Question On TV NFL Broadcasts

[Robino]

What is the rule that determines because the Bears are playing @ noon on FOX (Ch. 32), CBS (Ch. 2) won't broadcast a game @ the same time even though the Bears game is an away game and it's supposed to be a double-header day for CBS. I don't subscribe to either cable or satellite, but have an antenna that picks up Milwaukee, Chicago, Rockford, & South Bend. I noticed the same scenario in Milwaukee for the Packers. Ch. 6 (FOX) is carrying the Packer/Saints game and Ch. 58 (CBS) has no game until 3:15PM. How does this work?

 

[KeithE]

> What is the rule that determines because the Bears are
> playing @ noon on FOX (Ch. 32), CBS (Ch. 2) won't broadcast
> a game @ the same time even though the Bears game is an away
> game and it's supposed to be a double-header day for CBS. I
> don't subscribe to either cable or satellite, but have an
> antenna that picks up Milwaukee, Chicago, Rockford, & South
> Bend. I noticed the same scenario in Milwaukee for the
> Packers. Ch. 6 (FOX) is carrying the Packer/Saints game and
> Ch. 58 (CBS) has no game until 3:15PM. How does this work?

I think the rule is that if a team is playing at home, that team's network (in this case, Fox) can only carry that game (if it's a sellout) or one other game (if it's not a sellout and therefore is blacked out locally), and the other network can also carry one game. This is regardless of which network is carrying the doubleheader that week). One network goes early and the other late.

I had a big antenna on my house when I lived in Streamwood for the same reason. Rockford carried all doubleheader games and sometimes Milwaukee carried some completely different games, especially if the Packers were on the road.

 

[EnbyCee]

> > What is the rule that determines because the Bears are
> > playing @ noon on FOX (Ch. 32), CBS (Ch. 2) won't
> broadcast
> > a game @ the same time even though the Bears game is an
> away
> > game and it's supposed to be a double-header day for CBS.
> I
> > don't subscribe to either cable or satellite, but have an
> > antenna that picks up Milwaukee, Chicago, Rockford, &
> South
> > Bend. I noticed the same scenario in Milwaukee for the
> > Packers. Ch. 6 (FOX) is carrying the Packer/Saints game
> and
> > Ch. 58 (CBS) has no game until 3:15PM. How does this work?
>
>
> I think the rule is that if a team is playing at home, that
> team's network (in this case, Fox) can only carry that game
> (if it's a sellout) or one other game (if it's not a sellout
> and therefore is blacked out locally), and the other network
> can also carry one game. This is regardless of which
> network is carrying the doubleheader that week). One
> network goes early and the other late.


I think this rule stinks, myself. Does the NFL honestly think people would be less likely to buy tickets to a Bears (or Packers, etc.) home game if there's another game being televised simulataneously?

It's odd that this rule survived the liberalization of the NFL's TV policy over the last three decades, the sad part is that now it actually makes some business sense, since people in a team's "primary" market who are not fans of the home team will be more likely to buy Sunday Ticket.

The league considers Milwaukee a primary market for the Packers for various historic and economic reasons, so that's why Milwaukee is not exempt from that rule.

 

[bhayes1016]

Actually, FOX had the doubleheader today.