Extra points: Media column gravy V
Rewind to the plight of the NFL Network (which we covered some in today's media column -- linked here) as it tries again to make some headway onto the TV cable landscape, as it is tossed around on different sports tiers while companies try to justify how it can pass along the cost of such a specialized sports channel to its customers, we got this to add:
==As for the new Sunday morning studio show that NFL Network will air starting this week -- "NFL GameDay Morning" (7 to 9 a.m.), it will be worth watching to see how Spero Dedes, the Lakers' radio play-by-play voice who has called games for the NFL Network, works this into his schedule come later in the fall, as he tries to wrangle analysts Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp in the Culver City studio, while incorporating reporter Adam Schefter from New York, plus updates from Alex Flanagan and Lindsay Soto.
"For football fans, Sunday mornings are about two things: anticipation and excitement," said Eric Weinberger, the NFL Net executive producer. "We will have our reporters at the games as well as access to radio broadcast teams of all 32 clubs for the latest breaking news. Plus we have the most outspoken, opinionated and larger-than-life figures in our game in Warren Sapp."
Brian Hyland, who won multiple Sports Emmys for his work at HBO working on "Inside the NFL," will produce this new show.
==A Q-and-A with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell posted Wednesday on CBSSportsLine.com (linked here) by reporter Clark Judge -- who is convinced there's no L.A. team coming anytime soon -- also covers his frustration by the fact the NFL Network struggles to establish a foothold, especially in New York:
"I'm frustrated only because it's obvious consumers want it," Goodell said. "We don't own the distribution (outlet), in this case Time/Warner in the New York area or some of the other cable operators who control that access to the home. I'm frustrated they don't recognize what everyone else seems to recognize: That it's high-quality entertainment and something that the fans and their consumers want. It's frustrating to see why they aren't delivering it to their consumers. It's clear they talk about a sports tier, but they're not committed to a sports tier. They do not treat independent programmers the same as the channels they own. So there is a discrimination factor we face as an independent programmer. Also it's extremely clear that NFL football has a very broad and deep following and that this kind of a network should be available to the broadest possible distribution outlet they have.
Q: There was talk of an ESPN-NFL Network merger. Any substance to it?
G: We talk with our media partners all the time about alternatives both to the NFL network and other media opportunities. We see ESPN as one of those partners that we have great respect for, and we have had dialogue with them. But we've also had conversations with other partners that should be intriguing with respect to the NFL Network as far as distribution in trying to make it more compelling than it is now for our fans.
Q: So you could foresee the network merging with someone in the future?
G: It's not something we've ruled out. If we think could make it more compelling from a consumer standpoint that is something we're interested in doing. This is a long-term strategy; this is not short-term. While we may be frustrated in the short-term, long-term we're looking for the distribution and having the highest-quality programming because we want to bring football (into homes) 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year. That's our goal here, and we're going to succeed. We just would like to get there as fast as possible.
Q: Since you mention long-term, can you imagine the day when the NFL Network is available by Pay-Per-View on the Internet, and, if so, are you in favor of it?
G: No, I can't imagine that. One of the things that made the NFL great was the broad access to games. That's exactly at the core of our disagreement with some of the largest cable operators. (Pro football) is in great demand and what made the NFL so popular and successful is that it reaches a broad audience. The distribution ought to match that.
==A story this week from the New York Times on the subject (linked here).
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