If NFL players and owners can't figure out a contract in time to save the upcoming season, then ESPN will swap football games for other athletic contests, Disney CFO Jay Rasulo said Tuesday. Speaking at the Credit Suisse Global Media and Communications Convergence Conference, the CFO went so far as to say, "We're not concerned," despite ESPN's having the rights to Monday Night Football. ESPN knows how to reach NFL fans whether there's a season or not, Rasulo suggested, therefore advertisers will still flock to the sports network. A work stoppage is far from a certainty and players and owners are headed for mediation. Plus, Rasulo said ESPN's plan is to keep paying fees to the NFL even if games aren't being played, and they'll figure out later "what happens to those fees." Source: Hollywood Reporter
The plan is starting September, from 8-11 PM ET, ESPN will stand for Exotic Sexual Practices Network You better believe I'll be watching the Hayden Pantierre/Olivia Wilde vag**a Scissor Fight!
everyone is trying to spin this thing as no big deal ........ i've been saying for a year that if the owners and players cause there to be no season or even if part of the season is not played, the nfl WILL lose many followers. People will find other things to do on Sundays in the fall and many of them just won't come back.
So what start up league is going to try to swoop in? I wonder if the NCAA would be open to playing games on Sundays during a lockout?
I say Soccer could benefit as far as ticket sales goes. It's something to do with the family. People will have "discretionary income" now and be able to take a whole family to the game with food and the whole shebang for under $200.00 opposed to going to an NFL game with your pal and paying ridiculous prices for tickets, food, drink... Who knows...maybe the MLS will even pick up a few followers.
Maybe FCS or D-III schools might. No way are the major conferences going to screw around with their schedules, besides all major conferences have network tie-ins. It won't work at their level.
Me neither. It's out there though. So is college football. Take Tennessee for instance. People that may have bought Titan tickets could now invest in the Vols. High School football is there for the die hards...
They'll survive. The NFL isnt the sports world. MLB and the NBA almost interlock They'll have content, and people will watch. Maybe not quite as much, but they'll be OK
I think the new USFL should be starting in about a year or so. I'll be watching a lot of NFL Network and may watch a few arena bowl and UFL games.
