NFL Network Giants/Patriots Game To Be Simulcast On CBS And NBC

NEW YORK -- The New England Patriots' shot at history Saturday night will be available for every household in the country with a television after months of wrangling.

The game against the New York Giants, in which the Patriots could become the first NFL team to go 16-0 in the regular season, was originally scheduled to be shown only on the NFL Network, which is available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with TVs.

The league announced Wednesday that the NFL Network feed will be simulcast on NBC and CBS. It's a major concession by league officials, who repeatedly said they would not show the game anywhere but the NFL Network. The NFL had faced mounting pressure from lawmakers in recent weeks to make the game available to more viewers.

Local TV affiliates in the Boston, Manchester, N.H., and New York areas who were already set to simulcast the game under NFL policy will still air it.

The NFL has feuded with major cable companies, who have declined to carry the network as part of basic packages.

"We have taken this extraordinary step because it is in the best interest of our fans," commissioner Roger Goodell said. "What we have seen for the past year is a very strong consumer demand for NFL Network. We appreciate CBS and NBC delivering the NFL Network telecast on Saturday night to the broad audience that deserves to see this potentially historic game. Our commitment to the NFL Network is stronger than ever."

This will be the first three-network simulcast in NFL history and the first simulcast of any kind of an NFL game since the first Super Bowl in 1967, when CBS and NBC both televised the first meeting of the champions of the newly merged National Football League and American Football League.

Great. Now tens of millions of viewers who would have otherwise been denied the pleasure will have the opportunity to barf at the non-stop fawning of the national media over Tom "Dump that pregnant lady" Brady and the Patcheatots.

The $$NFL$$ got what it wanted, the chance to make mo money, mo money, mo money$$$$ So the fixing of the Patriot, Raven game will not have gone in vain. Kudos to Roger Goodell and Co. for turning the $$NFL$$ into the $$NBA$$.

if it were any other team besides the Patriots going for 16-0 would they have done the same thing ? I doubt it.

Means squat to me. I have the NFL Network..na,na..na,na....na.:)

Can't wait for the first time Bryant Gumbel mentions that the Patriots are 0-15 instead of 15-0.

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Originally Posted by laram0

Means squat to me. I have the NFL Network..na,na..na,na....na.:)

Can't wait for the first time Bryant Gumbel mentions that the Patriots are 0-15 instead of 15-0.

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How many times will he call them the Boston Patriots?:)

I hope to be on the road driving during this game so I should not be forced to witness this fabulous event. I am glad that they are opening it up to the general public though since so many don't have access to the NFL Network.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laram0

Can't wait for the first time Bryant Gumbel mentions that the Patriots are 0-15 instead of 15-0.

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Hey, now...Gumball is the only one who has the courage to let people know that there is a 53 yard line on the field.

This game might just be the way for the general population to catch the pats cheating, or maybe watch brady throw a little whiny schoolgirl fit because he doesn't get his way. Personally, I hope it's a chance to see brady go down for the rest of this season and all of next due to him throwing a fit, jumping up and down, and messing up his own knee. Lord knows I don't want to see anyone hurt, but if he hurts himself, I would consider it a divine punishment.