Football Night in America

[Oilers9911]

Who came up with the brilliant title of Football Night in America? I seriously thought when I saw this it was a spoof on Hockey Night in Canada. And isn't Monday technically Football Night in America?

[albionmoonlight]

NBC has the rights to the Sunday Night Game, so they want to turn it into Football Night in America. They want Sunday Night Football to become the new Monday Night Football.

And I think of the name, not as a spoof, but as a . . . tribute isn't quite the right word, but it's close.

[RPI-Fan]

NBC has the rights to the Sunday Night Game, so they want to turn it into Football Night in America. They want Sunday Night Football to become the new Monday Night Football.

And I think of the name, not as a spoof, but as a . . . tribute isn't quite the right word, but it's close.

Sunday is the new football night.

ESPN can claim that they have MNF now, but they don't. ESPN has Sunday Night Football, it just got moved to Mondays. NBC has MNF, it just happens to be on Sunday night.

[TroyF]

I don't care who named it, I just wish to God the highlights show was worth a crap. I loved the Jets/Dolphins highlights tonight.

Joey struggling, throws a pic. (show the int) Jets take the lead on a long Pennington to Coles pass. (show the pass) The Dolphins though, aren't done and make a huge comeback. (cut to FG attempt) Mare with a chance to tie, comes up short. (end of highlight package)

Ok, are you F'n serious? You show one Joey INT, one long TD pass, miss the most interesting part of the game where the Dolphins make a nice comeback and then show the missed FG?

My God, a junior high media tech could put together a better highlights package.

[Ksyrup]

I rarely get the chance to see the intro or beginning of the game, so last night was my first opportunity to hear the new theme song. Has that transvestite properly credited Joan Jett for ripping off I Hate Myself For Loving You? Because if she hasn't, I'll gladly take the case.

[Raiders Army]

Who came up with the brilliant title of Football Night in America? I seriously thought when I saw this it was a spoof on Hockey Night in Canada. And isn't Monday technically Football Night in America?

See the first part of these 30 Rock promos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS3mc6wtAbU

[Draft Dodger]

I don't care who named it, I just wish to God the highlights show was worth a crap. I loved the Jets/Dolphins highlights tonight.

Joey struggling, throws a pic. (show the int) Jets take the lead on a long Pennington to Coles pass. (show the pass) The Dolphins though, aren't done and make a huge comeback. (cut to FG attempt) Mare with a chance to tie, comes up short. (end of highlight package)

Ok, are you F'n serious? You show one Joey INT, one long TD pass, miss the most interesting part of the game where the Dolphins make a nice comeback and then show the missed FG?

My God, a junior high media tech could put together a better highlights package.

this has been a huge disappointment. all the hype about this show was that they were going to have time to really break down each game and do more expansive highlights than the few clips we got from, say, Primetime last year. Instead, the show has more filler than a hot dog, and the highlights are skimpy and ordinary. and you have to endure Sterling Sharpe and Jerome Bettis and all that lame fake buddy buddy bs from Costas and Collinsworth. no thanks.

[Subby]

LOOK AT YOU CRAZY PEOPLE GETTING ALL FIRED UP!

[Ksyrup]

this has been a huge disappointment. all the hype about this show was that they were going to have time to really break down each game and do more expansive highlights than the few clips we got from, say, Primetime last year. Instead, the show has more filler than a hot dog, and the highlights are skimpy and ordinary. and you have to endure Sterling Sharpe and Jerome Bettis and all that lame fake buddy buddy bs from Costas and Collinsworth. no thanks.

I still don't understand what NBC has the "exclusive" rights to until midnight. Obviously, other networks are able to show highlights, because I saw ESPN doing highlights at 7:30 on Sportscenter. So what are they not able to do - have "analysis" of games? I don't get it. I don't see why ESPN just didn't start Primetime at 7pm and quickly add in the late games before they went off the air at 8pm, before NBC's coverage started. Or am I missing something?

[SunDevil]

ESPN does not do Primetime anymore. SportsCenter is so unwatchable that they have to incorporate a good show (Primetime) and put it inside of sportscenter and call it the blitz. This was one of the worst ideas ever by ESPN and that is saying something from a company that has Stuart Scott, Stephen A., and use to have a show with Max Kellerman.

[ISiddiqui]

Well like they had another option? They'd love to do Primetime if they could, but aren't allowed to anymore because of NBC's contract with the league.

[Ksyrup]

We're talking in circles here. I know they don't do Primetime anymore on Sunday night, I know they do The Blitz on the late Sportscenter, and I know they don't do Primetime anymore because of the NBC contract.

