NFL Changes Times Of Two Steelers Games

[86WARD]

The Steelers-Los Angeles Chargers game on Sunday, Dec. 2 (Week 13) has been moved into primetime and will be an 8:20 p.m. kickoff on NBC. The game was originally scheduled to be a 1 p.m. kickoff on CBS.

In addition, the team's Sunday, Dec. 9 (Week 14) game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland Coliseum has been changed to a 4:25 p.m. kickoff and will air on FOX. The game was originally slated for an 8:20 p.m. kickoff on NBC.

Source: Kickoff time changed for two games https://www.steelers.com/news/kickoff-time-changed-for-two-games

[polamalubeast]

Good decision by the NFL.

[Edman]

Well, the Chargers are doing good so far. Since they’re playing the Steelers, it’s a marquee matchup.

[tube517]

Slightly off topic - Since when did the NFL start broadcasting All AFC matchups (Pittsburgh-Oakland) on FOX and NFC matchups on CBS?

[DesertSteel]

Just shows how much we fans know... Somebody just posted how the Chargers game cannot me moved because it was locked in.

- - - Updated - - -


Slightly off topic - Since when did the NFL start broadcasting All AFC matchups (Pittsburgh-Oakland) on FOX and NFC matchups on CBS?
I think there's an allowance of a couple times a year (not sure how many) that the network deals allow for the crossover. It's very limited.

[polamalubeast]

The game against the Jaguars will be the last game at 1:00 PM for the steelers before the week 17.

[stillers4me]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dr_p4NmXQAcKu-Z.jpg:large

[AtlantaDan]

Bad that a 1 pm road game kickoff EST traditionally is bad news for West Coast teams with body clocks that say it is 10 am PST

Good that night time in early December may be colder than Chargers may prefer

Sucks for anyone going to the game but the NFL quit caring about those who pay to attend the game a long time ago

[tube517]

I think NBC is happy to get a Steeler game back. That's usually high ratings

[AtlantaDan]

I think NBC is happy to get a Steeler game back. That's usually high ratings

I assume it was understood that NBC could get the Chargers game when the Jax game was flexed. NBC still ends up with one less Steelers SNF game this season because the Raiders are awful but that should have been seen as a distinct possibility when the SNF schedule was drawn up.

Ray Fittipaldo of the Post-Gazette said earlier this week that CBS could protect the Chargers game from being flexed but my guess is the game CBS can protect is the Pats national broadcast late afternoon game @Heinz

[tube517]

Just shows how much we fans know... Somebody just posted how the Chargers game cannot me moved because it was locked in.

- - - Updated - - -


I think there's an allowance of a couple times a year (not sure how many) that the network deals allow for the crossover. It's very limited.

In years past, they used to have only interconference games on the "opposite" network (ex. Road NFC team at AFC team - FOX) or (Road AFC team at NFC team - CBS).
But now they have NFC vs NFC on CBS or AFC vs AFC on Fox.

[86WARD]

In years past, they used to have only interconference games on the "opposite" network (ex. Road NFC team at AFC team - FOX) or (Road AFC team at NFC team - CBS).
But now they have NFC vs NFC on CBS or AFC vs AFC on Fox.

The networks are allowed to cherry pick a game that’s not protected from the other networks now.

[tube517]

The networks are allowed to cherry pick a game that’s not protected from the other networks now.

Thanks, I did not know.

(This is the first full season I have IPTV so I just noticed it this year)

[SteelerFan091472]

I assume it was understood that NBC could get the Chargers game when the Jax game was flexed. NBC still ends up with one less Steelers SNF game this season because the Raiders are awful but that should have been seen as a distinct possibility when the SNF schedule was drawn up.

Ray Fittipaldo of the Post-Gazette said earlier this week that CBS could protect the Chargers game from being flexed but my guess is the game CBS can protect is the Pats national broadcast late afternoon game @Heinz

https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-jaguars-kickoff-time-changed


CBS has also protected the Steelers-Broncos game on Sunday, Nov. 25 (Week 12), the Steelers-Los Angeles Chargers game on Sunday, Dec. 2 (Week 13), the Steelers-Patriots game on Dec. 16 (Week 15), and the Steelers-Saints game on Sunday, Dec. 23 (Week 16). These games will not be flexed and the kickoff times will not change.


I'm guessing that the NFL thought that the 49ers/Seahawks game wasn't primetime worthy and the rest of the Week 13 schedule was less than appealing. This was the best choice that they could come up with. The only other game I could've seen being moved to Sunday night was Vikings/Patriots and I'm guessing that game was protected by Fox.

Something changed in the last 9-10 days because Fox and CBS are allowed to protect a certain number of games from being moved to Sunday night. Just speculating, but the league might've done a favor for CBS for the NFL taking the Chargers/Steelers game and moving it to NBC.

[AtlantaDan]

Something changed in the last 9-10 days because Fox and CBS are allowed to protect a certain number of games from being moved to Sunday night. Just speculating, but the league might've done a favor for CBS for the NFL taking the Chargers/Steelers game and moving it to NBC.

1062823492696055810

Something had to be offered (or maybe the offer increased after CBS initially said no).

Alternative explanation is the NFL promised NBC all along after Jax flex that Steelers-Chargers would be flexed and when CBS initially said it did not agree the NFL reminded (aka”worked with”) CBS that having broadcast rights in 2019 does not mean you have the rights to consistently good games. ESPN is now trying to grovel back into the NFL’s good graces after its non-fawning coverage of the NFL on shows like Outside the Lines allegedly led to ESPN annually getting a lot of lousy games on the MNF schedule.

Doubtful NBC simply was going to be good sports about it and not want payback for having to flex Steelers-Jags and Steelers-Raiders.

[steelerdude15]

Bad that a 1 pm road game kickoff EST traditionally is bad news for West Coast teams with body clocks that say it is 10 am PST

Good that night time in early December may be colder than Chargers may prefer

Sucks for anyone going to the game but the NFL quit caring about those who pay to attend the game a long time ago

Yup. I was going to go to the Chargers game. I was going to drive up on Saturday, but since they changed the time and I couldn't get off of work that Monday, I had to sell my tickets. I'm not going to lie, I've been angry and depressed since they announced it.

[86WARD]

Thanks, I did not know.

(This is the first full season I have IPTV so I just noticed it this year)

I forget when they changed that but I think it was last year. But I could be off a year. The excuse was also something weird like it would give viewers a chance to see different teams...like they can’t just switch from CBS to FOX to view it...something weird...

[st33lersguy]

The networks are allowed to cherry pick a game that’s not protected from the other networks now.

But then why the hell would FOX want to cherry pick a Raiders game?

[86WARD]

But then why the hell would FOX want to cherry pick a Raiders game?

May have been the only option there...lol. Either Raiders game or nothing? :dunno: cbs certainly didn’t protect that one.

[teegre]

But then why the hell would FOX want to cherry pick a Raiders game?

I’m assuming that the NFL wanted Rams-Bears (two division leaders) as their prime time game. Using their leverage, they stole that NFC matchup from Fox and simply said, “You are getting the Raiders game.”