Even with fewer games, ‘Thursday Night Football’ is still all right for CBS
For CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus, half of an “NFL Thursday Night Football” package is better than no package at all.
“Would we have liked the whole package?” McManus said Tuesday at the network’s media briefing ahead of the NFL season. “I guess we would have.”
CBS is getting the first five night games, starting Sept. 15. NBC takes the franchise over starting Nov. 17.
The two-year deal, first announced in February, comes after two seasons in which CBS had the sole broadcast rights to eight Thursday games, helping the NFL expand its time periods beyond Sunday and Monday night. But CBS’ success with the package only helped drive up demand, enabling the NFL to split it up and charge each partner $225 million.
CBS paid $300 million for eight games in its last deal.
McManus understood why the NFL wanted a second broadcast partner. “Having another company carry the package helps promote it,” he said.
What CBS did hold on to was the right to carry the games at the start of the season. Having the first five games provides a helpful advertising platform to launch the new CBS prime-time schedule in the fall.
“We felt strongly that having the promotional weight at the beginning of the season was very important to us,” he said.
By getting its games first, CBS also avoids getting stuck with late season match-ups that have no baring on the playoff picture.
Even with the reduction in Thursday games, McManus said CBS Sports will produce and broadcast more NFL games this season than any other network.
All the Thursday night games are simulcast on the NFL Network, which is available to cable and satellite customers. But starting this season, fans will be able to stream Thursday night games online for free through Twitter.
McManus sees the streaming deal as “additive” for CBS, as the network’s feed — complete with the same commercials -- will be the video used on Twitter.
“I think this will bring in a lot of younger viewers, a lot of viewers who are on the move who might not be in their living rooms to watch it,” he said. “It will not cannibalize the CBS audience.”
As the main carrier for the American Football Conference teams, CBS will have only two games with the Los Angeles Rams, which play in the NFC. But McManus is glad the league now has a home team in the second-largest TV market.
“The overall effect will be good for the NFL,” said McManus, who said ratings for the Rams’ preseason contests have been better than anticipated.
Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
From the Oscars to the Emmys.
Get the Envelope newsletter for exclusive awards season coverage, behind-the-scenes stories from the Envelope podcast and columnist Glenn Whipp’s must-read analysis.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