What I don't understand is what exactly NBC has the exclusive "rights" to that precludes some sort of Primetime-like show that ends as NBC's coverage begins. Because I turned on ESPN at about 7:30 and they were showing highlights of the early games. So why can't they still do that as Primetime? Is there something in the contract that precludes "in-depth analysis" of the day's games, or prohibits a "rumblin bumblin stumblin" comment to be uttered before midnight?

[wade moore]

I think it is to "extended highlights". My impression is that there is actually maybe a time limit on what other networks can do at one time?

[Pumpy Tudors]

I'm with Ksyrup on this one. I understand that NBC has some kind of agreement with the league, but what exactly do they have the exclusive rights to? A highlights show that's at least 60 minutes long? Something else? When I first saw mention of the "exclusive" deal a few months ago, I really thought that nobody else would be able to show any highlights until midnight. Obviously, that's not true. FOX and CBS do their postgame stuff, and ESPN has highlights on SportsCenter (and maybe on ESPNews?). Where does the exclusive part come in?

Maybe they have exclusive rights to guys sitting in armchairs or something.

[Ksyrup]

Or maybe middle-aged white guys with a comb-over wearing heinous coat/shirt/tie combinations.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Or maybe a rambling ex-football player.

Going back to ESPN for a moment, is it just me, or has Tom Jackson changed in the past couple of years? He went from being a damn knowledgeable football analyst to a loudmouth. He still knows what he's talking about, but he's hard to listen to. They never should've put Michael Irvin next to him on Sunday mornings, I guess.

[Ksyrup]

Or maybe a rambling ex-football player.

Going back to ESPN for a moment, is it just me, or has Tom Jackson changed in the past couple of years? He went from being a damn knowledgeable football analyst to a loudmouth. He still knows what he's talking about, but he's hard to listen to. They never should've put Michael Irvin next to him on Sunday mornings, I guess.


I think the combination of ESPN's hiring Irvin, giving Stephen A. Smith his own show, making Sean Salisbury such a big part of their NFL coverage, and firing David Aldridge made him fear for his job.

[Kodos]

I still love Berman paired with Tom Jackson. It sucks that there is no Primetime anymore. The NFL is killing me with these exclusive deals that screw good things up.

[Ksyrup]

I think it is to "extended highlights". My impression is that there is actually maybe a time limit on what other networks can do at one time?

That must be it. Because I'm sure ESPNews still shows hightlights of the games even during the NBC game, right? I can't imagine they'd have much else to talk about otherwise.

[ice4277]

That must be it. Because I'm sure ESPNews still shows hightlights of the games even during the NBC game, right? I can't imagine they'd have much else to talk about otherwise.

I think that highlights of games in progress can only be shown by the network, or affiliates of the network, on which it is being aired.

[wade moore]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Primetime#Format_.282006-present.29


Format (2006-present)

When NBC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC) acquired the rights for Sunday night games beginning in the 2006 season (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_NFL_season), NBC negotiated for exclusive rights for extended highlights during its Football Night in America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Night_in_America) pregame show. ESPN responded by moving the show to Mondays and splitting the program into two versions.
The first version airs two-and-a-half hours before ESPN's telecast of Monday Night Football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Night_Football). It is hosted by Stuart Scott (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Scott) along with analysts Ron Jaworski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Jaworski) and Mike Ditka (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ditka) and airs from the site of the Monday night game preceding Monday Night Countdown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Night_Countdown). (The program broadcasts from a parking lot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_lot) set, in contrast to Monday Night Countdown, which takes place inside the stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadium). When the package began with two Monday night games on September 11 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11), 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_NFL_season), Primetime aired from McAfee Coliseum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAfee_Coliseum) in Oakland, California (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland%2C_California), while Countdown originated at FedExField (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FedExField) in Landover, Maryland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landover%2C_Maryland)).The program is sponsored by Miller Lite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_Lite).
The second version airs one-and-a-half hours after the final whistle of MNF and originates from the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol%2C_Connecticut). This edition is hosted by Trey Wingo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trey_Wingo) and has analysis from Merrill Hoge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Hoge), Ron Jaworski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Jaworski) and Mike Golic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Golic).
Both versions show highlights, but for a shorter period of time than on the older program and with more extended analysis segments.
Berman and Jackson have been reassigned to a new extended segment of the Sunday night edition of SportsCenter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SportsCenter) (11 p.m. Eastern time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Time_Zone)) called The Blitz. (Apparently, ESPN is not allowed to use the NFL name or logo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo) in the segment name or in advertising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising).)