What’s with the dueling Monday Night games?

[peterpan]

The League has done an early and a late MNF game in the past, but I can’t remember them ever having competing games at the same time in prime time.  What’s the reasoning here? Testing a new concept??

[zow2]

Not sure.  They were talking about it on one of the afternoon sports shows and ripping on it...  they said either stagger the start times or have one game..  

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

The league looked at NYG and Packers, and grimaced? 🤔

[Gregg]

Watching Dolphins - Titans since its an AFC game with AFCE team playing. I have a feeling I will be switching over to the Giants - Packers game as I think the Dolphins are going to blow them out.

[peterpan]

I have always thought that the league limiting tv stations to 3 games between the 1 and 4 pm starts was super weird.  Why not just allow 4 games on? That’s seems like the easiest way to increase revenues.  
 

But this isn’t a bad idea either. I have non interest in the nfc game, but would watch the afc matchup. I do agree a staggering start time would be nice.  The 830 games go too late for an old fart like me

[strive_for_five_guy]

It’s an “experiment”

[Simon]

1 minute ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

It’s an “experiment”

 

I'd love the idea if both of the games were good; or maybe even if just one of them was good.

Although I do think they should offset the kickoffs by about 20min so you could fully enjoy the end of both.

[Mango]

Instead of making MNF must see/great football. They are just log jamming a couple games in there at once to free up the 4pm slot on Sundays. 

I am only halfway joking. 

[nucci]

38 minutes ago, zow2 said:

Not sure.  They were talking about it on one of the afternoon sports shows and ripping on it...  they said either stagger the start times or have one game..  

yet they don't stagger the start times on 1pm Sunday games

[Tuco]

It's week 14. Almost all of the tens of millions of fantasy football leagues around the world have their final regular season matchups this week. Fantasy players don't care about whether the game on TV is a good matchup. They care about their players and their opponents' players. In my 12-person league there are 10 teams who have players playing tonight. Five of those teams are still battling for position (regular season places/payouts plus playoff positions) and tonight's games will be the final deciding factor. 

 

ABC/ESPN no doubt realized this is one week where a lot of people will be watching whether the games are dogs or not. No doubt they paid for an extra game this week because they know millions of watchers will be using the back button as they switch between games, depending on who has the ball. And it's no big deal for a sports bar to have two games on instead of just one. 

 

That's my guess anyway. Pick the week 14 game in April. If it's a dog there will be the regular number of viewers plus a handful of extras rooting for their fantasy players. Make it two games in week 14 and have a better chance of at least one of them not being a dog, plus double the handful of extras watching as they pull for and against multiple players.

 

 

[Logic]

Yeah it's weird.

I have no idea why networks cannibalize their own audience, just like with the Manningcast thing.

I don't get it.

A double-header? Sure. Or even staggering it by 90 minutes, so that if the first game stinks, you can switch at halftime. But starting them at the exact some time? Bizarre.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Logic

[chongli]

42 minutes ago, peterpan said:

The League has done an early and a late MNF game in the past, but I can’t remember them ever having competing games at the same time in prime time.  What’s the reasoning here? Testing a new concept??

 

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/two-nfl-games-monday-night-football-doubleheader/164c3af4e262e4ae9a0a40f7

 

"Why are there two NFL games tonight?

 

"There is not a specific reason for the two games being put on Monday. ESPN said only in its release that by having two games at the same time, "ESPN and the NFL transform a Sunday afternoon environment into a primetime window."

 

"The latest schedule innovation during ESPN's most comprehensive NFL season in the company's history, features multiple games with playoff implications," the release said."

[Simon]

4 minutes ago, nucci said:

yet they don't stagger the start times on 1pm Sunday games

 

No, but they do for some 4pms when they are only a couple games going instead of 8-9.

[nucci]

Just now, Simon said:

 

No, but they do for some 4pms when they are only a couple games going instead of 8-9.

I know. I think they should for early games...105p...115p, 125p. That way there's always a game going on

[Simon]

Just now, nucci said:

I know. I think they should for early games...105p...115p, 125p. That way there's always a game going on

 

Yeah, I've thought that too. Sort of like a March Madness model.

Start at 12:30 and kick them off every 10 minutes; then between 330 and 430 networks could just run down the line showing the end of a bunch of different games, at least some of which would be good enough to keep folks in the LR and out of the kitchen.

[CaptnCoke11]

Neither game is appealing 

[mannc]

55 minutes ago, peterpan said:

The League has done an early and a late MNF game in the past, but I can’t remember them ever having competing games at the same time in prime time.  What’s the reasoning here? Testing a new concept??

The same week that there is NO FOOTBALL on Saturday.  (Except Army Navy). Why, why why?

[The Wiz]

They kind of did this last year when the bills played the Titans and the Vikings played the Eagles.

 

7:15pm and 8:30pm, respectively.

 

They are testing it out is my guess to see what is the best way to get the most viewership in both games.  This one just happens to be at the same time.

[mannc]

3 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Neither game is appealing 

You’re going to change your mind when the Titans give Miami all they can handle.

[DCofNC]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

 

I'd love the idea if both of the games were good; or maybe even if just one of them was good.

