NFL - UK Broadcasting Thread
ocav
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The regular NFL Season begins this week so heres a thread to discuss overall coverage, commentators, etc.
SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
Fri 05 Sept - 01:30 - Packers vs Seahawks (Sky Sports 1)
Sun 07 Sept - 18:00 - Patriots vs Dolphins (Sky Sports 1)
Sun 07 Sept - 21:25 - 49ers vs Cowboys (Sky Sports 1)
Mon 08 Sept - 01:30 - Colts vs Broncos (Channel 4)
Tue 09 Sept - 00:10 - Giants vs Lions (British Eurosport)
Tue 09 Sept - 03:20 - Chargers vs Cardinals (British Eurosport)
WEEK 2
Fri 12 Sept - 01:25 - Steelers vs Ravens (Sky Sports 2)
Sun 14 Sept - 18:00 - Falcons vs Bengals (Sky Sports 2)
Sun 14 Sept - 21:25 - Chiefs vs Broncos (Sky Sports 2)
Mon 15 Sept - 01:30 - Bears vs 49ers (Channel 4)
Tue 16 Sept - 01:30 - Eagles vs Colts (British Eurosport)
WEEK 3
Fri 19 Sept - 01:25 - Bucaneers vs Falcons (Sky Sports 2)
Mon 22 Sept - 01:30 - Steelers vs Panthers (Channel 4)
Tue 23 Sept - 01:30 - Bears vs Jets (British Eurosport)
Sky Sports Sunday Game is yet to be announced
WEEK 4
Fri 26 Sept - 01:25 - Giants vs Redskins (Sky Sports 2)
Sun 28 Sept - 18:00 - Dolphins vs Raiders (Sky Sports/Channel 4) - WEMBLEY
Mon 29 Sept - 01:30 - Saints vs Cowboys (Channel 4)
Tue 30 Sept - 01:30 - Patriots vs Chiefs (British Eurosport)
SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
Fri 05 Sept - 01:30 - Packers vs Seahawks (Sky Sports 1)
Sun 07 Sept - 18:00 - Patriots vs Dolphins (Sky Sports 1)
Sun 07 Sept - 21:25 - 49ers vs Cowboys (Sky Sports 1)
Mon 08 Sept - 01:30 - Colts vs Broncos (Channel 4)
Tue 09 Sept - 00:10 - Giants vs Lions (British Eurosport)
Tue 09 Sept - 03:20 - Chargers vs Cardinals (British Eurosport)
WEEK 2
Fri 12 Sept - 01:25 - Steelers vs Ravens (Sky Sports 2)
Sun 14 Sept - 18:00 - Falcons vs Bengals (Sky Sports 2)
Sun 14 Sept - 21:25 - Chiefs vs Broncos (Sky Sports 2)
Mon 15 Sept - 01:30 - Bears vs 49ers (Channel 4)
Tue 16 Sept - 01:30 - Eagles vs Colts (British Eurosport)
WEEK 3
Fri 19 Sept - 01:25 - Bucaneers vs Falcons (Sky Sports 2)
Mon 22 Sept - 01:30 - Steelers vs Panthers (Channel 4)
Tue 23 Sept - 01:30 - Bears vs Jets (British Eurosport)
Sky Sports Sunday Game is yet to be announced
WEEK 4
Fri 26 Sept - 01:25 - Giants vs Redskins (Sky Sports 2)
Sun 28 Sept - 18:00 - Dolphins vs Raiders (Sky Sports/Channel 4) - WEMBLEY
Mon 29 Sept - 01:30 - Saints vs Cowboys (Channel 4)
Tue 30 Sept - 01:30 - Patriots vs Chiefs (British Eurosport)
0
Comments
CBS will take over production of the Thursday Night Football game (except the Opening Game and Thanksgiving), with a simulcast on both CBS and NFL Network through from Week 2 to Week 8, with NFL Network showing it exclusively from that point. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will lead the commentary throughout the season with Tracey Wolfson on the sideline. Jim & Phil will also call some Sunday games, primarily on weeks where there is a CBS double-header.
Broadcast crews for this year are:
CBS
1. Jim Nantz, Phil Simms & Tracey Wolfson
2. Ian Eagle & Dan Fouts
3. Greg Gumbel & Trent Green
4. Kevin Harlan & Rich Gannon
5. Spero Dedes & Solomon Wilcots
6 Andrew Catalon with Steve Beuerlein & Steve Tasker
Fox
1. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Erin Andrews
2. Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch & Pam Oliver
3. Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston & Tony Siragusa
4. Chris Myles, Ronde Barber & Jennifer Hale
5. Thom Bennaman, David DIehl & Laura Okmin
6 Dick Stockton with either Donovan McNabb, Brady Quinn or Kirk Morrison (rotating from week to week) and Kristina Pink.
NBC
1. Al Michaels, Cris Collingsworth & Michelle Tafoya
ESPN
1. Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden & Lisa Salters
2. Chris Berman & Trent Dilfer (Week 1 Only)
ESPN, NBC, CBS & Fox will each broadcast one Wildcard Weekend game.
