The NFL could split Thursday Night Football among multiple broadcast networks. In other news, ESPN and cable as a whole continue to lose subscribers, and CBS will reportedly air a primetime PBC event in March.
NFL Considers Splitting TNF Among Multiple Broadcast Nets
- The NFL is considering splitting the Thursday Night Football schedule among multiple broadcast networks, Sports Business Daily reported Monday. The league has solicited bids on 3-5 game packages, which the networks have “begrudgingly” submitted. Under a split schedule, two or three networks would divide up eight or nine games, with the remaining eight exclusively on NFL Network. The league is still shopping the more traditional 8-10 game solo package. (Sports Business Daily)
ESPN, Cable, Keep Shedding Homes
- ESPN is currently in 91.4 million television homes, according to a report in Sports Business Journal, a loss of 1.5 million since July (92.9M), three million since February (94.4M), and nearly nine million since July 2011. Overall, cable distribution is down to 99.6 million homes, “the first time in more than seven years (since August 2008) that the pay-TV industry failed to eclipse the 100 million home mark.” (Sports Business Journal)
CBS Reportedly Airing Primetime PBC in March
- USA Today reported Saturday that CBS will air its first primetime Premier Boxing Champions telecast in March, either on the 5th or the 12th. The PBC has already aired in primetime on NBC and will make its primetime debut on FOX later this month. The CBS fight, which will reportedly pit Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, is expected to be announced in the coming days. (USA Today)
