A short rant against the NFL

by MattR on Oct 30, 2007 9:13 AM MDT

(This started as part of a comment in one the GB-Den recap posts, but it got to be a bit too long and off topic so I thought I would make it its own diary.)

I really wish the NFL would open up with some things and become more super-fan friendly. I won't even start on the whole exclusive deal with DirecTV. What I would like is the ability to download or view the game film afterwards. The Tivo is nice, but we are still limited to the camera angles the network shows. They make the film available to all the teams, so why not the fans. I am sure they could make a ton of money from it and it would not hurt viewership of games on Sunday or of the NFL Replay broadcasts. It would just give the true geeks among us one more reason to spend $$, and you know there are a bunch of us who would spend the money to be able to break down the Broncos in greater detail.

The other thing I would really like is for salary info to be made more available to the general public. I don't really care that Travis Henry signed a 5 year, $22.5 million contract with $12 million in guarantees. I want to know how it is broken up. I want to know the salary cap figures for each team and how much each player is counting against it. I want to know (or be able to figure out) the impact to the cap of potential roster moves so I can speculate and make trades in my head.

Am I all alone in these things or are their other superfans out there looking for the extra info?

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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Comments

I agree with you.

Number one and most important of any of your points:

THE NFL MUST CONSIDER MAKING THE SUNDAY TICKET PACKAGE AVAILABLE TO OTHER SAT AND CABLE PROVIDERS

I have heard nothing good from ANYONE regarding Direct TV. I myself discontinued it after being overbilled for months. THe NFL would still make big bucks by opening the market for their product. I would buy an advanced package from a cable or SAT provider in a heartbeat, just no longer from Direct TV.

I don't think the NFL will allow fans to download games. This interferes with their ability to make sales from "NFL Films".

Giving breakdowns on salary details would be nice too.

But if fans are going to unite, it should be for allowing other SAT and Cable providers to carry an all games package.

My biggest fear in the long run is the NFL switching to a pay per view model. This would end my days of being a fan. Sounds far fetched? We now have the NFL network televising some of their own games, even though some cable packages cost more to get this chanel.

Here's another goofy idea that I like. Don't expand the teams beyond 32 (because it is a perfect number for playoff scenarios). But consider moving the two weakest markets in each the NFC and AFC to foreign markets. You could have a team representing all of Europe, a team based in Mexico City (a huge draw for hispanic fans), and either two Canadian teams or one Candadian team and one Asia (or Australian) team.

Also, get rid of the blackout rule for home games. Lower the bar to 90% sellout for a blackout to happen. Sellout is a high bar, but if a team can't get 90% sellout on a pretty consistent basis they don't deserve to even have a team.

What do you think?

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Oct 30, 2007 10:39 AM MDT reply actions

Completely agree about Sunday Ticket

But I just don't see that as anything we can change in the near future. I am pretty sure they have an exclusive contract wrapped up for the next 5 years or so. And DirecTV completely overpaid for the exclusive rights so they could use it to drive customers to subscribe.

You make a good point about downloading the games, but there has to be some sort of middle ground. Maybe make just a couple of camera angles (including the overhead shot) available via on demand on Wednesday or Thursday of the next week.

One thing you did not mention about the NFL Network is that they actually charge the cable companies two separate rates. One is just to carry the channel. The other is if they want to carry the live games. I got completely screwed last Thanksgiving because I assumed that having the NFL Network I would get the Broncos game. I found out about 5 minutes before kickoff when the cable company ran a ticker message. Just one more way the NFL is screwing over the fans while trying to squeeze out every dollar they can.

Not sure about the foreign markets. I am definitely opposed to further expansion, 32 teams works perfectly for me. Mexico and Canada are realistic possibilities for relocation, but I think Europe or Asia are just too far away for travel purposes.

Living in the NYC area, the sellout rule has never even been a consideration. But I do wish they could do something to change the exclusive TV coverage when both the Jets and Giants are playing. I really enjoyed getting stuck with the Giants-Dolphins game and then the Bills-Jets. The real kicker is when CBS did not switch to the only decent 4 pm game (Jacksonville vs TB) when the Jets game ended at 6:45 pm. Instead we got 15 minutes of highlights before CBS went to 60 Minutes. And my friend almost got a hole in his TV :)

by MattR on Oct 30, 2007 10:52 AM MDT up reply actions

You're right again.

I completely left out the NFL Network's ability to screw you out of a game like the Bronco's game you referenced in a situation like that.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Oct 30, 2007 10:57 AM MDT reply actions

This discussion

has me so pissed and knotted up that I can't think of anything rational to say...

I F**ing hate Direct TV!!
I F*ing hate the NFL putting the radio broadcasts under lock and key!!
I F**ing hate this topic!!

AAARRRGGGGHHHH!!
What a waste of a post...

by Jeremy Bolander on Oct 30, 2007 12:18 PM MDT reply actions

I think I hear some hurt coming from you.

Dude, you just need to come over to my place and have some of my famous ribs and some drink of your choice. You'll feel better.

If it hadn't been for the ribs and brats (and Coronas) last night I'd be slashing my wrists right now. lol. (That was a joke everybody).

I won't bring up those Direct TV bastards for a real long time.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Oct 30, 2007 12:24 PM MDT up reply actions

Maybe I am a sucker...

But I love DirecTV and Sirius NFL Radio....I do understand the frustration, however...

-TSG

www.milehighreport.com

by John Bena on Oct 30, 2007 9:43 PM MDT reply actions

I suppose...

We should be grateful that we have something...

DirecTV is more about the steep cost, added to blackouts and bad customer service.

I agree that Sirius is a godsend from the satellite of sports heaven. The problem I have is that a year ago I was listening to the games on internet radio in Alaska (no southern sky so no DirecTV) and one day I tune in for a Raiders game only to be told that the NFl doesn't allow you to listen on the internet anymore. Bullcrap!! Bah, I'm still pissed! What changed?? They weren't getting their share of dough from me.

So like a nancy-boy I bought Field Pass from those arrogant bastards. They have us all right where they want us....

by Jeremy Bolander on Oct 30, 2007 10:11 PM MDT up reply actions

Sirius NFL

Sirius NFL is the best thing going out there. They have great people working their shows. I used to be a regular caller. (Adam Schein is a radio football god).

Direct TV overbilled me by hundreds. I wrote the details about it in a comment somewhere on another diary or story. It got to be so bad that I had to disconnect my service, even at the cost of seeing my beloved Broncos each week.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Oct 30, 2007 11:27 PM MDT up reply actions

Problem is that I can't get DirecTV

I live in a condo so I can't put anything on the roof and my unit does not have a southerly facing. So I am SOL.

Glad you guys love Sirius NFL Radio. A friend of mine is one of the producers (and as I mentioned a while ago Adam Schein grew up in the same area and is a friend of friends). I have never bothered to get Sirius but I do shell out for the NFL's internet radio package so I can at least listen to the Broncos games.

I am not gonna try and fight the NFL over something like their deal with DirecTV which is worth big dollars. But I can't see how keeping the details of player contracts secret helps the league. And I can't see how divulging the contract info would cost them money.

by MattR on Oct 31, 2007 12:50 AM MDT up reply actions