Unfair network practices in WNY

[scribo]

Why is it that the networks are allowed to put a another NFL game on opposite the Bills' game in teh Bills' market? When the Bills face off Sunday with the Rams, it will be on CBS but the Redskins/Cowgirls game will be shown at the same time right there in Buffalo and Rochester on Fox. Now, I that is nice for fans to be able to flip back and forth on commercials. But in St. Louis, only the Bills/Rams game will be on. Here in Washington, only the Skins/Girls game will be on. Apparently, the league allows different markets to have different restrictions on the networks, which I think is BS and unfair. It would be very beneficial for the Bills to have only their game on in their market as that would drive more local football fans to follow the Bills and likely even go to the games, etc.

 

Notice St. Louis and then notice WNY Why aren't they the same?

 

CBS

 

Before you think it is a small market thing...

 

So what do you think about this inequity?

[The Senator]

Why is it that the networks are allowed to put a another NFL game on opposite the Bills' game in teh Bills' market? When the Bills face off Sunday with the Rams, it will be on CBS but the Redskins/Cowgirls game will be shown at the same time right there in Buffalo and Rochester on Fox. Now, I that is nice for fans to be able to flip back and forth on commercials. But in St. Louis, only the Bills/Rams game will be on. Here in Washington, only the Skins/Girls game will be on. Apparently, the league allows different markets to have different restrictions on the networks, which I think is BS and unfair. It would be very beneficial for the Bills to have only their game on in their market as that would drive more local football fans to follow the Bills and likely even go to the games, etc.

 

Notice St. Louis and then notice WNY Why aren't they the same?

 

CBS

 

Before you think it is a small market thing...

 

So what do you think about this inequity?

I think it's an outrage- you should flood their email in protest!

 

OK, now on a serious note, I doubt that it's a restriction or inequity - they can probably show whatever they want in DC, just chose not to for ratings reasons (i.e., the competing station can probably make more money showing an infomercial than a competing game, since all they want to watch there is the Redskins - ESPECIALLY when it's against the Cowboys - that's bigger than the Superbowl in DC).

[scribo]

OK, now on a serious note, I doubt that it's a restriction or inequity - they can probably show whatever they want in DC, just chose not to for ratings reasons (i.e., the competing station can probably make more money showing an infomercial than a competing game, since all they want to watch there is the Redskins - ESPECIALLY when it's against the Cowboys - that's bigger than the Superbowl in DC).

Nope, the local Washington CBS affiliate here has told me before it is a league-enforced rule that they cannot show another football game, even a Ravens game, if the Redskins are on at the same time on another network. I had asked back when the Bills were playing the Ravens. Instead, the CBS channel showed infomercials the entire time, hardly a ratings draw.

 

The same goes for up in Baltimore. If the Ravens are playing, no other games, even Redskins games, can be shown on a Baltimore channel.

[Christopher Capolupo]

Living in Buffalo I love the fact that we get two games. I don't think it makes fans in Buffalo less likely to follow the Bills.

[The Senator]

Nope, the local Washington CBS affiliate here has told me before it is a league-enforced rule that they cannot show another football game, even a Ravens game, if the Redskins are on at the same time on another network. I had asked back when the Bills were playing the Ravens. Instead, the CBS channel showed infomercials the entire time, hardly a ratings draw.

 

The same goes for up in Baltimore. If the Ravens are playing, no other games, even Redskins games, can be shown on a Baltimore channel.

I'm tempted to 'call bullschitt' or say whoever told you that is mistaken. Again, in that market, infomercials probably make more revenue for the competing station than showing another game that no one will watch. Here in The BuffTown, it's not unheard of for the other network's affiliate to show infomercials against the Bills broadcast, since their advertisers know we'll all be watching the Bills and won't buy commercial time. The Dean knows more about this crap than anyone, maybe he'll chime in.

[stuckincincy]

Nope, the local Washington CBS affiliate here has told me before it is a league-enforced rule that they cannot show another football game, even a Ravens game, if the Redskins are on at the same time on another network. I had asked back when the Bills were playing the Ravens. Instead, the CBS channel showed infomercials the entire time, hardly a ratings draw.

 

The same goes for up in Baltimore. If the Ravens are playing, no other games, even Redskins games, can be shown on a Baltimore channel.

 

That's the way it happens in CIN.

