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As if pro football wasn't interrupting things enough on TV during its regular season (I make no secret I'm not a fan of the league,) the NFL has revealed it's planning to broadcast not one, but two games on Dec. 25th.
Previously, Christmas has been mostly the domain of the NBA and there are few other pro sports in action on what is arguably the biggest holiday of the year. Even more bizarre, they've decided that the teams that play on Dec. 21st, just four days earlier, will be back on the field Dec. 25th.
I can only wonder how many Xmas meals this is going to ruin and how many fans will still be willing to go see grandma on the holiday.
NFL forces the issue with massive decision to broadcast multiple games on Christmas Day
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RadioActive wrote:
As if pro football wasn't interrupting things enough on TV during its regular season (I make no secret I'm not a fan of the league,) the NFL has revealed it's planning to broadcast not one, but two games on Dec. 25th.
Previously, Christmas has been mostly the domain of the NBA and there are few other pro sports in action on what is arguably the biggest holiday of the year. Even more bizarre, they've decided that the teams that play on Dec. 21st, just four days earlier, will be back on the field Dec. 25th.
I can only wonder how many Xmas meals this is going to ruin and how many fans will still be willing to go see grandma on the holiday.
NFL forces the issue with massive decision to broadcast multiple games on Christmas Day
It won't ruin any Christmas day plans, unless you let it. Did all the NBA games ruin Christmas? Not for anybody with any kind of life.
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There's nothing worth watching on Xmas Day anyway.
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The three NFL games last Christmas Day averaged a bit over 27M viewers. Of the five NBA games telecast that day, Lakers/Celtics was the highest rated at 5M viewers. The NFL also announced that the 2024 season would kickoff on Friday September 6 when the Philadelphia Eagles will play their TBA opponent in Brazil. It will be a Peacock telecast only [except the home and visiting team markets] in the U.S. TSN/CTV will air the game north of the border, as usual.
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UFL kicksoff on Saturday March 30th !!!
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Glen Warren wrote:
UFL kicksoff on Saturday March 30th !!!
I don't consider that and the arena version real football. Only CFL and NFL for me.
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One of the greatest games in NFL history was played on Xmas Day in 1971 -- Miami's playoff win over Kansas City in double overtime. The resulting outcry from all the holy rollers caused the NFL to stay away from Dec 25 for nearly 50 years. But they have returned in recent years, and somehow the planet has survived.
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I think one of the main thrusts of the article linked to is that the NFL now virtually owns Sunday, Thursday and Monday. Now it's encroaching on Wednesday, which happens to be when Christmas falls this year. Is that another NFL weekday it plans to add to its regular game roster? I doubt it, but the authors wondered if it's part of their plan.
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RadioActive wrote:
I think one of the main thrusts of the article linked to is that the NFL now virtually owns Sunday, Thursday and Monday. Now it's encroaching on Wednesday, which happens to be when Christmas falls this year. Is that another NFL weekday it plans to add to its regular game roster? I doubt it, but the authors wondered if it's part of their plan.
I think the NFL's long term plan is to have games on Christmas Day no matter what day it falls on.
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Agreed. How long before it's on almost every day of the week (besides Saturday, which I believe is reserved for college football in the U.S.)?
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RadioActive wrote:
Agreed. How long before it's on almost every day of the week (besides Saturday, which I believe is reserved for college football in the U.S.)?
No. there are some Saturday games in late December, when the college season is finished.
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Yes, but the point is they're not allowed to compete against college football when it's in season.
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RadioActive wrote:
I can only wonder how many Xmas meals this is going to ruin...
NFL forces the issue with massive decision to broadcast multiple games on Christmas Day
I ponder that sentiment for the people who actually have to work the games. Maybe not the higher paid people like the players and coaches, or even the freelance TV crews who might be charging a premium to work on Christmas Day, but the people who work concession, security, etc at the stadium. Hope they're getting extra money for working Christmas.
Last edited by ED1 (March 29, 2024 3:36 pm)
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"It's Christmas in heaven, there's football on TV, there's The Sound of Music twice an hour and "Jaws" one, two and three." (Monty Python)
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My all time favourite movie review came in Variety for the film "Jaws 3D." It was all of two words and yet it summed up the entire film perfectly.
"Lacks depth."
'Nuff said!
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RadioActive wrote:
Yes, but the point is they're not allowed to compete against college football when it's in season.
This goes back to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. The act wthdrew antitrust immunity for any pro football telecast if a high school or college football game is being played within 75 miles of the broadcasting station on Friday nights [after 6pm] and Saturdays from the second September Saturday until the second December Saturday.
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Looks like the Xmas days games will ne on Netflix in the USA
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cash wrote:
Looks like the Xmas days games will be on Netflix in the USA
Netflix has now confirmed it will have both Xmas Day games exclusively. Neither contest will be on any free broadcast television network. And it's just not this coming Dec. 25th. This is a three year deal for the streamer as more and more sporting events are turning up on these subscription-only services. And according to a press release, this agreement is "global," so Canadians will have to watch online as well if we want to see these games.
Netflix Will Be the Home to Live NFL Games This Christmas Day
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Are there still regions of the US where streaming isn't feasible or possible?
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mace wrote:
Glen Warren wrote:
UFL kicksoff on Saturday March 30th !!!
I don't consider that and the arena version real football. Only CFL and NFL for me.
And the way it's going, this version of Arena Football will go belly up soon.
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I suspect the Christmas Day games will still be available on broadcast tv in the home and visiting team markets. This is the case with the Thursday Amazon Prime games.