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ESPN/ABC getting smart - spending with salary cap
The current eight-year contracts worth $17.6 billion run out after the upcoming season, but Fox already has agreed to a six-year, $4.3 billion deal to keep the NFC games on Sundays, while CBS will keep the AFC games for $3.7 billion.
However, the league isn't close to any agreements for its biggest moneymaker, the Sunday night/Monday night packages. ABC and ESPN combined paid $9.2 billion for the prime-time games.
But Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC and ESPN, has not offered anything acceptable to the NFL to renew the contracts. So other players have become involved. more (ESPN)
In my opinion ABC and ESPN pay far too much to NFL. CBS and FOX get plums for the local markets (if your team sells out your stadium, you are almost guarenteed a large audience on TV) but ABC and ESPN get hod-podge games now due to pariety.
And IMO if the NFL tried to do what they wanted according to other sources (pick of games 4 weeks before games) the fans will get kicked in the balls for they plan their days off and vacations, meeting with friends and in some cases make unchangeable plane reservations. It already happens NOW like the Bills-Redsucks game which was moved from 1 to 4:15 to accomodate FOX a couple of years ago.
ABC and ESPN should have ability to flip-flop networks but that is it; no fan who pays for a ticket should need to change plans according to network changes other changing some silly handmade signs.
However, the league isn't close to any agreements for its biggest moneymaker, the Sunday night/Monday night packages. ABC and ESPN combined paid $9.2 billion for the prime-time games.
But Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC and ESPN, has not offered anything acceptable to the NFL to renew the contracts. So other players have become involved. more (ESPN)
In my opinion ABC and ESPN pay far too much to NFL. CBS and FOX get plums for the local markets (if your team sells out your stadium, you are almost guarenteed a large audience on TV) but ABC and ESPN get hod-podge games now due to pariety.
And IMO if the NFL tried to do what they wanted according to other sources (pick of games 4 weeks before games) the fans will get kicked in the balls for they plan their days off and vacations, meeting with friends and in some cases make unchangeable plane reservations. It already happens NOW like the Bills-Redsucks game which was moved from 1 to 4:15 to accomodate FOX a couple of years ago.
ABC and ESPN should have ability to flip-flop networks but that is it; no fan who pays for a ticket should need to change plans according to network changes other changing some silly handmade signs.