Shaky Debut For The NFL Network
On Thursday November 23, 2006, Americans sat down to their traditional Thanksgiving dinners and the post-meal NFL game. The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos were playing. There was considerable tension between Broncos' quarterback Jake Plummer and his Coach Mike Shanahan over whether or not this would be Plummer's last game, but that wasn't what got fans upset. Almost two-thirds of American viewers could not see the game because it was the broadcast debut of the NFL Network. At the debut the NFL Network was only available on select cable TV systems and satellite dish networks.
The official launch of the NFL Network was in November 2003. The NFL team owners unanimously approved the creation of the NFL Network. One source reports that the NFL invested up to $100 million to get the network started. The primary audience for the NFL Network is the U.S. and parts of Canada.
The NFL Network was three years old at the time of the debut broadcast. Why has it taken three years for the first NFL Network show to air? There has been long standing friction between the large cable companies and the NFL. Details are sparse, but one might imagine that huge sums of money are at stake. This feud has kept the NFL Network out of millions of American homes. Some viewers didn't even know the NFL Network existed.
Some sports writers have commented on the quality of the first NFL Network broadcast. Some opinions were that the game itself had adequate to good camera work. Extra use was made of the "floating" camera above the field for a different point of view. However, technical glitches were noted during the first NFL Network show. It was reported that commentators were caught live discussing things with the production crew.
The NFL Network chose commentators Bryant Gumbel and Cris Collinsworth to announce the game. News sources report that Gumbel, known for his criticism of the NFL, had not done play-by-play commentary since the 1970s. Instances were cited that suggested that Gumbel was not keeping up with the game. Collinsworth's performance on the NFL Network was reported as his usual edgy, opinionated style. Furthermore, it was suggested that the two announcers needed more practice together so that their next NFL Network show would not be as awkward.
Some viewers and critics see the NFL Network as an attempt by the NFL to bring more money to an already rich league. Obviously the team owners and NFL see it as a positive force for NFL football. The truth of the NFL Network probably lies between those two extremes. The NFL Network is a diamond in the rough. Whether it emerges as a flawless gem or turns into a lump of coal depends on the reaction of the NFL Network to the comments and criticisms of the first broadcast.
Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved
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