Like most other fans of video games and sports, I was irritated when the deal between EA Sports and the various professional sports leagues was announced. The deal with the NFL was signed and promoted just after the competing NFL 2K5 came out with a handful of really great new features, and it seemed like common sense this must be EA trying to squeeze their competition out of the market. As it turns out, though, EA claims that it was the NFL's idea.
Whoever came up with it, EA is the one who is going to be defending it. Ars Technica is reporting that two gamers are suing EA Sports for antitrust violations, which is a bold move. Their argument is, basically, that nobody really wants to buy a football game that doesn't have real teams or players in it.
It has been twelve years since the Rams and Raiders left Los Angeles, and with the recent passing of Georgia Frontiere, one of the last people to own a pro football team in Southern California, it is time to reconsider the prospect.
All week long, the Los Angeles Times is pitting "sportswriter" Scott Olin Schmidt (ahem, that would be yours truly) against Barry Sanders--the Los Angeles Coliseum Commissioner, not the former Detroit Lion--in their weekly "Dust Up" web feature.
Today's question asks, "Should Los Angeles be spending public money to attract an NFL franchise? Should a pro team play at the Coliseum? Isn't professional football (unlike, arguably, baseball) usually a net loss for municipalities?"
Both Sanders and Schmidt agree: "our great city can live without an NFL team."
LeslieAnn Wade, vice president of communications for CBS, said Beuerlein was joking off-air with play-by-play man Bill Macatee and was unaware the telecast had resumed. Wade said Macatee lives in southern California and follows Trojan football.
"Steve being a Notre Dame guy and like any two friends who have those allegiances would do, they kid each other about Notre Dame and USC all the time,'' Wade said. "Certainly Steve wishes it wasn't on the air and so does CBS, but that is the explanation.''
Despite that, I'm sure that CBS sent a stongly worded memo to all their sports guys to warn them about what they say could make it on air.
I earlier told you about CBS analyst Steve Beuerlein saying "USC thugs, man" over live air during the Bengals-Titans game today. Here is the video accompanying it.
Like I said before, who knows what Beuerlein was saying right before that comment. Maybe he said "I will take on anyone who says that those are a bunch of USC thugs, man." Maybe not. Either way, Beuerlein got caught breaking the #1 rule in TV work: if you've got nothing nice to say, make sure no one can hear you.
As Bill Macatee says when the broadcast came back, "LenDale White wishes he had that brief emotional explosion back." Maybe ol' Steve wishes he had that comment back.
Hat tip to Trojan Wire for finding the video. Sorry, No Photos
The network said yesterday it accepted Time Warner's offer to make a "freeview" available from Dec. 24-30 to customers who subscribe to the cable TV operator's digital basic tier.
Time Warner confirmed that 75 percent of its New York-area customers receive that particular service.
The "freeview" will also include the Insight Bowl between Minnesota and Texas Tech on Dec. 29, but not include the Dec. 30 Giants-Redskins game.
So, what about other places that don't get the NFL Network? After seeing New Jersey Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg play a public role, Kansas Republican Senator Pat Roberts shows that political grandstanding for the constituents is a bi-partisan affair that knows nothing of the principle of limited government:
"Every Kansan should be able to cheer on their team, be it the Wildcats, the Jayhawks, or the Shockers. K-State fans should not be kept from watching the Texas Bowl just because they subscribe to a particular cable company," Senator Pat Roberts said. "That's not right. So I hope an agreement can be reached. The Commissioner told me he would have an answer next week. Let's hope it's the right one. And I told the Commissioner if it was not the right one, that's why we have hearings."
Nothing like the threat of government subpoenas over televising a football game.
"In addition, we have let Time Warner know, if they are interested, we would extend this same freeview to subscribers of Time Warner in affected regions in Kansas and Texas" on similar terms, the NFL Network added.
Minnesota, it seems, is still left out in the, uh, cold.
You knew it was coming. The fact that NFL Network even made any concession in the NY/NJ media markets to show the bowl game for Rutgers, means everyone else complains that they aren't getting any free candy.
Palansky said one of the reasons that the New York/New Jersey situation was a priority was that many fans in that area don't have the option of getting satellite because they live in high-rise apartments. DirecTV and Dish Network carry the NFL Network.
"In other parts of the country you can get satellite and at least have that option," Palansky said. "But those fans (in New York/New Jersey) are stuck."
