NFL 🏈 an old school Sunday doubleheader on both networks

[underpants]

It used to be there were always the 1:00 and 4:00 games on CBS (NFC) and NBC (AFC). Now, that rarely happens. Richmond is 1-2 hours from the actual DC market and 4 hours from Charlotte.

1:00
Bills at the Pats CBS
Baltimore at Cincy FOX

4:00
Green Bay at Denver CBS
Detroit at the Rams FOX

AND there’s snow ❄️ on the ground !

[BOSSHOG]

1. Nasty cold n KC today

Hosting the Chargers.

[Wiz Imp]

2. Doubleheaders on both networks are scheduled by the NFL for only 2 weeks each year

It has been this way for decades. An article from last year explaining it:

https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/why-bills-lions-steelers-eagles-played-same-time-sunday.html
Why are Bills-Lions and Steelers-Eagles being played at the same time on Sunday?
The NFL is employing what it calls a "double-doubleheader" with the hopes of increasing viewership.

Well, on a normal NFL Sunday, both CBS and Fox will air regional action in the 1:00 p.m. ET window. Then, the two networks will switch off who airs a game in the 4:25 p.m. ET national window. Typically, that game is of considerable national interest. Games played in the Mountain or Pacific time zones that are not selected for the national window kick off at 4:05 p.m. ET, and are only shown in limited markets.

However, two times each year the NFL will schedule what is known as a “double-doubleheader” in which both CBS and Fox air regional action at 1:00 p.m. ET and a national window game at 4:25 p.m. ET. The networks generally don’t love this because it means they’re competing with another high-wattage game on a different channel. But the NFL sees the double-doubleheader as an opportunity to juice overall viewership, even if the networks themselves don’t quite match the audiences they get in normal weeks.

What’s different about this week is that the first double-doubleheader is falling much later in the season. In the past, the NFL has scheduled the double-double during Week 1 and Week 18 — the first and last weeks of the regular season. This season, the NFL decided to do Fox a favor and give the network a standard national window game in Week 1 (which happened to be the debut of Tom Brady’s broadcasting career).

As a result, Week 15 became a double-doubleheader instead. And it just so happens that it will feature two of the most intriguing matchups so far this season.

So this year, they also made week 15 the first double-doubleheader week.

[underpants]

6. Yes. Product management. Makes people buy TV packages

It used to be we got the end of Broncos (Elway) or Dolphins (Marino) games.

Back in the 90’s there was a de facto playoff game the last week. Giants vs Rams I think. The local CBS station announced it would, of course, carry that games. The Washington fans (and it’s mostly Washington fans around here) raised hell. Phone calls aplenty. Okay okay. Channel 6 said it would carry the almost needless Skins AT Cardinals game. 🙄

[Wiz Imp]

8. Interesting. Normally, the NFL does not listen to the local affiliates wishes

South Central PA where I live is pretty evenly split between Eagles and Steelers fans. We're actually closer to Baltimore than either Philly or Pittsburgh, but there are far fewer Ravens here than Eagles & Steelers. But the NFL has declared this a primary Baltimore market so their games get priority. The local CBS station has petitioned the NFL many times to be able to air the Steelers games when there is a conflict with Baltimore because they know they have a much bigger audience for the Steelers. But the NFL has never acceded to the local affiliates wishes and has always MADE them air the Baltimore games.

[a kennedy]

3. Did I hear it might be in the 60's for the Packer vs Bronco's game???

Yikes….only there is the altitude!!!! 🥰 💚 💛

[usonian]

4. SF -12.5 versus Titans in Santa Clara.

I get the Fox game (and ONLY the game) over the air with the bow-tie antenna.

I'll have it all tuned up by game time!



Special mention of D.C. Robert Saleh, who has done a fantastic job with an injury-shortened squad.

[surfered]

5. Thankfully, no Cowboys

[Wiz Imp]

7. Cowboys are the Sunday night game on NBC

[surfered]

9. Will anyone watch?

[Wiz Imp]

10. LOts of people watch the Sunday & Monday night games even when they are bad matchups

So I'm sure the audience for Cowboys vs Vikings will still be decent though it would be larger if it were a matchup between 2 playoff contenders.

[surfered]

11. It's that time of year and proves forecasting which teams will make the playoffs is difficult

Even for TV schedulers tasked with getting high ratings