Although I do think they should offset the kickoffs by about 20min so you could fully enjoy the end of both.

Yeah, I’d say they need to be offset by at least an hour.  This week has not been the scheduler’s finest job. 

8 minutes ago, mannc said:

You’re going to change your mind when the Titans give Miami all they can handle.

Wouldn’t be shocked if the Titans win, honestly.  They have the right type of team to give Miami trouble. 

[OZBILLS]

I want to watch both. Don't like this

[chongli]

This is the first year there has been more than one week of two MNF games (in fact, three this year) and the first time it is so late in the season.

45 minutes ago, Tuco said:

It's week 14. Almost all of the tens of millions of fantasy football leagues around the world have their final regular season matchups this week. Fantasy players don't care about whether the game on TV is a good matchup. They care about their players and their opponents' players. In my 12-person league there are 10 teams who have players playing tonight. Five of those teams are still battling for position (regular season places/payouts plus playoff positions) and tonight's games will be the final deciding factor. 

 

ABC/ESPN no doubt realized this is one week where a lot of people will be watching whether the games are dogs or not. No doubt they paid for an extra game this week because they know millions of watchers will be using the back button as they switch between games, depending on who has the ball. And it's no big deal for a sports bar to have two games on instead of just one. 

 

That's my guess anyway. Pick the week 14 game in April. If it's a dog there will be the regular number of viewers plus a handful of extras rooting for their fantasy players. Make it two games in week 14 and have a better chance of at least one of them not being a dog, plus double the handful of extras watching as they pull for and against multiple players.

 

 

 

This is the exact explanation I heard on some show on Fox Sports Radio this week.

[Mr. WEO]

Tommy Cutlets needs his own time slot...

[IronyAbounds]

It sucks for those who love to watch football regardless of who is playing, but if you're mainly a fan of your team I doubt it makes much difference. If the NFL really wants to get innovative my suggestion is to allow viewers to pick the game they want to watch at a particular time period rather than just assigning games to particular regions. Bills games are appointment tv for me. Otherwise, I really don't care all that much. The Bills-Eagles game is a good example. AZ didn't get that game so I only was able to watch the end of the game (as painful as that was). Before that I barely paid attention. Perhaps they don't want to hurt the Sunday Ticket or NFL Redzone, but I actually think overall ratings would be better.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, mannc said:

You’re going to change your mind when the Titans give Miami all they can handle.

Titans giving the Dolphins 'the business'? 🤔

 

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

If you're gonna schedule 2 games at the same time, thet should just let all 4 teams play on the field at the same time. Something like this:

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Allen2Diggs

[djp14150]

1 hour ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Neither game is appealing 

 

based on last years results they were as potential WC teams going head to head.

[stuvian]

It's not enough for the Park Avenue corporate swine to scoop all the national advertising dollars. Now they want the local advertising dollars in all their markets too.

[DallasBillsFan1]

Me no likey.  One game at a time.

[benderbender]

1 hour ago, DallasBillsFan1 said:

Me no likey.  One game at a time.

At least double box it. The lack of a 2 window feed is insulting. Especially if you've paid for both channels. 

[T master]

They are trying to prepare and see what it will be like when they get the European teams & the Mexican, and South American teams just how much they can saturate the American public with football when they get up to like 40 teams .

 

More is always better so push it as much as possible right to the limit Roger ...

[PetermansRedemption]

Stupid idea. Why would it ever make sense to have two prime time games on at the same time? Do one at 6:15 and one at 8:15. Or 7 and 9. Stagger by a minimum of an hour, ideally two hours. Not sure what they were trying to experiment here? They are just cannibalizing their own viewership. 

[without a drought]

I think people don't really care about this, they just want to B word about everything and anything.

[theRalph]

Many of us have the ability to record multiple games, so we can watch each one. Why the phuuck does ESPN split the screen between the two games....for several minutes at a time. Stuuuuupid.

[Punching Bag]

19 hours ago, Simon said:

 

I'd love the idea if both of the games were good; or maybe even if just one of them was good.

Although I do think they should offset the kickoffs by about 20min so you could fully enjoy the end of both.

 

Good idea but that does not always work since you can have overtimes and some games just run faster with a lot of running plays.

I'd love a split screen with subtitles on muted game but since my sports package does not have ESPN and NFL Network I choose package with NFL Network.

1 hour ago, benderbender said:

At least double box it. The lack of a 2 window feed is insulting. Especially if you've paid for both channels. 

 

They are trying to convince people to have less channels.

Yes their reasoning is schizoid. 

[DCofNC]

5 hours ago, T master said:

They are trying to prepare and see what it will be like when they get the European teams & the Mexican, and South American teams just how much they can saturate the American public with football when they get up to like 40 teams .

 

More is always better so push it as much as possible right to the limit Roger ...

Product is already diluted, any more and it’ll be the NBA.  Seems to be what they want though.

[Mr. WEO]

I thought it was great.  But I guess if you don't have a remote control it would have been a real pain to get off the couch every few minutes to turn the channel knob to switch games....

[zow2]

Big fail to me.  would have been much better, staggered like 45-60mins apart. 

[chongli]

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by chongli