ESPN To Air 2010 Pro Bowl
Friday, January 02, 2009
It was announced last week that the Pro Bowl would be moving to Miami in 2010, but there's also now news that CBS has declined to air the game, and ESPN has picked up the contest. It appears as if it's just a one-year deal, but the "Leader" might have the option to continue airing the NFL All-Star game in the future. Via Reuters....
In 2009, it will be NBC. But now ESPN will have the 2010 Pro Bowl instead of CBS, which will still carry the Super Bowl on February 7.Picking up the Pro Bowl is probably cheap enough at this point, that the poor ratings won't matter, and ESPN had done just as good a job with the game as they could in the past. The only problem is how much they'll force ads for the game in our face, now that they own the 2010 rights.
It wasn't clear why CBS declined to televise the Pro Bowl, though under the terms of the 2006 right agreements the National Football League has the right to shop the Pro Bowl rights for a particular year if that network doesn't want them. That's apparently what happened here.
Terms of the NFL-ESPN deal weren't disclosed, but it's believed to be a one-year deal. There is no information as yet to whether there are more years in the works. Fox Sports is scheduled to carry the 2011 Pro Bowl, along with the Super Bowl.
2010 Pro Bowl going to ESPN (Reuters)
10 Comments:
I just hope that the change in scheduling works out for my beloved blue shirts.
As long as Farve is playin in the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, you know he's almost a lock for the Pro Bowl. You know, because he loves playing, he's like a kid out there, etc., etc., etc.
I love the NFL. Nevertheless, the Pro Bowl is an exhibition and much like the BCS, I don't believe in watching exhibition football. Therefore, once the Super Bowl ends, I say bring on training camp, primarily because my Orioles suck!
Nevertheless, the Pro Bowl is an exhibition and much like the BCS, I don't believe in watching exhibition football.
It's been said before, but I need to say it as well. You listen to Jim Rome's radio show, right? Let me put this in terms you'll understand:
Dude, your take on the college football bowl season has now passed AA Hates ESPN's defense of Dana Jacobsen as the official Awful Announcing Mad Libs:
I'd rather watch (name of sport) over meaningless college bowl games. If you watch a bowl game you're a (noun). If (two names of 7-5 teams) were in a playoff, it would be (adverb) exciting.
WE FUCKING GET IT! I even agree with you (although I'm a +1 proponent), but constantly posting the same agenda in every other post isn't the most effective strategy, dude.
/iafrate'd
Hey AA: When will I be able to order Awful Announcing Mad Libs on Amazon? I'd like to buy it asap.
I guess what I'm supposed to say now is Thank you, I'm Out.
My theory is that playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl in 2010 is at ESPN's request.
If that's true, ESPN might try to rescheduled other major league sports events to suit ESPN's schedule.
The 2009 Pro Bowl, I'm assuming will be Michaels and Colinsworth since you can't take a bus to Hawaii?
THe Scheduling change for the Pro Bowsl was of the request of the NFL not ESPN. ESPN just picked up the TV rights to televisse the game after CBS didcided not to show it like they were originaly scheduled to.
Just a small issue, but what is with the wire services saying that something "was not known," "was not immediately learned," or in this case, "was not clear." In my opinion, the use of past tense indicates a guarantee that "we will eventually find out the piece of information in question and come back to you." Instead, we (the readers) never find out, I estimate 90 percent of the time.
I can eliminate two obvious lines of speculation - the Grammy Awards and the Olympics - because the date has been moved up to January, before either of these events.
So, to me, the only thing left is to blame it on is pure economics. After all, the Pro Bowl is so unpopular that even the XFL beat it in the ratings.:(
At least Brett Favre will get another chance to go to a Pro Bowl: this time in the booth with Tirico & Kornhole.