NBC will broadcast one game from the Divisional Round of the playoffs, with Fox showing two and CBS the other (this will rotate next year with CBS getting 2 games and Fox 1.)
CBS & Fox will show the AFC and NFC Championship games respectively.
NBC will show the Super Bowl on Feb 1st 2015.
ESPN will show the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl.
Fox will be showing two of the Wembley Games (Week 8 - Detroit v Atlanta, which will kickoff at 2:30pm London Time, 9:30am EST, 6:30am PST as well as Dallas v Jacksonville which is at the normal time of 6pm UK Time)
CBS will show the other London game (Week 4 - Miami v Oakland)
CBS, Fox & NBC will each show a Thanksgiving game.
One of the Thursday Night Football games will actually be shown on Saturday
And finally, changes to the TV contracts from this year mean that more games can be moved to different timeslots (except Monday & Thursday which are locked in). Original CBS games can be moved to Fox and vice versa, CBS & Fox games can be moved to NBC Sunday Night Football.
In the UK:
Sky
The Opening Game
Thursday Night Football
Two Sunday Games (6pm & 9:20pm) - with Redzone available on the Red Button
All three Thanksgiving games
All the Playoff Games
The Pro Bowl
The Super Bowl
C4
NBC Sunday Night Football
The Wembley Games (x3)
Highlights of the Playoffs
The Super Bowl
plus a Saturday highlights programme and HBO's Hard Knock (starting this Wednesday)
Eurosport
ESPN Monday Night Football
Think that covers it all.
One correction the London game in week 8 actually kicks off 1:30pm UK time. Already have my ticket
Remember because of the clock change last Sunday in October is the one week there is only a 4 hour time difference not 5 to US EST.
Today is the last Sunday without NFL football until next February 8th.
For additional coverage I heartily recommend these podcasts.
US Based
Around the NFL (http://www.nfl.com/podcasts?series=aroundtheleague-podcast)
The Ross Tucker Football Podcast (http://www.rosstucker.com/wp/podcasts/ross-tucker-football-podcast/)
The Rich Eisen Podcast (http://www.nfl.com/podcast/richeisen-podcast/1404327535000/detail)
UK Based
Inside the Huddle - NFLUK / Sky Sports (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/nfluk-inside-the-huddle/id396901540)
Tuesday Morning Football - (http://www.tuesdaymorningfootball.com/)
Americarnage (http://www.americarnage.co.uk/)
Other good podcasts are available, especially from ESPN, SI.com and the NFL.
As per recent years Thom Brennaman will call with Troy Aikman while Joe Buck is on the MLB Postseason
Flex Scheduling starts in Week 5, but between Weeks 5 and 10 only two games can be moved to SNF, from Week 11 onwards it's as you were.
I gave up on the Ross Tucker podcast at the end of last season, I just don't feel he works without a co host like he used to have at ESPN. The Rich Eisen podcast I've only listened to very occasionally, it seemed very long and bloated with too much pop culture stuff and not enough Football. I actually think the current version of the ESPN Football Today podcast is pretty good now they have Matt Williamson on every show.
None of the UK based podcasts are worth bothering with IMO.
Channel 4's highlights show will be on Monday nights this season.
British Eurosport will also continue to have their highlights show (a compilation of those from NFL Network) which will air before MNF as well as earlier on Monday and additional replays over the next few days.
Also, although Channel 4's on-screen talent remain the same (Coombes, Carlson, and Kaye) the production contract has been taken over by North One Television with Simon Crosse producing. Their other content includes BT Sport's Moto GP coverage and Channel 5's Gadget Show. Crosse previously produced NFL coverage on BBC Radio and MNF for BBC Sport.
North One replace Sunset+Vine who have been producing NFL content since 1999, for its run on Channel 5 and its return to Channel 4. They also produced the BBC playoff highlight shows.
I thought MNF on the BBC turned into a really good programme by the end when they had Darren Fletcher presenting it. Man I'd love to see Fletcher replace Coombs but obviously that's never going to happen.
Is that the same Simon Crosse who produces Fighting Talk?
Yes. And he is also a winter Olympic ice hockey commentator.
At 11pm, it would appear. If they're going to put it on this late, which will mean some people will record it, I wonder why they don't just put it on Tuesday night, so they can include the Monday night game highlights.
