Primetime football changes for 2006.

[Mercer Boy]

Yeah, Primetime was always good to throw on between the games. At least you kept the football vibe going. Dang media deals...

The biggest problem will be the games switching times. It will be a hassle for people going to the games and to the people working the games also. They would have to change all their time schedules in a very short period of time. Three weeks should be a sufficient buffer zone, though.

I really hope we will not be subjected to the Three Stooges (ESPN crew) on Monday Night Football. I'm sure we will be though...and if that's the case, looks like I'll be watching a lot more of Monday Night RAW instead.

[UNDEFEATED]

From a media standpoint...No NFL PRIMETIME is great.

i don't know about you guys. But once i saw primtime at whatever time. I NEVER WATCHED ANY OTHER HIGHLIGHT SHOW. they covered everything.

Being another NFL outlet i would clearly wipe them out. NFL Primetime was the anchor highlight show. Stopping it from airing forces us as viewers to watch anything else.

[stomperrob]

And those of us with girlfriends/wives -- I can tell right now, the three games in a day thing is hard to pull off.

Man, that sounds like my house, lol! I'm praying this year that with my wife's job she'll be working Sundays.

[VaderFin]

I'll use myself as example of what a pain this Sunday night thing can be. I live about 4 hours away from where the Dolphins play. I don't have season tickets but like to go to a game or two every year. So I pick a 1pm start time as I can watch the game, get home at a reasonable time afterwards and go to work the next day. Change it to a night game and I'm getting home at 4 in the morning. Yuck!!

the dolphins wont be winning anything this year anyway so dont count on them being moved up to a prime time spot

im gonna miss primetime on sundays as i probably wont be seeing many monday night games/primetime on mondays because of school. not cool, jacked up was one of my highlights of the football week

I'm not holding my breath but the example still works.

[Free Bagel]

The Primetime thing is terrible terrible horrible, I will miss it greatly.

Can't say I like the new scheduling thing either for reasons already mentioned. I'm in a similar situation to Vaderfin about 5 hrs north of Miami and like to hit a game or two every year. Regardless of whether or not the Fins will be good this year they will be eventually (hopefully), so I can't imagine this problem never coming up to where I buy tickets for a game and then end up not being able to go to it because the time gets changed.

I don't mind lousy teams being on MNF every once in a while, I'm not one of the lucky ones that can afford Sunday Ticket so I'm pretty much stuck with Jags and Bucs games every week (yuck), so I don't mind seeing new teams in primetime, especially if they're teams I like that aren't good enough to be there anyways.

The problem is that they pick like 5 teams and put them on their like 4 times each every season, and then if some of those teams end up sucking (as a couple always do), they've ruined half their MNF games right off the bat.

I see 16 weeks of 2 teams playing each other = 32 teams, which amazingly is the same # of teams in the NFL. Put every team on SNF once and MNF once each season.

At least then we wouldn't have to hear 3 hours of Brett Favre man-love 8 times each season.

[skibrett15]

yea, some of those favre story things before the games were pretty intense. Way too over the top for even a packer fan like me.

[Amazinz]

Looks like Madden is going to Sunday night football and Michaels might be moving to ESPN.

Since Dick Ebersol inked John Madden last month for the Peacock's "Sunday Night Football" package, which debuts in 2006, inquiring minds are wondering what the NBC Sports boss' next move will be.
His EbNess has said he was interested in pursuing Al Michaels, Madden's ABC "Monday Night Football" booth mate. ABC Sports/ESPN boss George Bodenheimer made Madden an offer to join ESPN's "Monday Night Football" team (that package debuts in 2006, too), but the Big Man turned that offer down.

What's left of our brain tells us Mr. Bodenheimer likely has pitched Michaels on becoming his No. 1 NFL play-by-play man. This is a move with two faces. ESPN needs to save face after losing Madden, who was a member in good standing of the Disney/ABC/ESPN family. Bodenheimer also needs a marquee face for what clearly will be the most high-profile sports package ESPN has ever aired.

NBC is committed to paying Madden $24 million over six years. It is highly doubtful Ebersol is going to shell out that kind of moo-la-di to land Michaels. Especially when he will have to grease the palm of one Mr. Bob (Rapping Roberto) Costas.

You think Costas is going to tell Ebersol: "I know our cap number is low, but I'm a team player. Go right ahead and defer my salary a couple of years. Just make me a balloon payment in 2011."

Ah, not quite.

So it is safe to say ESPN will be willing to pay Michaels more than NBC would (a couple of reports put his ABC salary - MNF and NBA - at around $7 million per).

If that is the case, Michaels, who has spent nearly his entire career as a major player on network television, has a choice. He can make more money working an NFL package on cable TV (with no playoffs or Super Bowls included) or less doing NFL play-by-play for NBC, where he will also have a chance to call playoff games and two Super Bowls.

This is not an easy decision.

Say ESPN offers Michaels $2 million a year more than NBC. Michaels would have to leave $12 million on the table to work for Ebersol. Man, that's a lot of bread.

Anyway, if Michaels does decide to stay in the Disney family and go to ESPN, it would surprise no one if Ebersol teams Tom Hammond with Madden. Three reasons: 1) It would be an economical move. 2) Hammond's no-nonsense, focused style would give Madden plenty of room to do his thing (just like the Madden/Pat Summerall team). 3) Loyalty. Hammond already is the voice of NBC's football coverage (Arena and Notre Dame).

Other than Ebersol saying he has "interest" in Cris Collinsworth, mum has been the word on the Fox game and HBO studio analyst. Something must be percolating.

Before Ebersol signed Madden, Collinsworth was considered a double candidate (booth or studio) at NBC. Even with Madden in the fold, would Ebersol move Collinsworth into the booth as a play-by-play voice?

That all depends on what Michaels ultimately decides to do.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/footb ... 9247c.html

[SunnydaleSpike]

I gave up watching Primetime when Berman got stale...about 10 years ago. I'm glad to have a new highlight showcase sans Boomer.

[pangbones]

No Primetime SUCKS!!!

The game changes suck too. I don't know about some of you, but I'll watch any game, no matter how bad it is. I am a fan of this league, and love the game. I don't care if its SF and Chi , or Arizona and Cleveland, I'll watch it.

I live in Michigan and make the 3.5 hour drive to Chicago a few times a year. This is the biggest problem with the change. People going to tthe games. I guess since its the same day, it isn't a huge deal, but it is a problem nonetheless.

[The Miner Part 2]

i love this. chris berman + tom jackson(and his suits) = i wonder who will be taking the lead chair for NBC Primtime? bob costas perhaps?