I hate to say it but from what I saw last night - the NFL Network will do nothing but grow in importance. Within 10 years, the NFL Network will have the bulk of the games and the traditional networks will get the scraps.
ESPN started this 15 or so yrs ago by starting to air Sunday night games. These games were usually shitty teams, Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, San Diego, Minnesota, that weren't normally aired and they put out the game. The Sunday games got progressively better AND better hyped by ESPN. ESPN has had the Monday night game for a couple years now and they do what they do. They won't shut up about the damn game. They start Monday Night Countdown at 3pm for an 8 pm game EVERY week. The games have sucked (ex: Pitt v Miami) but people watch. Over 200 million households have cable and thus ESPN, so you are, in essence, paying to watch the game.
The NFL network started a few years ago and the wife's stepfather watches it 22 hrs a day. He loves it. NFL all day and all night. Now they have started airing a couple games. Games picked at the begining of the season so it is "kinda" the luck of the draw. They had no idea that Green Bay and Dallas would both be 10-1 this late in the season. They were probably licking their chops in the board room of their $10Billion company and saying HELL YEA... Around 31 million people have the NFL network, mostly Dish/satellite customers. So, what did people have to do last night? Either find a buddy that has the dish OR go to a Bar and watch it.
I was coming home after 3 days in Valdosta and called Money about the game. Sure, come on over to his local sports bar. Well we sit down, begin to order a beer but first ask, where is the Dallas game. Waitress said, "Our cheapass boss didn't pay the additional $5 per month so we don't have the Network" We got up, apologized, and left. (There goes another one, she was thinking). We go to the new Taco Mac on Chastain. We thought, this is a new bar-no one will know about it, well, we were dead wrong. That place was packed and not prepared for the people. It was then off to Sidelines, we got a table and girl took our order finally... Took 20-30 minutes to get a bucket of Bud. That's 5 beers in a bucket-add ice, and it proved to be an ordeal. We witnessed 1 table get up and walk out without ever being served. Needless to say, they were not prepared either.
If this was any indication, I bet the Bars got more business than they ever dreamed of. When we left in the 3rd period we spied at least 10 kids under 10 still at the bar.
I think we can say - the NFL Network will continue to grow and this is just our 1st indication. I have said it before, and think it could be more of a reality - if most of the games aren't going to be on the NFL Network, they will be Pay-Per-View. That's it... Get ready...
College football may be on this path with more and more people getting the College Ticket so you can see all the Big 10 games or WAC or ACC or whatever. Dickboy bought it when he lived here so he could see Mich St games... Pay Per View. This is gonna suck.
I already hate myself because I will be the old guy telling the young kids "Son, I remember when we only got 3 channels and watching the Super Bowl was FREE."
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