Vote might restrict team's TV access

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:57 pm

Vote might restrict team's TV access

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

IRVING - The Cowboys will continue to produce original television programming despite a vote by the NFL to pull the plug on teams operating their own television networks.

The Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons are the only teams to have their own regional networks.

The vote, which passed 30-1 with one abstention at last week's NFL meetings in Maui, Hawaii, prevents other teams from starting a network and will ultimately force the Cowboys and Falcons to change the way they air their programming to deter direct competition with the league-run NFL Network.

"The Dallas Cowboys have cooperated with the NFL throughout the process and support the latest resolution. Our in-house television production department will continue to produce original and exclusive Dallas Cowboys programming for our fans," Cowboys vice president Jerry Jones Jr said. "We are working with Comcast and the NFL to determine how and where to broadcast that content in the future."

The Cowboys are currently airing reruns on their 24-hour channel, which is available to Comcast Cable subscribers.

They plan to do some original programming leading up to and during the 2005 NFL Draft. But the bulk of the content that aired last fall, including Cowboys SportCenter, The Cowboys Huddle coaches show and Bill Parcells' daily news conferences, were set to reappear in September.

Because of last week's vote, those programs might be seen on the NFL Network, on the Cowboys channel on Comcast or on Comcast via Video on Demand.

Seth Palansky of the NFL Network said that the Cowboys and the NFL are still trying to figure out the best way to go forward and that nothing has been determined.

But he said Cowboys fans "will be able to get their content one way or another."

The NFL Network began broadcasting in late 2003 and has had increasing control in recent months in broadcasting league events, ranging from announcements of the Hall of Fame vote to live news conferences from league meetings.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue had previously placed a moratorium on adding regional networks, although the Cowboys were allowed to keep running theirs because it had already started.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/football/11256574.htm

REDEEMEDSKIN · Post by **REDEEMEDSKIN** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:17 am

...the bulk of the content that aired last fall, including Cowboys SportCenter, The Cowboys Huddle coaches show and Bill Parcells' daily news conferences, were set to reappear in September.

Because of last week's vote, those programs might be seen on the NFL Network...

:shock::shock:Whew!!! And to think I was leaning toward getting cable just for the NFL Network alone. All that Cowgirl content on NFL Network???!!!! Cruel, I tell ya. Simply cruel.

curveball · Post by **curveball** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:55 am

Jones is a master, he was one of the thirty "aye" votes. Basically, no other team can start a network, he gets to keep his and the only limitation is that he cannot broadcast things that compete with the NFL Network (there will be no "live" programming, everything will be taped and first offered to the NFL Network.)

The NFL Network's never going to want Mickey Spagnola's show for example, so it will be seen on a delay. Big deal compared to being one of only two teams that offer their fans anything.

Deadskins · Post by **Deadskins** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 6:42 pm

I live in Atlanta, and often check out the Falcons channel. The most basic digital package Comcast offers here contains the Falcons channel, but not the NFL Network. For the NFL Network, I would have to purchase the Sports package, for an extra $5 a month. So in my case, the Falcons channel never competes for my viewing time with the NFL Network.