 

DAL is batting a thousand here, so far...all 3, and now 4, have been/will be shown.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

I'm tempted to 'call bullschitt' or say whoever told you that is mistaken. Again, in that market, infomercials probably make more revenue for the competing station than showing another game that no one will watch. Here in The BuffTown, it's not unheard of for the other network's affiliate to show infomercials against the Bills broadcast, since their advertisers know we'll all be watching the Bills and won't buy commercial time. The Dean knows more about this crap than anyone, maybe he'll chime in.

 

 

I am with you Senator. Though I defer to the Dean, my understanding is that the exclusivity only kicks in when the home team is playing at home. That is why St. Louis is only showing the Rams game.

 

Sorry Buffalo fans, but we will have to look elsewhere for our daily "slap in the face..."

[eball]

It's all about protecting the home team's market. You won't get competing games in the market of the home team, but you will when your team is on the road.

 

The NFL is basically saying "watch your home team (by going to the game or seeing it on local TV) or no team at all."

[Lori]

They've always been allowed to run a game opposite the local team's road games, but not against their home games, and it has nothing to do with the region.

 

From the NFL media site:

Number of Games in a Market

With regard to the number of NFL games seen in a particular market on a Sunday afternoon, there are three different situations.

 

1. An NFL franchised market (i.e. New York, Chicago, Dallas, etc.).

On a week when the NFL team (or teams) in a market is on the ROAD Sunday, Monday or Thursday night or Saturday afternoon, the market will receive three Sunday afternoon games... two telecasts by the network with the doubleheader week and one game by the network with the single game week. When an NFL team in the market is playing at HOME on Sunday afternoon, the market will receive two games... one game on FOX and one game on CBS, regardless of which network has the doubleheader week. Unless 1) the home team's assigned telecaster that day (CBS or FOX) is also on the doubleheader network and 2) the game is sold out 72 hours in advance. Then the three games would be the home team's and two other games in the remaining early or late window.

 

2. All other television markets (including secondary blackout markets).

Network affiliates in these markets will receive three games on Sunday afternoon, two on the doubleheader network (one early and one late) and one game on the single game network (either early or late).

 

Selection of Games to be Telecast Regionally

By network contract, all team road games must be telecast back to that team's home territory (franchised market and secondary blackout markets).

 

Other than the above requirement, the televising network is the sole selector of which game(s) will be aired in all markets.

 

Since FOX has the doubleheader and the Bills game is on CBS, St. Louis only gets two games this week. Washington and Buffalo are different, because their teams are on the road. From the 506 maps, looks like the D.C. area gets GB-TB early and the Skins game late, plus the scintillating Battle of Ohio on CBS. Buffalo gets the Jets early and the national game (Skins) late.

 

When the Skins are playing on the road at 1 and CBS has the doubleheader, I can guarantee you your local CBS affiliate is showing a game opposite them. The only reason that hasn't happened this year is because they haven't had a 1 p.m. road game yet.

 

(EDIT: And if they're not, for the reason they're telling you, they're lying.)

 

This week's other road teams:

Denver at KC: Denver will also get GB/TB at the same time.

Cleveland at Cincinnati: Ditto for Cleveland.

Houston at Jacksonville: San Fran/New Orleans in Houston.

 

etc., etc.

[Ned Flanders]

They've always been allowed to run a game opposite the local team's road games, but not against their home games, and it has nothing to do with the region.

The voice of reason, backed by actual statistics or other citations other than emotion, strikes again.

 

I'm in DC also Scrib, and the reference you talk about, refers to HOME games only. So when the Skins are at home at 1:00, and the Bills are in Baltimore, also at 1:00, for example, Skins get exclusive status.

 

Now, the last couple of years, there's been talk down here of making the DC-Baltimore area a single NFL market, like NY. So, if the Skins kick off at 1:00, the Ravens would go at 4:00, etc., etc. The reason being, is that there are many Ravens fans in the Maryland suburbs that are in the DC TV market. In fact, as you noticed last year, Ravans at Bills was shown on local DC ch. 9, while the Skins played at home. There was a waiver for last year (and this year too) that all Ravens road games be shown in DC, whether or not the Skins are at home. Many Ravens season ticket holders were upset they couldn't see their team on the road.

[scribo]

Thanks for setting me straight. I feel much better now. I do appreciate it.

[The Dean]

Lori, as usual, has it right.

