The landmark decision by the NFL to air Patriots/Giants on three different networks this Saturday is a major story for a variety of reasons — not the least of which is that this serves as proof that Washington is severely flawed.
While the opportunity to see the Patriots go for an undefeated season on CBS and NBC serves as a belated Christmas gift to millions of NFL fans who do not have the NFL Network, the fact that the league’s decision comes under pressure from politicians — notably John Kerry — should render this victory hollow.
Since when did Congress have the right to influence the NFL television schedule? Since when was the NFL important enough to warrant high ranking politicians threatening to hold hearings on what channel a game airs on?
Last week, Kerry wrote NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and requested that Patriots/Giants be aired nationally on NBC. If Goodell did not comply with Kerry’s demands, he threatened to ?ask the Senate Commerce Committee to hold hearings on how the emergence of premium sports channels are impacting the consumer.?
Essentially, Kerry used intimidation to get what he wanted. Granted, one might wonder why Commissioner Goodell would be afraid of the toothless Democratic Congress, but that is a question for another day.
The NFL is in the entertainment business. The ability to watch NFL games is not a right — even a game like Patriots/Giants, which could feature the first undefeated team since 1972. The NFL created the schedule at the start of the season, not knowing whether Patriots/Giants would be the marquee match-up it is, or a battle of 5-11 teams. The league did not place the game on NFL Network after the Patriots started 8-0.
If the NFL wanted to make this decision on its own, that would be perfectly fine. Leagues tinker with their television schedules all the time. However, having politicians pressure the league by threatening hearings is an example of gross overstepping of boundaries.
