NFL Network to unveil NFL season schedule Thursday

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(http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9357380)

 

 

(April 4, 2006) -- For the third straight season, the National Football League's release of the regular-season playing schedule will be made into a two-hour television show on NFL Network's signature show, NFL Total Access.

 

The show will air this Thursday, April 6, at 2 p.m. ET ,(1 p.m. CT) when the master schedule is to be completed.

 

The NFL Total Access Schedule Show Presented by GMC will be hosted by Rich Eisen, alongside guest analyst Steve Mariucci.

NFL Total Access will announce the 2006 regular-season playing schedule on a week-by-week basis, highlighting the new changes taking place this season, including flexible scheduling, the addition of NBC and NFL Network as broadcasters, plus all the compelling matchups.

 

In addition to highlighting the key games of the 2006 season, the special will also feature interviews with current players, including John Lynch of the Denver Broncos, coaches, including Herm Edwards of the Chiefs and Sean Payton of the Saints, plus broadcasters, including FOX's Troy Aikman, to gauge their reactions to the schedule as it comes out.

 

The two-hour special will re-air the same day as its original air at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

 

In addition to the NFL Total Access Schedule Show Presented by GMC, NFL Network features live, gavel-to-gavel coverage of Day 1 of the 2006 NFL Draft, as well as exclusive live coverage of NFL Europe games this April

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NFL Total Access will announce the 2006 regular-season playing schedule on a week-by-week basis, highlighting the new changes taking place this season, including flexible scheduling, the addition of NBC and NFL Network as broadcasters, plus all the compelling matchups.

 

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you're just mad cause you know the raiders will never end up with a primetime game using this format

[veebs4 2]

Does anyone know how this "flexible scheduling" is going to work? Would they be changing the MNF game? how much lead time? Interesting concept....

[Byars41 0]

Does anyone know how this "flexible scheduling" is going to work? Would they be changing the MNF game? how much lead time? Interesting concept....

 

 

Flexible shcedule is for the Sunday Night games

 

it starts around the middle of the season. NBC gets to pick what game they want for the Sunday nighter with the one condition being that the network that has the double-header that week is allowed to protect one game. so say CBS has the double-header, they may protect Colts vs Patriots that week but then NBC can pick any other game (except the scheduled MNF game) from the week to switch to the Sunday Night game.

[shovelheadt 71]

Flexible shcedule is for the Sunday Night games

 

it starts around the middle of the season. NBC gets to pick what game they want for the Sunday nighter with the one condition being that the network that has the double-header that week is allowed to protect one game. so say CBS has the double-header, they may protect Colts vs Patriots that week but then NBC can pick any other game (except the scheduled MNF game) from the week to switch to the Sunday Night game.

 

I like the concept but some teams are gonna focked...as well as some will be helped.

[Vertical Smiles 0]

What I really need to know is the pre-season schedule so I can schedule my live draft date. Basically, how badly am I screwed over by week #3 games on Saturday or Sunday.

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you're just mad cause you know the raiders will never end up with a primetime game using this format

 

 

Wrong. I am actually shocked that the Raiders have a MNF game to start the season. And I'd assume a week 1 game is unlikely to change. Furthermore, I wouldn't mind if the Raiders had no prime time games, they don't deserve it, and from player interviews it sounds like they bought into the hype about themselves last year.

I just think it's stupid to mess with the schedule mid-season, it's bad for fans who buy tickets, it's bad for fantasy football, it's bad period. It's ridiculous to put so much emphasis on prime time games for TV as to screw over the regular-package-holding networks and the fans at the same time.

[Byars41 0]

Personally I think its great and done FOR the fans. Instead of suffering through a bad game when teams like say the Packers or Ravens from last year have down seasons, now they can pick what game to put on Sunday Night instead of being forced to keep some bad matchup of 4-9 vs 4-9 kind of teams. I read that they won't schedule games for Sunday from week 10 on so its not like a fan expecting to attend a Sunday night game gets his plans changed. and they announce the game at least 12 days in advance...

 

NEW YORK -- The NFL has its plan for eliminating those not-ready-for-prime-time matchups that too often sneaked onto national television.

 

The league plans to hold off scheduling Sunday night games in seven of the final eight weeks -- just as playoff races start heating up -- to ensure the best games are played on NBC. The league has long wanted some kind of flexible scheduling, but could never implement one until now.

 

For Weeks 10-15 and Week 17, the final regular-season weekend, all Sunday games will be listed with start times of 1 p.m. or 4:05-4:15 p.m. ET.

 

The league must then announce which match will be played Sunday night at least 12 days before the date of the game.

 

The lone exception is the season finale on Dec. 31, when the switch must be made no later than six days before the game.

 

Only Sunday games are subject to the flexible schedule that is part of the NFL's $3.6 billion contract with NBC for the Sunday night package.

 

CBS, which does the AFC games, and Fox, which does the NFC, each has the option to protect five games in the seven weeks of flexible scheduling, but neither can protect more than one game per week. So if Indianapolis is playing Pittsburgh in a late-season game and CBS does not want it moved to Sunday night on NBC, it has an option to keep the game.

 

Week 16 is Christmas weekend, and no game will be switched.

 

Teams will be told by the NFL office as soon as they are not under consideration to have a game moved. And, unlike in the past, teams are allowed to play in consecutive Sunday night games.

 

To make the system more flexible, up to three teams each season will be allowed a bonus sixth prime-time appearance. All the others will be limited to a maximum of five, including the Monday night ESPN package and the late-season Saturday or Thursday games on NFL Network.

 

The NFL often has moved games from early afternoon to late afternoon on Sundays to get a top matchup in a better viewing slot. It did so eight times in 2005. That flexibility remains.

 

In recent seasons, the league has faced lower prime-time ratings because of poor late-season matchups. It also has seen surprisingly successful teams shut out of prime time because the entire schedule is released in April.