viewership level," according to Bob Raissman of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Unless the Jets and Giants go on "some sort of miraculous run, viewership in the metropolitan area will continue to plummet" and that is "more bad news for the NFL." The league "can't ignore the New York problem," as without two highly competitive winners in N.Y., the NFL will "never truly maximize its viewership potential." It is "specifically those potential eyeballs the NFL is losing that hurt the most" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/10).
BRINGING A BIG-GAME FEEL: THE ATHLETIC’s Richard Deitsch notes CBS had its top team of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on yesterday’s Giants-Cowboys game “given the viewership potential of the game (Dallas is the NFL’s top viewership draw),” as well as Romo “being able to work from his hometown.” The decision “paid off during the frantic last minute in an absolutely thrilling” game. Despite the teams entering the contest with one combined win, the game “felt bigger given who was calling it” (THEATHLETIC.com, 10/12). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Phil Mushnick wrote it "remains difficult to fully hear what Tony Romo is saying," as his "raspy voice often fades at the close of his spoken thoughts." Mushnick: "CBS can't fix that?" (N.Y. POST, 10/11).
TROUBLE WITH NAMES: USA TODAY’s Chris Bumbaca notes CBS’ Greg Gumbel during yesterday’s Bengals-Ravens game apologized for calling Ravens QB Lamar Jackson "‘Murray’ during his play-by-play on several occasions.” Gumbel late in the game said, “For some unearthly reason I referred to Lamar Jackson as Kyler Murray today. I got to apologize to Lamar, I apologize to Murray, I apologize to their fans.” After making the mistake during a first-quarter Jackson touchdown pass and a third-quarter run, Gumbel asked, “Why do I keep calling him Murray?" (USA TODAY, 10/12).
ILLNESS NOT FORCING HIM OUT: In Pittsburgh, Chris Adamski reported longtime Steelers broadcaster Tunch Ilkin has been diagnosed with ALS, but there is "no indication" that he will leave the team's radio booth. He has called all four Steelers games so far this season. Ilkin "went into broadcasting after retirement and joined the Steelers radio network team" in '98. He has been "alone in the booth with Bill Hillgrove since the late Myron Cope's retirement" in '05 (TRIBLIVE.com, 10/9).
BIG THINGS FOR HERBIE? ESPN's Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit were set to call Broncos-Patriots tonight before it was rescheduled to next weekend, and SI.com's Jimmy Traina before the game was moved asked whether Herbstreit could be "ready to leave college football for the NFL." There have been rumors Disney "would like to get a second NFL package when the NFL negotiates new television deals." If ESPN/ABC end up with two NFL packages, that "would give Herbstreit an opening to make the jump." Traina wrote, "One thing that has to be enticing for ESPN when it comes to moving Herbstreit from college football on Saturday nights to Monday Night Football is that the network is in desperate need of some stability for the MNF booth. There isn't a football analyst around who could do that better than Herbstreit, who is popular, respected and always gives viewers a good broadcast" (SI.com, 10/9).
