Some NFL scheduling nuggets and more, including the College Football Playoff and MLB lockout.
Amazon wants Black Friday game, NFL uninterested
Amazon — which next season assumes exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football — is interested in carrying an exclusive NFL game on Black Friday, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. Per the report, the NFL is “lukewarm” toward the idea.
Per the same report, the NFL intends to continue scheduling competing doubleheaders on FOX and CBS in Week 1 of the season. The network did so for the first time this past season and FOX — which had the Week 1 doubleheader to itself in past years — took a ratings hit. FOX reportedly asked the NFL to move the dueling doubleheaders to later in the season and was rebuffed.
In addition, both FOX and CBS are asking to carry a Christmas Day game in the late afternoon window this season. FOX has contractual rights to an annual Christmas game in its new media rights deal (when the calendar allows), though it is not clear whether that kicks in now or when the deal officially begins in 2023. As Christmas is on a Sunday this year, NBC will have the primetime Christmas game on Sunday Night Football. [SBJ 2.21]
CFP staying at four; Big Ten payday ahead
The College Football Playoff will remain at four teams through the conclusion of the event’s ESPN rights deal in 2026, it was announced Friday. There had been discussions about expanding the playoff to as many as 12 teams and such a move was viewed briefly as a fait accompli until talks fell apart last summer. Per ESPN, the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 voted against the expansion.
In other college sports news, Sports Business Journal reported last week that a number of industry sources expect the Big Ten to generate more than $1 billion per year in its next media rights deals. The conference is currently in an exclusive negotiating window with ESPN that is expected to expire without a deal, allowing for the rights to hit the open market. [ESPN 2.18, SBJ 2.15]
MLB says February 28 is deadline for deal
Major League Baseball, which last week chose to cancel the first week of Spring Training as part of its ongoing lockout of the players union, has per multiple reports identified February 28 as a date by which a new collective bargaining agreement is needed before it will begin canceling regular season games. The season is set to begin March 31. It should be noted that leagues can, and have, played games under an expired collective bargaining agreement. [AP 2.20]