Some places like Omaha get 4 teams while others don't get any besides the national games. Omaha also gets Broncos and Packers in addition to the closer Chiefs and Vikings (but no Bears). Are there any geographic restrictions or can stations air whatever they want (or want to pay for). Many teams air in places where they don't have radio affiliate. Sometimes the same game airs on 2 different stations with different announcers. Raiders still air in LA. Chargers are also still airing in San Diego. Albuquerque gets the Rams. STL is getting Chiefs and Packers but no Bears.
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How do the local NFL preseason TV rights work?
- Thread starter nomadcowatbk
- Start date
Every team's home market gets its own team on local TV, both home and away, unless a game is airing on one of the networks. They'll still get the game, but only on their local network affiliate. Sellouts, or the lack thereof, no longer matter. Preseason games are the only ones that the teams themselves control the TV rights to, as opposed to the networks or the league itself.
NFL Network airs quite a few games live, but they are local broadcasts. Others are replayed throughout the week.
Check here for each team's game and the local stations that will air the games: 506sports.com - Home
NFL Network airs quite a few games live, but they are local broadcasts. Others are replayed throughout the week.
Check here for each team's game and the local stations that will air the games: 506sports.com - Home
Preseason game rights are handled by the individual teams. So they make deals with TV stations in various markets to carry those three (formerly 4) games. And these don't necessarily have to be the network affiliates that handle most of their regular season games, as that is handled by the NFL themselves. So, the teams negotiate directly, as they do with radio station affiliates of their radio networks (which are likewise administered by the teams or a third party that produces hired to produce them).
Therefore, stations in markets like Omaha or Des Moines, which have no NFL teams of their own and seemingly have divided fanbases) can make deals with the individual teams to carry the games. And it doesn't matter which teams. So Des Moines and Cedar Rapids stations could conceivably carry preseason games from the Vikings, Packers, Bears and Chiefs, which all have fanbases there.
So, much more flexibility than the league TV deals.
As for NFL Network, they have rights to carry the games, at their discretion. They don't produce them, but typically just use the local team's feeds with their own announcers.
Which is mostly what the MLB Network does with baseball.
It'll be interesting to see how this changes now that NFL Network is run by ESPN.
I doubt we’ll see any changes to NFL preseason coverage. The individual teams will continue with their ad hoc network arrangements.
I had the thought that preseason games could move to stand-alone streaming services some years down the road, but would anyone actually pay for that? And there remains the likelihood that the NFL regular season gets expanded to 18 games, with only two preseason games, so probably not worth it to blow up the current preseason broadcast arrangement.
It was funny, I was in a sports bar last night, mainly to watch baseball, but it felt like everyone else was watching pre-season football.
I don't live in Cleveland, but there was a lot of interest in Shedeur Sanders. Fortunately I was able to watch both games side by side.
There is always the possibility Peacock or Paramount + could buy the rights and make the games available to their local NBC or CBS affiliates but I think I would have expected that to happen already.
Hawaii gets like 4 or 5 games each weekend based on teams that are no where near the west coast due to the time change.
Alaska is the same way. CBS Anchorage picked up the Vikings games this year. NBC picked up the Chiefs games. ABC has the Packers games
Here are the games today and next weekend in anchorage.
The teams apparently do well selling the TV rights for their preseason games to individual stations, just like they do with radio affiliates. Seems like many stations want to establish themselves as the "official" team station (via the three preseason games, their news/sports coverage and highlights shows), even if they're not affiliated with CBS or FOX. So they bid for the three August games.
what neutral market gets the highest ratings for preseason games? Could a station in Lubbock where the Chiefs have radio affiliate pick up their preseason games for a few minutes of Mahomes?
Stations can make preseason deals for whatever team they want. A station in Anchorage, AK aired yesterday's Minnesota Vikings game.
How do the stations in AK and HI choose their teams?
The normal closest team (Hawaii has a few) and Alaska has Seattle
Someone played college in Hawaii or is from Hawaii
They choose who did good last year (Alaska does that like this year with the Vikes). Last year CBS Alaska had Pittsburgh games, this year Minnesota.
They choose who locals may like. Lots of Packers fans in Alaska so they’ve been on there for many years. Vikings, packers and chiefs are the 3 big ones in Alaska (besides Seattle)
The time change greatly helps them. They can show so many games just because. Hawaii has ELEVEN teams they will show this year. If there are 2 teams playing each other and Hawaii has both teams in their ‘group’ they will show both feeds. They had both feeds (on different stations) of the Raiders and Seattle when they played on Thursday. Same as today’s Miami vs Chicago game
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Did a station in Omaha pick up the Broncos for the Chiefs haters?
506sports.com lists KPTM/42 in Omaha as carrying the Broncos preseason.
WXMI FOX17 in West Michigan has always carried the Lions preseason games other than from 99-01 when WZZM aired the Lions preseason games in the 90s WZZM aired the coaches show. Which I didn't get why FOX17 didn't air the coaches show which they aired the Lions programs since 2002-present which is now is Lions Gameday Live Sun 11AM to 12PM FOX NFL Kickoff show airs on DT2 & Inside The Pride Wed at 7PM to 7:30PM.
Outside of AK and HI, which team airs the furthest away from their stadium?
According to the listings on 506sports.com, the Dallas Cowboys have the largest preseason network with 25 markets. Must irk instate rival Houston Texans, who only have nine markets.
Some freelancers, some are the regular/post season radio guys, some Fox/CBS regional broadcasters probably looking for some extra money while getting in shape for September (it's preseason for them, too).