I guess they're not going for the kids audience anymore. Which is probably realistic, American football is never going to be a widescale grass roots sport in the UK.
Packers @ Seahawks (NBC) - Al Michaels, Chris Collingsworth, Michelle Tafoya.
Patriots @ Dolphins (CBS) - Greg Gumbel, Trent Green.
49ers @ Cowboys (Fox) - Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews.
Colts @ Bronco's (NBC) - Al Michaels, Chris Collingsworth, Michelle Tafoya.
Giants @ Lions (ESPN) Mike Tirico, Jon Grudden, Lisa Salters.
Charges @ Cardinals (ESPN) Chirs Berman, Trent Dilfer.
He'll be in the booth alongside Brendon Ayandadejo and Peter Schrager.
Though it still seems odd the NFL allow one of their major partners to actively promote betting on the league in that way, given their staunch opposition to it. Obviously they cannot stop Sky Bet from including the league, but a show on a Sky branded channel using the NFL name in its title seems the sort of thing they would have explicitly prohibited. I am fairly sure the rights deal with Sky prevents commercials for bookmakers during Sky Sports' coverage.
And as they have not been mentioned on here yet:
Sky Sports has a half-hour preview to the season with Shaun Gayle that airs first on Wednesday at 9:30pm on SS1.
It is repeated on SS1 at 10:30pm on Thursday and will be followed by the first showing of the latest episode of America's Game. This, obviously, cover the Seattle Seahawks' 2013 season that ended with the Super Bowl victory earlier this year.
Those will be followed by another showing of the Andrew Luck Masterclass at midnight before the live coverage begins at 1pm for the kickoff game between Green Bay and Seattle.
And one minor change, the regular Monday night games will kick off ten minutes earlier this season, at 1:30am UK with ESPN's coverage now due to begin at 1:15am.
NFL Americas Game (11pm)
NFL Masterclass (12am)
NFL Live (1am)
I don't know if any of this is the CBS show but that's Sky Sports 1's Build up
Cheers for that, the latest CBS release today says the pregame will start at 12:30 our time so it looks like it'll be behind the red button
The schedule for next week, the first CBS Thursday night game, has the programme starting at 1:25am on SS2. There is a repeat of ATP Tour Uncovered at 1am, and a WWE repeat at midnight before that.
It would be more pertinent to have a proper US pre game show available on a Sunday for NFL aficianados. Sky could air NFL Today from CBS or Fox NFL Sunday (both 5pm to 6pm UK) or NFL Networks NFL Gameday Morning from 2pm to 6pm. If not on the main network any game day show could be either on the Red Button like Red Zone or online like NFL Total Access. If on Red Button please offer it in HD Sky - same with Red Zone.
Makes me pine for the days of NFL Sunday Countdown on ESPN America.
C'mon Sky!!
So essentially, it's still not on the main channel then, only behind the red button
The continued mediocrity of the UK based presentation team is the biggest problem with Sky's NFL coverage. Kevin Cadle may be a nice chap or whatever, but his constant inattention to detail makes it seem like he just rocks up at Sky studios at 5 pm Sunday evening and finds out then what games will be shown. It's as though Sky don't think their viewers take the NFL seriously.
Couldn't agree more. The Sky coverage has become complacent and the presentation been pretty much the same for years. It isn't as slick or professional as the US network presentation and obsesses about the Wembley games and a UK franchise to an excessive extent.
I have to say it is one sport where I think BT (providing they based it around ESPN's US programming) would do a better job - as they do with College Football. I also like Eurosport's Monday Night game coverage because they just take the ESPN feed.
It's never going to be as slick and professional as the US broadcasters though is it? The availability/access to players and coaches isn't the same and it the value for money just wouldn't be there for either Sky or BT.
On the Wembley games and franchise point, surely a large part of that is because it's what the NFL and NFL UK want, any rights holder would have to make a big play on it. Remember a couple of years ago 5Live Sports Extra would sometimes pick games purely because that team would be coming to London a few weeks later
It could make a bit more of an effort though. My point was that the presentation hasn't changed much in several years and is a little tired as a result. Similarly, i'm not saying don't mention the Wembley games, just keep it more in proportion. There is a danger that they are broadcasting too much to a narrow band of fans (who are attending the Wembley games or interested in the related fan rally hoo hah that Neil Reynolds gets so excited about - and i've been to around 5 of the Wembley games)
My main desire though is to be able to access more focussed coverage from the US in the same way that BT/ESPN gives us College Gameday, College Football Live/Final and full US coverage of games. So if we can have access to a pre game show from CBS, FOX or NFL Network that suits me fine - just please give us it in HD (same for Red Zone please!).