Dallas Cowboy fans in Texas are pissed about the upcoming Thursday night game they won't be able to see in their own homes. You even have law makers falling over themselves to pass useless legislation urging a resolution.
Meanwhile, there is no actual progress between the NFL Network and cable companies Time Warner and Cablevision. NFL Network wants to have a full week to show off to cable customers what they are missing and the cable companies want to show the Texas Bowl and be done with it.
Now that the riveting drama of the Boston Red Sox-Scott Boras Daisuke Matsuzaka negotiations are over, the next big overblown showdown remains between the NFL and cable companies serving the NYC metro region and New Jersey. The cable companies made their counter-offers yesterday. No official word from the NFL Network, but rumors suggest that it will be a thumbs down.
Industry sources doubted the NFLN would accept either of TWC's proposals. Nor would NFLN likely agree to give Cablevision the Rutgers game if the system did not air the entire preview week.
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg just wants a deal done for the good of the people of New Jersey. Considering the Democrats have the Senate and Lautenberg sits on the Commerce Committee, "which has jurisdiction over cable and broadcast television, as well as professional sports," you can expect some more government arm-twisting for the people of New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the state of Kansas is ignored despite the fact that K-State is Rutgers opponent. And what about Lubbock, Texas and the state of Minnesota? The NFL Network is also airing the Insight Bowl between Texas Tech and Minnesota. A good portion of the St. Paul-Minneapolis market seems to be lacking the NFL Network because of a dispute with Comcast.
Cable TV subscribers on the St. Paul side of the Mississippi River will be able to watch the Gophers play in the Insight Bowl, but those in Minneapolis and the western suburbs won't be able to watch it at home.
A rift between Comcast and the National Football League has left the NFL Network, which will televise the Dec. 29 game, off the roster of the West Metro's new cable provider - even though St. Paul-area Comcast customers can get the NFL Network.
"Comcast has chosen not to broadcast it, even though they disseminate it broadly to St. Paul," NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky said Wednesday. "I don't know why."
The dispute is over new territory acquired when Comcast bought out Time Warner Cable. When Comcast took over the approximately 230,000 customers in the West Metro and greater Minnesota this fall, it decided not to offer NFL Network anywhere, even though it is available to East Metro and Western Wisconsin customers who subscribe to the upgraded digital cable package.
You would think there would be more of an outcry from the 15th largest Designated Market Area (Lubbock is 146th).
It's been a hell of a year for Rutgers. Who would have thought the Scarlet Knights would challenge for a BCS bid, and then force a showdown between the NFL Network and the cable companies serving the largest media market in the US, and even get the government involved? All for the Texas Bowl?
The network will also allow other major carriers in Central Jersey, including Comcast and Patriot Media, to move the game to its basic tier of channels. "With no strings attached," according to Palansky.
Sixty percent of Comcast subscribers have the digital tier of programming that includes the NFL Network. A decision whether to move the game to basic Comcast cable has not been made, according to a Comcast spokeswoman.
Patriot Media carries the NFL Network, except for the NFL games. It balked when the NFL Network requested an additional $700,000 to show those games. Patriot Media informed customers on its Web site the Texas Bowl will be seen on the tier of service that includes Channel 124.
"We are trying to accommodate consumers, our fans and the fans of Rutgers, to let them know we are trying to resolve this issue," said [NFL Commissioner] Goodell, who said he also has spoken with Gov. Jon Corzine and Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey.
"The bottom line is that people in New Jersey need to be able to watch Rutgers play, and now we have a way to do that," said Lautenberg. "We think this is a very good opportunity for people to see not only those two games, but the NFL Network," Goodell added. "We certainly believe cable operators will see it the same way."
Like most other fans of video games and sports, I was irritated when the deal between EA Sports and the various professional sports leagues was announced. The deal with the NFL was signed and promoted just after the competing NFL 2K5 came out with a handful of really great new features, and it seemed like common sense this must be EA trying to squeeze their competition out of the market. As it turns out, though, EA claims that it was the NFL's idea.
It has been twelve years since the Rams and Raiders left Los Angeles, and with the recent 
By now, you've seen the story of 
Even Peter 
Now that the riveting drama of the Boston Red Sox-
It's been a hell of a year for Rutgers. Who would have thought the Scarlet Knights would challenge for a BCS bid, and then force a showdown between the NFL Network and the cable companies serving the largest media market in the US, and even get the government involved? All for the Texas Bowl? 
