NFL's middle finger to fans: Air 3 games w/ playoff implications on a cable network that costs extra

[Auggie]

That's what the NFL did Saturday. Texans/Bucs, Bills/Patriots, and 49ers/Rams were available only on the NFL Network, unless you happened to live in those metro markets.

[RainCaster]

1. IMO, those were all loser games anyhow

A failed experiment.

[walkingman]

3. Texans clinched their division with the win over the Bucs. Go Texans!! They might not go far but

I'm hoping they humiliate the Patriots in the playoffs.

[Auggie]

4. What do you mean by loser games?

[RainCaster]

5. Outside the local areas, few people would care. 49ers would be the exception

They have a big following

[Auggie]

6. I live in the Bay Area but would have watched the Bills/Patriots

A real football fan likes any good match-up.

[walkingman]

2. Yep, same here. We just have to face the facts - it is all about $$$$ they are primarily a

business. I think they take their fans for granted. I'm a Texan fan and that is a challenge in itself

[Cartoonist]

7. Some day, the Super Bowl will be pay-per-view

Maybe not, but you know they are thinking about it.

[SCVDem]

8. Not at the cost of the ads.

Fewer eyes, lower price!

[Brother Buzz]

9. That was a sucky move so I did something equally sucky...

I watch my 49ers barely beat the Rams on my Smart TV with a pirated online broadcast signal for free.

[Auggie]

10. Wow -- I bet the NFL is stinging from the revenue loss

Good for you. Frustrating game though ... I think Shanahan intentionally plays conservatively with upcoming opponents in mind (Seattle), and that leads to results like last night. And what we saw vs the Falcons.

[Brother Buzz]

12. With the embedded ads, I don't see any revenue loss and don't understand why they put up a stink

I'm really not ethically challenged in the least.

Now, my pirated baseball streams sans the commercials may be a different story. It was a treat watching Hunter Pence playing for the Rangers.

[yonder]

11. I sat down in time to watch the Bills/Patriots game,

only to discover that it wasn't on broadcast TV. Pissed me off and expect to see more of that shit.

The last few years we've only gotten a couple of College Bowl games each season because most are on cable. In fact, last night was the only time this season we were able to see our local Top 25 team play because of effin ESPN contracts. To make it worse, the Huskies throttled them pretty good.

I can see myself eventually walking away from viewing or caring about any TV sports to go do something worthwhile and productive if they keep this crap up. (I'm sure it won't get better)

[Auggie]

13. I hear you

I subscribed to YouTube TV (having pulled the Xfinity plug) just to watch baseball. I extended that to football season so I had an escape from Trump (ironically enough though, I got to see his impeachment)! But immediately after the Super Bowl I’ll be going dark again. I have a ton of good books waiting for me.

[NotASurfer]

14. Grew up listening to radio broadcasts

Long car trips once upon a time, the to-grandmother's-house variety several times a year. If I can find broadcast on internet or Sirius I'm good listening in, even if I'm not driving.

Which, once we get to the point of self-driving cars with full high-quality internet infotainment standard, will be like remembering vinyl records and party lines

[Marcuse]

15. The NFL will produce and market its own content and, if profitable, cut out ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.

[Auggie]

16. Streaming could make that possible ...

by charging a monthly subscription AND by selling game-time advertising. Heck, they could make more money than ever.

[Blue_true]

17. I think that is where the NFL is headed. nt