“Here’s a large moment in NFL historical previous,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated. “The CBA with the gamers and the currently done media agreements present the muse for us to pork up the usual of the NFL abilities for our fans. And one of many benefits of every crew taking half in 17 traditional-season games is the flexibility for us to continue to grow our recreation around the field.”
Furthermore Read: Did the NFL Factual Break the Bundle With Streaming-First Deals?
Here are three key takeaways as fans take a seat thru the following 5 months:
1. No “Monday Night time Football” doubleheader at some stage in Week 1
As portion of Monday’s announcement, ESPN stated it would possibly per chance per chance well air a “Monday Night time Football” recreation in Week 17, with two games on Saturday at some stage in Week 18 to be simulcast on ABC and ESPN. Though it’s no longer 100% determined but, a person with records of ESPN’s stock told TheWrap that the network will hang the identical sequence of “MNF” games, appropriate unfold over a further week. When TheWrap asked how ESPN plans to assemble that, the particular person stated it’d be “logical” that ESPN would take one of its two Week 1 games the network airs as portion of its opening week doubleheader and switch it to Week 17.
The doubleheader would possibly per chance perhaps also very effectively be scrapped for 2022 as effectively, even supposing ABC does rep its contain “Monday Night time Football” broadcast in 2022 as portion of ESPN’s “bridge deal” for that season.
2. Recent TV presents were done with the extended traditional season in thoughts
Piece of the aim the NFL turned into able to thunder north of $100 billion in its unique rights presents? All facets were negotiating with the records that the typical season would be 18 weeks long. The conventional season extension, which comes one season after the expanded playoffs, turned into baked into the unique Collective Bargaining Settlement that turned into reached final year.
No longer one of many rights holders, nor the NFL, responded to TheWrap’s question for commentary on how the financials will work for the following two seasons till the unique presents kick in. Nonetheless, one particular person with records told TheWrap, “I doubt they gave it to us at free of charge.”
3. Mid-February Good Bowl mucks up NBC’s Olympics plans
The addition of an 18th week of the typical season pushes the playoffs and Good Bowl help per week. Which implies that Good Bowl LVI from Los Angeles will kick off on February 13, 2022. At some level of, the NFL messed with NBC’s plans.
Two years prior to now, NBC swapped its space in the Good Bowl rotation with CBS. NBC turned into initially scheduled to broadcast Good Bowl LV, which turned into carried out final month, but traded with CBS for Good Bowl LVI next February. The purpose? NBC desired to align its Good Bowl protection with the Beijing Iciness Olympics, which is space to trot Feb. 4-20, 2022. Nevertheless that turned into with the premise that the Good Bowl would be carried out on Feb. 6, serving as a huge promotional vehicle for the Video games.
The Good Bowl will now air smack in the heart of the Beijing Iciness Olympics and will factor in NBC competing with itself that night.