Thursday Night Football might flex matchups starting next season. Plus: An ESPN personality returns to Get Up after a medical procedure; A Bally Sports update on the San Diego Padres situation; and more news in the sports media industry.
NFL owners to vote on flexing Thursday Night Football
A report from Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand and Ben Fischer revealed that the NFL is planning an owners vote on whether to allow flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football. The vote, should it pass, would address the occasional poor quality of Thursday night matchups that fans – and even Amazon broadcaster Al Michaels – have complained about. The vote will specifically allow the NFL the ability to shift Sunday afternoon games to Thursday nights in weeks 14-17, with 15 days’ notice and to schedule teams twice for a Thursday-night-following-a-Sunday game, up from the one allowable game per season currently.
While Ourand and Fischer note that resolutions brought up for a full vote are typically done so with a high degree of expectation that they are passed, this vote will have coaches at the meeting. A rarity for most decisions, NFL coaches have long complained about the Thursday night setup in regards to shortened preparation time and short recovery windows for players. If passed, it would add to the already increased flex scheduling practice in the NFL, having also approved additional flexing for Monday Night Football earlier this year. (Ourand & Fischer 3.23)
Mike Greenberg returns to Get Up after surgery
After a week-long absence to recover from a heart procedure, Mike Greenberg made his return to ESPN’s morning show, Get Up. The ESPN personality, who also hosts NBA Countdown has had his recovery well documented through his wife, Stacy’s, Twitter account, over the past week. Greenberg had to undergo a cardiac ablation to correct a heart rhythm problem and restore a typical heartbeat. (Awful Announcing 3.27)
Bally Sports-Padres update
After missing a scheduled rights fee payment, Diamond Sports is a week away from losing the local media rights to the San Diego Padres should they fail to complete the payment. A report from John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal stated that just a day late, top executives from MLB and DirecTV met to discuss an alternative regional sports plan should they manage to take back many of their local media rights. According to the report, MLB is trying to get distributors to carry teams’ live games at little to no cost for this season. The long term plan would then be to reclaim each teams’ local rights as the bankruptcy settlement plays out over the coming years and then, with enough of the teams’ rights back in the fold, go back to the negotiating table to get a better distribution deal. Diamond Sports has until 11:59pm on March 29 to complete its payment to the Padres. (Ourand 3.27)
Plus: Clemens to be guest analyst for opening day, Trotter to leave NFL Network, Apple readies bid for UK Premier League rights, and Coates retires
Roger Clemens is set to join ESPN’s Opening Night MLB booth as a guest analyst on March 30. … Jim Trotter announced on his Twitter page that his contract with the NFL Network was not renewed after spending five years with the organization. … According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is seriously considering a big for the UK’s Premier League and Football League’s domestic rights. … Philadelphia Flyers broadcaster Steve Coates is retiring upon the conclusion of the season after 43 years with the team. Coates is expected to still be active with the organization, such as appearing at fan and team events. (ESPN 3.27, Trotter/Twitter 3.27, Bloomberg 3.23, Awful Announcing 3.26)