 

Is the local team at home? If so, no game opposite them.

 

Are they on the road? If so, a game opposite them, you should get a game, but ONLY if the other network has a double header. (I believe I have seen some variation on how this rule has been interpreted and enforced. Neither the network, nor the NFL can FORCE a local station to air network programming. A station in the market can choose to simply not carry the game they are scheduled to air. So you may see a movie, or infomercials instead of the game. This is rare, and not likely to be tolerated by the network. They will offer the game to other stations in the market, if this is the case. Also, I believe the NFL occasionally allows an extra game to be aired by the network that doesn't have a double header. I don't know if they allow that to happen in a market with an NFL team playing on the road, though.)

[Pyrite Gal]

Apparently, the league allows different markets to have different restrictions on the networks, which I think is BS and unfair.

 

So what do you think about this inequity?

 

The odd thing about this complaint to me is why this inequitable treatment would even be considered "unfair".

 

Fairness to me mean folks having their rights upheld.

 

This is pure commerce to me and fans in a particular market do not have a right to receive two games simultaneously or to have another game in addition to their hometown team playing on TV while their own teams is playing at home.

 

It may be BS (inconvenient) for one stakeholder (the fan at home) but may be a legitimate decision for another stakeholder (the owners of the hometeam who have no interest in presenting an good entertainment option which competes with buying a ticket.

 

I think it dumbs down the concept of rights to attribute the judgment unfair to this business decision.

 

Perhaps it is unfair to a shut-in who has precious few entertainment options beyond TV but in general I do not look at it this way at all.

[scribo]

The odd thing about this complaint to me is why this inequitable treatment would even be considered "unfair".

 

Fairness to me mean folks having their rights upheld.

 

This is pure commerce to me and fans in a particular market do not have a right to receive two games simultaneously or to have another game in addition to their hometown team playing on TV while their own teams is playing at home.

 

It may be BS (inconvenient) for one stakeholder (the fan at home) but may be a legitimate decision for another stakeholder (the owners of the hometeam who have no interest in presenting an good entertainment option which competes with buying a ticket.

 

I think it dumbs down the concept of rights to attribute the judgment unfair to this business decision.

 

Perhaps it is unfair to a shut-in who has precious few entertainment options beyond TV but in general I do not look at it this way at all.

Only you could reply to a thread already settled and still manage to pound out six paragraphs of dribble. You apparently didn't read the entire thread, even though all the posts combined are shorter than many of your single posts, or you would know I was admittedly uninformed when I made the original post that you attacked. If I had known the policy only applied to home games, I would have never started this thread. Speaking of a shut-in, that seems to me like the type who would write ridiculously long posts over and over and over again.

[ricojes]

Living in Buffalo I love the fact that we get two games. I don't think it makes fans in Buffalo less likely to follow the Bills.

I agree 100%. It's great that we get 2 games, the Bills ratings always dominate anyway. The only thing needed to drive more local football fans to follow the Bills is winning....

[eball]

Lori, as usual, has it right.

 

Is the local team at home? If so, no game opposite them.

 

Are they on the road? If so, a game opposite them, you should get a game, but ONLY if the other network has a double header. (I believe I have seen some variation on how this rule has been interpreted and enforced. Neither the network, nor the NFL can FORCE a local station to air network programming. A station in the market can choose to simply not carry the game they are scheduled to air. So you may see a movie, or infomercials instead of the game. This is rare, and not likely to be tolerated by the network. They will offer the game to other stations in the market, if this is the case. Also, I believe the NFL occasionally allows an extra game to be aired by the network that doesn't have a double header. I don't know if they allow that to happen in a market with an NFL team playing on the road, though.)

Yeah, but I said it first.

[Lori]

Yeah, but I said it first.

By one minute, and only because I stopped by nflmedia to get the official quote.

 

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

By one minute, and only because I stopped by nflmedia to get the official quote.

 

 

 

Hey, I beat you both....

 

Oh heck... let's all drink to our knowledge of NFL TV rules....

[scribo]

Hey, I beat you both....

 

Oh heck... let's all drink to our knowledge of NFL TV rules....

I will go thirsty and sober to punish myself for starting this pointless thread...

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

I will go thirsty and sober to punish myself for starting this pointless thread...

 

 

Heck no, brother... you performed a public service, giving so many folks a chance to feel smart.

 

Here... join us!